Orange County shuts down illegal gambling operation disguised as garage door business

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office shut down what officials say was an illegal gambling operation on West Colonial Drive after a six month investigation. The business called itself LiftMaster Garage Door Repair, but investigators say it was actually running unregulated slot style machines that were not monitored by the Florida Gaming Commission. According to deputies, this lets the operators change the odds, control payouts, and take advantage of players.

After a six-month investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has shut down an illegal gambling operation. Disguised as “LiftMaster Garage Door Repair” on West Colonial Dr., the business was secretly operating unregulated slot-style machines that were not overseen by the… pic.twitter.com/teMkMHgWHk

— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) December 5, 2025

During the raid, deputies took 46 gambling machines and $25,220 in cash. Two men, 51-year-old Khalil Al Ghanim and 45-year-old Saif Eddin Ghaith, were arrested and are facing charges that include RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations), running an illegal gambling house, and using a two-way communication device for illegal activity.

Orange County targets illegal gambling amid statewide crackdown

The crackdown comes as state and local agencies step up their efforts to deal with unlicensed gambling operations across Florida. In December, the Florida Gaming Control Commission and Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey destroyed 147 illegal slot machines collected from several locations in Brevard County. A few days before that, authorities confiscated 22 machines and just over $25,000 from three businesses in Port Orange.

In August, the Florida Gaming Control Commission reported seizing 250 illegal machines along with approximately $200,000 in cash. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has called for stronger penalties, saying in a video shared on X, “Right now, people can stand to make millions off of unlawful gambling operations and just end up with a slap on the wrist, a misdemeanor,” and adding, “This is not sending the right message and it is not enough of a deterrent to stop this illegal behavior.”

Officials say the state has seized hundreds of unlicensed gaming machines and significant amounts of cash in recent months as part of wider efforts to curb illegal gambling.

Featured image: Orange County Sheriff’s Office via X

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