No state is more committed than Michigan when it comes to beating illegal gambling operators into submission, whether it be through stealth busts or sheer displays of blunt force. Such “this is what you get” swagger was on display last week at a Detroit junkyard, where the Michigan Gaming Control Board filmed and subsequently shared video of a bunch of confiscated illegal gambling machines getting crushed to smithereens by a Caterpillar excavator with a claw-like front.
According to an MGCB press release, the severity of the destruction was deemed necessary “to prevent any salvageable parts from being used elsewhere.”
“The destruction of these machines sends a clear message that the Michigan Gaming Control Board is not playing games when it comes to upholding the highest standards of gaming regulation and enforcement,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams. “The MGCB will continue to ensure that unauthorized machines are not left to chance to be repurposed and used again by those who choose to break the law.”
Seize and desist
The press release went on to state that, between January 2015 and July 2023, the MGCB was involved in the seizure of 1,195 illegal machines and $470,402 in ill-gotten gains. Furthermore, since November 2022, 48 Michigan operators suspected of operating 105 illegal machines have received cease-and-desist letters.
“The machines destroyed by the MGCB are the tools of criminals, cheating their neighbors of their hard-earned money as well as the state out of gaming revenues that support our schools,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. “Illegal gaming operations are a danger to their communities, typically becoming local hotspots for other crimes and violence. We will continue to coordinate with the Michigan Gaming Control Board to ensure our state’s gambling laws are strictly enforced.”
Photo courtesy of the MGCB
