The Flint Arcade Raided Yet Again as the MGCB Clamp Down on Illegal Gambling Operations

The Michigan Gaming Control Board has continued to take decisive action against illegal gambling operations within the state. This time, the MGCB contributed to investigations that have now led to the raid of a Flint storefront casino. In conjunction with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, the MGCB confirmed illegal gambling activities at the location, leading state police to act on the intel.

Coincidentally, the Flint address is the same one that had a search and seizure warrant issued against almost exactly one year and five days ago. This time, the authorities confiscated four dozen illegal gambling machines and cash.

On August 18, 2022, joint investigators from the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the Michigan Department of Attorney General and local police all stormed The Cellular Vault. The raid on this fateful day saw authorities confiscate 43 computers and $2,500 in illegal gambling proceeds. Located at 3301 Corunna Road in Flint, The Cellular Vault was subsequently shut down.

Barely over a year since then, the Michigan Gaming Control Board received an anonymous tip that a center known as The Flint Arcade is allowing players access to slot-style betting without a license. No points for guessing, but the address of the arcade was 3301 Corunna Road, the same location authorities had raided just last year.

After investigations by the MGCB and the Department of Attorney General, Michigan State Police executed a search warrant on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. During this particular raid, it was discovered that two storefronts had been opened in the Flint area, with one being in the exact location that once housed The Cellular Arcade.

Officers from the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and the Flint PD were at the forefront of the raid. Together, they seized 48 computers for slot-style games and two gaming machines. In addition, $13,260 suspected to be gambling proceeds was also confiscated.

“The MGCB is committed to working with the proper authorities to create a safer and more transparent gaming environment for Michigan citizens. The agency is dedicated to helping communities statewide remove gaming machines used for gambling from storefront operations, gas stations, and convenience stores, and we encourage residents to call us with tips,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams explained in a statement.

The Michigan Penal Code criminalizes unlicensed and unauthorized gambling, with the option of fines or even imprisonment. Illegal wagering forms are considered a huge threat to licensed and regulated Michigan gambling.

This is the third raid happening in the city of Flint since the start of last year. In April 2022, several raids in the Flint area led the police to seize $30,000 and over 100 gambling machines. The raids were conducted in the Bristol Spot and the State Road Spot.

Again, in February this year, Flint Police Chief William Barksdale, pleaded no contest to one count of illegal gambling and another count of reckless firearm use. This incident came after gambling violations at West Point Arcade in Flint back in 2017. A raid on the location led investigators to recover over 80 firearms.

“Storefront casinos and illegal gambling pose significant risks to communities, both socially and economically. Since they can often attract criminal activity and draw customers away from legitimate businesses that positively contribute to the local economy, it is essential that these types of operations get shut down to prevent customers from falling prey to fraudulent schemes and protect them from potential harm,” Williams noted in his press release. 
The MGCB is fast recognizing Flint as a major hotspot for illegal gambling and may remain on the Board’s target for a while. With this raid on The Arcade, the MGCB adds to its clampdown of illegal gambling after successful raids at Delta Township and Belleville early this year.

You can report illegal or suspicious gambling activities in your area anonymously. To do that, call the 24-hour tipline at 1-888-314-2682 or send a message (not anonymous) to. Written tips can also be anonymously submitted to the MGCB using an online form located under the “Report Illegal or Suspicious Gambling Activity” link of the Resources section on the homepage of the agency’s website at Michigan.gov/MGCB.