BRADENTON — Manatee County Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting the commercial use of simulated gambling devices in the county’s unincorporated areas, giving local authorities another way to crack down on businesses operating the electronic games often found in so-called “adult arcades.”
The ordinance, approved Sept. 22, comes as the county and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office grapple with what officials describe as the continuing proliferation of establishments that offer casino-style games despite Florida’s restrictions on gambling.
The new rules apply only to unincorporated Manatee County, not within cities such as Bradenton, where municipal governments with jurisdiction would need to take their own action to restrict simulated gambling devices.
Commissioners also unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the Manatee Sheriff’s Office to help coordinate enforcement of the new rules.
The county’s action follows a July 2025 investigation by the Suncoast Searchlight and Bradenton Herald—Bright lights, no rules: Florida’s illegal gambling dens are hiding in plain sight—that examined the growth of illegal gambling operations. The investigation identified more than 20 businesses operating as “adult arcades” in the region, and documented challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing suspected illegal gambling.
What the ordinance does
Ordinance 26-36 defines simulated gambling devices as any device that, “upon connection with an object, is available to play or operate a computer simulation of any game, where the play or operation of the device may deliver or entitle the person or persons playing or operating the device to a payoff directly or indirectly from the owner or operator of the device or that person's designee.”
By adopting the ordinance, the county is not creating a new gambling license or regulatory system for businesses, but rather creating county code that bans the operation of devices covered under the definition.
The ordinance also gives the county a civil enforcement option in addition to criminal enforcement under state law.
Remedies and civil penalties under the rules mean that illegal casino operators in Manatee County can be issued a cease-and-desist order, a civil citation, or be ordered to court. Owners and operators of establishments that maintain five or more illegal gambling devices, and who have previously violated the ordinance or ignored a cease-and-desist letter, could be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 60 days in county jail and a $500 fine.
Why officials pursued it
The county began working on the ordinance after commissioners directed the County Attorney’s Office in October of last year to research a similar ban adopted by Marion County. The county attorney reviewed state laws, court cases, and ordinances from other Florida counties as they drafted Manatee County’s proposal. County staff also worked with the Sheriff’s Office and other groups involved to develop the ordinance.
The ordinance adopted Tuesday cites the Manatee Sheriff’s Office’s data as part of the county’s rationale.
According to the ordinance, the Sheriff’s Office recorded 1,526 calls for service between Jan. 1, 2018, and Nov. 30, 2025, at locations associated with simulated gambling establishments.
The ordinance also says the Sheriff’s Office has conducted search warrants at multiple properties and worked with the Florida Gaming Commission to close at least 10 simulated gambling establishments since 2018.
As of March 10, 2026, the Sheriff’s Office estimated that approximately 25 simulated gambling establishments were operating in the county, while noting the actual number could be higher.
The ordinance says law enforcement has encountered crimes including robberies, assaults, thefts, burglaries, and a stabbing at establishments associated with simulated gambling.
The county also cited a 2019 change to Florida law that reduced certain gambling-related offenses involving gambling houses from third-degree felonies to second-degree misdemeanors. The ordinance says the change weakened the deterrent effect of the previous penalties.
What happens next
The ordinance creates a county-level enforcement mechanism intended to supplement the Sheriff’s Office’s criminal enforcement efforts.
That distinction was part of the county’s coordination with law enforcement and the Florida Gaming Control Commission during the drafting process. County staff said the Gaming Commission provided technical feedback that officials planned to consider through additional legal review and stakeholder discussions.
The unanimous vote Tuesday marks the county’s latest response to the gambling establishments examined in last year’s Searchlight and Bradenton Herald investigation. The new ordinance gives county officials a separate local enforcement tool as they seek to prevent simulated gambling operations from continuing to proliferate in unincorporated areas.
The ordinance applies only in unincorporated Manatee County and takes effect immediately upon adoption and filing with the state.
Dawn Kitterman is a staff reporter and investigative journalist for The Bradenton Times, covering local government news. She can be reached at dawn.kitterman@thebradentontimes.com.
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