Peyton Manning’s nightmare Super Bowl performance may have a lot of people in Denver and to a lesser extent, Indiana, feeling all bummed out, but that probably doesn’t compare to the trouble a handful of bars and clubs in the Heartland are in after getting cited by local police for illegal gambling on the Super Bowl.
Indiana State Excise Police took action against the establishments, including the Bridges Scoreboard restaurant and sports bar in Griffith, Indiana, when it issued preliminary charges of public nuisance in relation to promoting illegal gambling. Another establishment, the Moose Lodge in Attica, Indiana, was cited on the same charges. A club trustee from the Moose Lodge was also slapped with a citation for hindering law enforcement authorities after allegedly making false statements to officers. Gary Sportsman Club in Crowne Point, Indiana and Kenwood Tap in Hammond, Indiana were also cited for public nuisance.
All in all, over $93,000 were seized from the four bars and clubs, with the first of these citations occurring last January 23 in Gary Sportsman Club with evidence being seized amounting to $27,500.
A week after that, it was Kenwood Tap’s turn to get cited with evidences of betting on the Super Bowl, approximately $11,000, also getting seized.
And finally, just last Saturday – a day before the Super Bowl – Bridges Scoreboard and Moose Lodge #1482 were also cited with the former losing out on around #53,750.
It’s not surprising that Indiana police is taking an aggressive stance on these establishments.
After all, sports betting is illegal in the state and these establishments stand to face more severe charges soon, beginning with criminal charges related to professional gambling, promoting professional gambling and corrupt business influence.
Worse for those involved is the looming possibility that they could also be charged with unlawful gambling, which is a Class B Misdemeanor in Indiana.
