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Baltimore County (Map, News) - Baltimore County police served 40 search warrants all over the county, seizing more than 100 illegal video gaming machines in the past week.
The agency has deployed more than 100 officers at locations throughout the county including halls of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, said Baltimore County police spokesman Cpl. Mike Hill.
“There was obviously money in these machines,” Hill said, adding that he could not give specific locations of raids because charges are pending.
He did say the raids occurred in both eastern and western parts of the county.
In 2007, Baltimore County police pursued 43 cases of illegal video gambling and charged 38 individuals, according to Baltimore County police spokeswoman Ellen Kobler. The police confiscated dozens of machines and, depending on the outcome of the case, the machines were destroyed, she said.
In January 2006, the Abell Foundation released a study researchers said documented “an illegal, multimillion-dollar slot machine industry in Baltimore City and County,” costing Maryland more than $15 million annually in uncollected taxes from nearly 3,500 video gambling devices.
lbroadwater@baltimoreexaminer.com
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6:04 PM MST on Wed., May. 28, 2008 re: "More than 100 illegal gambling machines seized in Baltimore County"
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7:18 AM MST on Fri., May. 16, 2008
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4:56 AM MST on Thu., May. 15, 2008
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Examiner Reader said:
HEY, OMALLEY!! WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR THE BAR OWNER AND VETERANS ORGANIZATION NEXT!!!! IF IT IS PUTTING THEM OUT OF BUSINESS YOU ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY!! I think you should be more worried about the crime in the state. You have taken these peoples machines, you have banned smoking in your state you have hurt the honest working person right in there pocket. I think you need to get your priorities straight. I THINK ALL OF THE BAR OWNERS IN THE STATE SHOULD NOT SELL YOUR LOTTERY TICKETS AND SEE HOW THE STATE WOULD FEEL TO LOSE THAT MONEY. Maybe the state could feel the crunch in there pocketbook just like us working class has. Wake up OMalley and take a look around at what you are doing.
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Examiner Reader said:
Pick 3, 4 (twice a day) & keno, scratch offs, Mega millions, match 5, multi-match, Race trax game, & Maryland Hold'em. We have Opposition to Slots? Maryland is not a gambling state? I see in this case that the state wasn't getting its slice of these illegal machines. They needed to go. Now they'll charge the owners of the machines, fine them and possible go after them for tax evasion. What a croc!! I'd like to see that crime stats for people getting killed at these machines versus a dice game on the corner or poker game between "associates". The only reson these machines are really illegal is because Maryland doesn't get a part of the take. Maryland lottery seems to come up the similar games they control. Our horse racing industry was in trouble, what did they do? Came up with Virtual Race-trax (computer animated horse racing). Thats why I'm leaving this state it simply just makes me sick from all the hypocrisy.
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Examiner Reader said:
You can drink it if the state collected taxes on it. You can smoke it if the state collected taxes on it. You can gamble if it's state sponsored and pay taxes on your winnings. Don't pay the state, it's illegal! Welcome to the nanny state soon to be the nanny nation. Maybe the Gov should be Obama's VP. Two empty suits are better than one.
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Examiner Reader said:
This is great, a major crime bust has occured!!! These fiendish horrible threats to society have been rounded up and taken away!! Now I can sleep in peace knowing that I am safe from a MACHINE!!! forget the fact that gangs roam our neighborhoods at all hours, stealing everything or destroying it, spray painting their gang tags on and wall or surface they can find, robbing, mugging, killing at will, how about these Police who set to get the only pay raise from Baltimore Co. put some of that man power used to investigate and round up these gaming machines, do the same and get the thugs off the streets, or is that to much to ask?? maybe because a machine won't put up a fight but these thugs will!! I can't believe of all the wasted time spent to do this...
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Examiner Reader said:
Who cares? The law is the law. If they break it they should be penalized. I wonder if they raided the machines at the FOP Headquarters?
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Neil said:
It is obviously related to legalizing slots. They want their tax money. Need to get rid of the under the table stuff.
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Examiner Reader said:
looks like another O'Malley plot to scare people into voting for the slots bill in November. It won't work Martin.
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Examiner Reader said:
It's ok for the church to gamble on spaghetti night but a man that fights for his country has no right to gamble. Political....you got it. We have idiots for polititians in this state.
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Examiner Reader said:
Talk about misplaced priorities !! War on Drugs, War on Crime, War on Fraternal Organizations. Who really sets the direction of this attack?
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Parkville Resident said:
Bravo! Thank you police. From a resident that has had to endure the sloppy drunks and other low life behavior types that have frequented the old "Let's Play on Harford Road at all hours of the night. If you haven't nailed them yet, please put them on your list. To Bill and Hamilton Neighborhood, you don't have a clue what you are talking about unless you have experienced one of these illegal gambling parlors in your own backyard. They don't attract boy scouts. Thank you police, keep up the good work in Parkville!
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Bill said:
I agree with HN: I'm so glad all violent crime, and drunk/reckless driving has been reduced to the point where all that's left is to raid the places enjoyed by our veterans.
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Hamilton Neighborhood said:
What a waste of our tax dollars while criminals and drug dealers continue to roam the streets...
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