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The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Springfield Police Department (SPD) and several other law enforcement agencies, announced on Friday, July 25, the indictment of nine individuals charged as part of a multi-million-dollar illegal gambling ring operating in southwest Missouri.
The men allegedly ran an illegal gambling business throughout the Show-Me State under the guise of internet amusement arcades, skill game arcades and adult arcades, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release. Many of the men have ties to the country of India and were residing in Washington, Georgia, New York and Colorado.
The indictment was unsealed on Friday, July 25, after several of the suspects were arrested.
“This wasn’t some low-level gambling scheme. It was an organized, multi-million-dollar criminal network that operated brazenly and believed it could stay one step ahead of law enforcement,” ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito said in the release. “They were mistaken.”
The men hired local employees to work at the six businesses spread throughout southwest Missouri with locations in Springfield, Branson West and Joplin, according to the release. Those businesses fell under names like “Big Win Arcade,” “Spin Hitters” and “Vegas Arcade.” The charges stem from illegal gambling businesses that operated from July 1, 2022, to May 13, 2025.
During a monthslong investigation that spanned multiple Missouri cities, authorities say they uncovered the formation of an illegal gambling enterprise by the nine men that had storefronts in Springfield.
“What began as a local investigation quickly expanded into a large, multi-jurisdictional case resulting in numerous indictments and a significant positive impact across our community,” Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams said in the release.
The locations include:
1700 block of South Link
600 block of South Scenic
500 block of West Bypass (2 Locations)
1135 East Commercial (Big Win)
1928 S. Glenstone (Lucky 7’s)
1842 S. Glenstone (Lucky 7’s)
634 East Walnut Lawn
1322 East Grand
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
