Fri. Aug 29th, 2025

On Thursday, the Garden Grove Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, Gang Suppression Unit, and patrol officers executed a successful search warrant at an illegal gambling operation.

The operation resulted in:

  • Multiple arrests
  • Several illegal gambling machines seized
  • Large sum of cash recovered

Here’s a summary of the penalties for illegal gambling in Garden Grove, California:


Illegal Gambling Penalties – Garden Grove, CA

Under California Penal Code § 330, illegal gambling is classified as a misdemeanor. Individuals involved in operating or participating in illegal gambling activities may face the following penalties:

  • Jail Time: Up to 6 months in county jail
  • Fines: Between $100 and $1,000
  • Probation: Misdemeanor (summary) probation may be granted instead of jail time

Who Can Be Charged:

  • Anyone who deals, plays, opens, conducts, or participates in a “banking” or “percentage” game (e.g., house-banked games like blackjack or roulette)

Additional Notes:

  • No immigration consequences
  • Gun rights are not affected
  • Convictions may be eligible for expungement after probation or jail time

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

7 thoughts on “Garden Grove Police bust an illegal gambling operation, seizing cash and gaming machines”
  1. God that place looks depressing. Fill the room with cigarette smoke, hardened gamblers with missing teeth who haven’t bathed in days, and a smattering of scary people with face tattoos– and it’s about the last place I’d want to spend an evening.

  2. Damn they not hurting any one they just trying to win some cash. They mad kuz they making easy money n a fast way when people working four hours to make what they make n few mins . I mean if they not hurting any one let them play.. always a legal when California doesn’t make a profit from it..

  3. what would be the reason that a story about the arrests was worth announcing yet none of the important stuff like who what when where and why…were left out and replaced with a pocket guide to the consequences of the violations…..It might be useful to know what actually happened. ..just sayin..

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