Page 6 - Gambling Studies Program News Today

Advertisement Methamphetamine often goes hand-in-hand with play at many covert gaming halls and is often sold or supplied by operators on-site, according to court records. The stimulant can keep patrons in front of machines for hours in a hyper-focused and confident state. It also entices them to come back for more. “Illegal gambling dens bring drugs, violence, guns, and other organized criminal activity into San Diego neighborhoods,” said FBI spokeswoman Davene Butler. That violence has gr...

San Diego’s hidden gambling problem: illicit casinos court gangs, drugs, violence [The San Diego Union-Tribune] Tucked in an aging strip mall next to a coffee shop and a tax preparer in City Heights, the casual observer might have noticed that a clothing alterations shop was running a particularly brisk business. But expert tailoring wasn’t the draw. A task force raid in October found evidence of an illegal gambling den, with 16 video gaming machines, about $1,700 in cash concealed in drywa...