Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Tampa police arrested eight people Sunday afternoon near Raymond James
Stadium, accusing them of running an illegal lottery game. The game promised
customers a chance at an Xbox or a stuffed animal simply by guessing the
right number on a ball, said Tampa police Sgt. Bill Todd. Plainclothes
officers working at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game spotted the gambling
operation. The operators set up a booth just southeast of the stadium at
3430 W Douglas Ave., selling chances, police say. Under state law, such
games that involve no skill are illegal, a misdemeanor offense. Police think
the game operators travel around the country. Investigators found gambling
receipts totaling $8,505. All arrested were operating the booth or passing
out promotional fliers, Todd said. Seven of those arrested face a
misdemeanor charge of playing a game of chance, jail records show. Thomas
Davis, the game booth's manager, faces a felony charge of keeping a gambling
house, according to an arrest report.