Booze BrothersĪs far back as the early-1900s, a few underground gambling establishments in dance halls and saloons were offering a chance to wager some cash. What many may not also realize is that this city on the Gulf of Mexico was once one of the hottest gambling destinations in the country – though not quite on the up and up. As another summer vacation season comes to a close, thousands will head home from a city that attracts vacationers from across the country looking for a bit of fun in the sun at the beach, some great seafood, and a visit through one of Texas’s oldest cities.
This 2011 raid was just another example in a long war between law enforcement and those hoping to keep gambling alive in Galveston County, Texas. Two suspects faced felony money laundering and organized crime charges. After an undercover investigation uncovered illegal gambling that included more than 150 eight-liner style slot machines from the two locations, deputies seized items that included an ATM machine used by bettors to keep the cash flowing in the slots. They weren’t there for the gambling – they were there to close down the Lucky 7 and R&N game rooms – and seize thousands of dollars in cash on that warm day in mid-July.
