Florida’s Underground Gambling Surge: Lawmakers Seek Control & Revenue

From illegal slot parlors to offshore betting apps, Florida’s shadow gambling economy is booming while Tallahassee lawmakers demand new laws to capture billions in lost tax dollars

By Senior Staff Writer, Edmond Thorne for OmniCom MultiMediaFlorida News Network: Tallahassee—The flashing lights of slot machines illuminate a strip mall storefront in Tampa. Inside, patrons feed bills into devices that look nearly identical to those found in Las Vegas casinos. But this isn’t a legal establishment. It’s one of hundreds of unlicensed gambling operations that have quietly multiplied across Florida, creating a thriving underground market that state officials say is bleeding billions in untaxed revenue.

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