IDAHO – A raid in Idaho resulted in a major illegal gambling bust. Officers confiscated seven unique slot machines, a dice game, thousands of dollars, alleged payout documentation, and several illegal gambling devices from an Eagles club.
The Post Falls raid has yet to turn up any charges or arrests. Lt. Greg McLean of the Post Falls police said the board of directors of the Eagles fraternal club may be charged with misdemeanor counts.
McLean said, “They knew eventually they were going to get caught. All of them knew it was wrong and illegal.”
The slot machines yielded up between $2,000 and $3,000. Police discovered more money sealed in envelopes. The assumption is that the envelopes were set aside for player coming to pick up winnings.
Tips from a confidential source aided the Post Falls police in getting a search warrant. Authorities suspect the fraternal club was paying a nickel per point on the slot machines. Winnings were most likely paid out on Sundays and Tuesdays.
The slot machines discovered in the club were not casino-style slot machines. They were devices commonly referred to as “gray machines”, allowing gamblers to play for points or credits. The only games of chance permitted by Idaho law, were players must pay to play and winners receive monetary rewards, is the state lottery. Slot machines are illegal.
Idaho mandates that operators must be witnessed making pay outs before law enforcement can seize slot machines or impose fines. A bill was presented to Idaho’s 2006 Legislature to guide law enforcement in better defining electronic gaming devices. Sponsors later pulled the measure fearing the language could affect arcade pinball machines.
Northern Idaho law enforcement started the year with a similar gambling bust. A sting on Jack’s Sports Grill in Post Falls led to busting up a Texas hold-em tournament in January.
Last November, 50 slot machines were seized from a simultaneous raid on 13 different bars in the state.
