Illegal gambling is a serious issue across the states, the most recent case taking place in South Carolina where a fully-fledged gambling den was in operation. Following a police raid ambushing a residential home in Moore, the local authorities discovered the illegal operation of a gambling den managed by a 57-year-old individual.
It is not a secret to anyone that operation of gambling devices without the obligatory gaming permit is strictly forbidden by the regulation of any given state. Such operation also harms the local economy, as the community does not benefit from said gaming revenue as it would be the case with licensed casino developers. Players who lose their money while gaming in such dens further fuel the criminal sphere and boost its development.
Illegal Operation across the Field Could be Eliminated
In an attempt to eliminate the negative impact of such operation statewide, South Carolina’s authorities have launched a gaming crackdown aiming to locate and shut down any gaming operation conducted outside the law. This week proved to be rather successful in this sense, as Spartanburg County deputies busted a house in the region which could essentially be defined as an illegal gambling den. Locals have been well-acquainted with the illegal operation taking place and provided the information necessary.
The private house was raided with the help of a search warrant guaranteeing the legal access on the premises. Around 9 p.m. when gambling was already in full swing, there were as many as seven individuals present. As for the address, the private house is located on Peachwood Street in Moore, providing gambling enthusiasts with easy access to its offerings. The bust discovered a rather modest collection of gaming devices available on site, but nevertheless, various in their type.
As many as five stand-up gambling machines were in operation aiming to meet the high expectations of players. In the meantime, there were also two devices of the table-top kind located in the back room of the house. This well-rounded range of offerings was able to attract quite the crowd willing to gamble at the in-house casino venue. At the time of the raid, the machines were being used and there were seven individuals present on site.
South Carolina Battles Illegal Gambling
Upon further inspections, the Narcotics Unit deputies obtained the keys for all of the devices and seized the amount of cash generated by them. Jerome L. Ferguson, one of the people present in the gaming den provided said keys facilitating the authorities. He stated that while the owner was absent, he was the person responsible for the hassle-free operation of the devices. The said kingpin behind this illegal organization, Willie Frank Ferguson, 57, was not on site at the time of the raid, but he was later arrested after all seven people pointed him as the mastermind.
He was charged for gambling, while all gaming devices were seized from his house. All individuals received their mandatory citations providing information about their charges, as well as the date on which they would have to appear before a judge. They would be penalized if they refuse to attend the said hearing. This raid has been one of the more successful since the last South Carolina illegal gaming den bust in June.
Back then four people were nabbed for the operation of 11 gambling devices in a house in Bennettsville, Marlboro County. As a result of the raid, some $1,400 in cash was seized from the house. The operation was once again conducted following several tip-offs provided by residents of the community.
South Carolina is known for its restricted gaming field which provides no brick-and-mortar gaming activities. The Big M Casino is the floating gaming venue which has the sole permission to provide players with casino offerings.
