Florida Casinos Generate $58.3 Million in Revenue in July, Authorities Battle With Illegal Arcades

Commercial casinos in Florida reported a revenue of $58.3 million in July, up 8% from the $54 million generated in July 2024.

The latest report comes from the Florida Gaming Control Commission, which reports on the eight racinos in the state. All of which operate slot gaming; however, there are no table games in commercial casinos in the state. 

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Magic City Leads Revenue Table

Six of the eight racinos showed year-on-year rises in revenue, with the most impressive performance coming from Magic City, attached to Gretna Racetrack. It produced the highest revenue figure in July of $12.3 million, and also showed the most significant year-on-year increase of 28.1%. 

Dania Jai Alai and Pompano Park produced double-digit revenue rises of 13.2% and 11.4% respectively, while Gulfstream Park, Big Easy, and Casino Miami also showed revenue increases. At the other end of the scale, Calder Race Course showed a slight year-over-year decline of 0.4% while the worst performer was Hialeah Park, which recorded $8.3 million in revenue, representing a decline of 3.6%. 

Florida Battles with Illegal Gambling Arcades

Meanwhile, Florida is struggling to tackle a surge of illegal gambling arcades, as recent arrests and raids highlight the state’s ongoing difficulties in shutting down the underground industry.

The arrest of Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez in June cast fresh attention on the problem. Lopez, who was suspended from his role, faces racketeering charges tied to a Central Florida gambling network, including The Eclipse, a casino-style venue in Kissimmee. Court records reveal that owners linked to The Eclipse have ties to other shuttered but resurgent arcades.

Despite previous crackdowns, operations often reappear. Hot Seats, a Lake County arcade raided during a police operation in 2017, continues to operate. Dreamer’s Arcade, which has faced multiple seizures, was raided again last year, with authorities confiscating $45,000 and 100 gaming machines.

In August, a raid near Tampa called ‘Operation Skilled Takedown’ netted over 200 slot machines and nearly $200,000 in cash from five arcades. 

Yet many of these venues reopen under new names, and sometimes the same ones. 

Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University, said, “I have always said that you will never get rid of these arcades. It’s like playing Whac-A-Mole. You could go on a major bust and try to close the ones in your county and eventually they will come back.”

Citizens, meanwhile, continue to call for stronger enforcement. Florida’s gaming commission received more than 1,200 complaints about illegal gambling last year, many pointing to Hot Seats and accusing operators of exploiting seniors. With players drawn by hopes of jackpots and operators willing to resurface, officials face an uphill battle to stamp out the illegal market.

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