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Read Full BioThe Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) has carried out raids at three venues it accuses of running illegal gambling operations. Hot Seats in Leesburg was one of the venues raided, a gaming establishment that is connected to the criminal case against Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez. The venue has been raided frequently, yet it has found a way to reopen and again attract customers.
At Hot Seats, the FGCC said it seized 77 illegal gambling machines and $35,621 in suspected gambling proceeds. In total, the operation, codenamed “Calvin Coolidge” seized 231 machines and over $157,000.
In a press release, the FGCC’s Executive Director Alana Zimmer commented, “These enforcement actions demonstrate our commitment to protecting Florida communities and preserving the integrity of the state’s gaming laws.”
In addition to Hot Seats, the FGCC raided two other locations, the House of Treasure in Umatilla, and The Hub, also in Leesburg. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued Notices to Appear for each location for possession of slot machines and keeping a gambling house.
Hot Seats Survives Heat
Hot Seats has been the subject of frequent raids, yet has continued to operate. The venue was part of a 2017 sting titled “Operation Jackpot,” but reopened despite complaints. Its owners overlap with the owners of The Eclipse, the venue at the center of the case against Sheriff Lopez.
Lopez is accused of participating in an illegal gambling operation that generated as much as $21 million. The operation managed to survive several raids on its properties.
Hot Seats is now listed as permanently closed on Google, but having reopened after previous raids, it may not be long before it is again operational. Recent customer reviews are critical of the venue. Last month, one patron stated, “I used to love this place, however it is so hard to win here now. You have to literally put so much in to get anything.”
State Playing Whac-A-Mole With Arcades
Other gaming centers have been able to withstand raids by law enforcement, including Dreamer’s Arcade, which was part of the same raid in 2017 but continued to operate before another raid last year, during which $45,000 and 100 illegal gaming machines were seized.
The venue also says it is now permanently closed, but was seemingly active as recently as a few months ago when a customer left a review online stating, “Best place to lose money been in there a bunch of times never win.”
Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University, has said the state is playing “whac-a-mole” with these illegal gaming arcades. He stated, “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.”
More of the Same for FGCC in 2026
Last year, the FGCC seized almost $15 million and 6,725 illegal slot machines from illegal gambling operations during enforcement actions. Zimmer, who assumed her role in October last year, has vowed to continue the crackdown on unlicensed venues.
She added, “Illegal gambling operations undermine lawful businesses and exploit patrons. FGCC will continue to work proactively with law enforcement partners to shut them down.”
The gambling authority reminded residents that gambling machines are only permitted at eight select venues in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, in addition to casinos run by the Seminole Tribe.
