HOUSTON – Deputies have reportedly shut down an illegal game room in southeast Harris County after a major bust on Wednesday.
Officials with Harris County Constable Precinct 2 say the bust took place on Oct. 5 in the 1300 block of Spencer Highway.
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According to investigators, deputies received several complaints from residents in the area, requesting law enforcement officials to shut the business down.
Following the months-long investigation, deputies were able to get a warrant written up and later executed it without incident.
When officials arrived to the game room, they said about 40 patrons were inside who were checked for warrants and then released without incident.
Several employees were detained and will reportedly have warrants issued for their arrest at a later time.
Deputies say in total, there were more than 200 gambling machines inside the illegal business.
The currency the game room accumulated was also noted by deputies as proceeds of the illegal gambling devices and was therefore seized from the property as part of the investigation.
Constable Jerry Garcia’s office says he wants to warn the public of these businesses.
“[Game rooms] often lead to much larger crimes putting the safety of the public in jeopardy. They are often targeted locations for robberies and other serious crimes. These illegal gambling businesses are not regulated by the state or city, and therefore do not create a “fair” chance at winning,” the office wrote. “The way these machines are set up, the odds of the public winning are a lot lower than the odds at legal gambling facilities that are regulated. For this reason, these businesses often prey on the elderly players who are not aware of the way the machines are rigged. Please stay safe and God Bless You All.”