Florida’s top gambling regulator pushes harsher penalties for illegal slot machines

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - Florida’s top gambling regulator wants tougher penalties for owning illegal slot machines. Florida Gaming Control Commission head Alana Zimmer said the criminal penalty right now for hosting illegal slot machines is only a misdemeanor, so once an operation is shut down, another one opens right back up.“It’s much more severe than a misdemeanor,” Zimmer said. “A lot of times these will even get dismissed because they’re misdemeanors. A lot of times, people won’t want to prosecute them because of crimes that they deem more serious.”Florida politics: Monday marks the first day of the brand new “Illegal Gambling Awareness Week.” Zimmer said the Hard Rock Bets app is the only legal online sportsbook in Florida.“In Florida, the only licensed internet gambling that you can do is through the Seminole Tribe. Hard Rock Bets, that’s the only one that you can do online,” Zimmer said.If you play an illegal slot machine, there’s no way to verify