Georgia Gas Station Illegal Gambling Bust Leads to Three Arrests

An alleged illegal gambling operation was shut down inside a gas station in Clayton County after a multi-month investigation by the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators executed a search warrant at a Texaco gas station off Tara Boulevard. During the operation, authorities discovered nine coin-operated amusement machines that were paying out illegal cash winnings. According to Major John Norrod of the sheriff’s office, “They’ve come in here and gambled and got monetary U.S. currency payouts.”

The sheriff’s office arrested three men — Faiyaz Khimani, Feroz Khimani, and Sriram Vanteru — on multiple drug-related charges. The owner of the store, who was not present during the raid, faces the same drug charges. They also face “keeping a gambling place” charges, officials said.

Authorities added that “tens of thousands of dollars” had moved through the store’s accounts in connection with the alleged gambling activity. Investigators also found illegal THC products inside the business.

Under Georgia law, coin-operated amusement machines are legal only if players receive store credit, lottery tickets, or merchandise as a prize. Payouts in cash are illegal.

The sheriff’s office said the case will be forwarded to the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office once a full review of financial and digital evidence is completed.

The case reflects a growing trend across multiple states, including Florida and Texas, where amusement machine arcades operate as underground illegal gambling dens.

Georgia is Considering Legalizing Some Gambling

The bust comes at a time when Georgia lawmakers are debating whether to expand legal gambling statewide. Sports betting, casino gaming, and horse racing are all under consideration.

In July, a newly formed House Study Committee on Gaming convened to explore a potential expansion of gambling. Notably, Georgia is one of only four states without any legal commercial gambling.

Legislative efforts this year included House Bill 686, House Resolution 450, and Senate Resolution 131. All of them aimed to legalize sports betting. They all failed to gain traction, marking the seventh consecutive legislative session in which a sports betting proposal was unable to pass.

The Committee has met a few times. The latest event took place in October at Savannah Technical College, bringing together both supporters and opponents of gambling expansion. Representative Alan Powell told attendees: “Georgia would be an excellent place to open casino resorts.” He added that “the people need to have the choice to implement all forms” of gambling.

Some polls suggest that there’s a public appetite for a statewide vote. One 2023 poll showed that 85% of respondents supported allowing a referendum on casino gaming.

Donald Trump Jr. has also emerged as an advocate of legalizing gambling in Georgia. In an X post, he said it was “crazy” that Georgia, along with Alabama, could not wager on sports. He added that he is in favor of changing the laws.

The Committee has until December to issue recommendations on which, if any, forms of gambling Georgia should legalize. It’s likely that in 2026, Georgia lawmakers will revisit the issue with at least another sports betting bill.