Florida Sheriff Arrested In Illegal Gambling Investigation

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez has been arrested for facilitating an illegal gambling operation in Florida.

A joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) uncovered a criminal organization operating through a business known as the Fusion Social Club in Kissimmee, Florida. The operation is estimated to have generated $21.6 million in illegal funds.

The gambling house operated under the name The Eclipse and promoted itself on TikTok through @theeclipse4561. The account remains active despite the investigation. The account promotes itself as “A Casino With A Lot, Fish Tables And computer games with Daily Promotions”.

Florida casinos are legal through the Seminole Tribe, but the state does allow slot machine gaming at select locations throughout the state. Licenses are required, however, and the operation in Kissimmee did not possess a valid license.

Lopez facilitated illegal casino

“Initially engaging the operation for campaign contributions and personal payments, Sheriff Lopez played a multifaceted role in expanding and protecting this illegal enterprise, using his office to shield the enterprise from law enforcement,” the state attorney’s office said in a statement.

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Lopez in an executive order and appointed a Florida Highway Patrol official to be the county’s sheriff. The Sheriff had previously violated state records law when he accidentally posted a photo of murdered 13-year-old Madeline Soto in December. He pleaded no contest to the charge and agreed to pay a fine of $250, but faces much stiffer penalties this time around.

Florida clamping down on illegal gambling

In April this year, a further ten illegal gambling operations across Central and South Florida were dismantled, and approximately 100 illegal slot machines and over $60,000 in cash were seized.

Lawmakers have also proposed legislation to tackle online gambling, but a bill that proposed stricter penalties and a ban on sweepstakes failed to progress earlier this month. As a result, sweepstakes casinos continue to operate in a gray area in the Sunshine State.

Sheriff Lopez is being held in jail in Lake County and further arrests are expected in the coming days in relation to the case.

Adam Roarty

Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling. Adam focuses on emerging stories in the ever changing landscape of betting in the US. Read the latest on prediction markets, changing legislation, and sweepstakes.