Manatee County commissioners are set to vote Tuesday, Sept. 22, on an ordinance that would ban slot-style machines from storefront casinos across unincorporated areas of the county.

The proposed law would cover commercial corridors near Lakewood Ranch and throughout unincorporated Manatee County. The public hearing on Ordinance 26-36 begins at 9 a.m. at the Manatee County Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., in Bradenton. Commissioners will also consider an enforcement agreement with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO).

The ordinance targets what the county calls "simulated gambling devices," the slot-like machines found inside businesses that advertise as adult arcades. A 2025 investigation by Suncoast Searchlight and the Bradenton Herald identified more than 20 such operations stretching from Bradenton to Englewood.

That investigation also found law enforcement had responded to hundreds of calls at the businesses over five years, including burglaries, fights, stolen vehicles and drug overdoses.

Years of raids failed to curb arcades

The problem is not new. In July 2023, the MCSO identified 53 gambling establishments and delivered cease-and-desist letters. About 40% voluntarily closed. Detectives then raided Sizzling Sam's Arcade in Bradenton, seizing 69 machines and more than $52,000 in cash.

Commission Chairman Tal Siddique began pushing for a local ordinance in September 2025. He has described the businesses as "pop-ups" and said law enforcement compared combating them to a game of whack-a-mole, The Bradenton Journal reported.

"I just don't want them here," Siddique said at an Aug. 25 commission meeting where the board finalized the ordinance language. "I wanted to keep it simple, and the goal was to clean up our urban core …"

Under the ordinance, operators could face a cease-and-desist order, a civil citation or court action. Repeat violations or operations with five or more prohibited machines could be charged as a second-degree misdemeanor, carrying up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The enforcement agreement would split duties. The county would handle administrative actions such as civil citations. Deputies could investigate violations and pursue criminal charges.

Building criminal cases under state law has proven costly. Investigations require undercover work, search warrants and the seizure of bulky machines that must be stored as evidence for months. In November 2025, MCSO detectives raided New Winners Circle Arcade in Bradenton, seizing 58 slot machines valued at roughly $290,000 and $19,055 in cash. In May 2026, authorities seized over 200 machines and more than $96,000 from two other Bradenton arcades.

Other counties saw arcades close after bans

The ordinance is modeled on one Marion County adopted in 2021. Marion County officials said storefront casinos largely disappeared after the law took effect. Sumter County saw similar results; all 13 of its gambling businesses closed after officials adopted their own rules.

The ordinance would exempt private, noncommercial use of the machines. Religious and charitable organizations could use them for up to two events per year with written notice to the sheriff's office.

Every commissioner on the dais agreed at the August meeting that regulation was needed. Commissioner Jason Bearden said the board unanimously wanted oversight because the arcades operate with "no checks and balances."

Residents can attend the 9 a.m. hearing at the Administrative Center or follow the meeting through the county's website.