The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) announced on October 18 that law enforcement raided a residence and business following an anonymous tip that illegal gambling was occurring at the locations.
At the PlayStation Bar and Grill in Bridgeport Township and a residence in Goodrich, authorities found $182,430 in gift cards from Simon Property Group, a commercial real estate company in Indianapolis, Indiana. Six slot-type video gambling machines, including four Nudgemaster machines, were also retrieved plus 11 computers and $6,306 in cash.
Both locations are owned by the same individual, who previously owned the now-closed Nudgemaster Café in Grand Rapids, which received a cease-and-desist letter from authorities in October 2019. The owner is also associated with Universal Video Inc., which authorities said is a Nudgemaster machine supplier. No arrests have been made yet, officials said.
Following the raids, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a statement that said, “Illegal gambling diverts revenues from our state and schools, and these operations can pose a danger to their neighborhoods, as they typically attract other types of criminal activity.”
MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams added that these illegal activities can increase crime, and that players are unprotected since the machines are not state-regulated. Williams said, “The public is urged to contact us if they see a casino-type gaming machine in a restaurant, gas station or convenience store. We investigate every tip and work hard to protect Michigan citizens from such crime in their neighborhoods.”
The recent raid involved investigators from the MGCB, Michigan Attorney General’s office, Bridgeport Township Police Department, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
