Colorado Springs police cracking down on operation of illegal gaming devices

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Police have identified 32 businesses which they say are based solely on operating illegal gambling machines, but a new enforcement effort is concentrating more on education than arresting.

Because of that, police say that they are not identifying the affected businesses identified as possibly operating illegal gaming devices or maintaining a gambling premise.

The illegal gambling devices are known as fish table games and are similar to arcade video games.

Police say that they are targeting the affected locations because they are often sources of violence and other crimes such as drug trafficking, shootings, and vehicular eluding; officers also say that they've arrested armed, wanted fugitives at some of the locations.

Wednesday and Thursday, detectives from the police Metro Division will visit the affected locations to inform the business owners or managers of state laws regarding illegal gaming devices, and that the owners have been implicated in operation of the devices.

Police say that some of the owners may not realize their machines are illegal; the operation will help those owners determine whether they are, or aren't, complying with state laws.

After the educational campaign, police will conduct follow-up investigations, if necessary; violators will be charged with a misdemeanor offense and face the possibility of fines and/or jail time.