Decatur Police Raid Illegal Gambling House, Arrest Five

Decatur police arrested five people on October 20, 2026 after raiding a house in southwest Alabama that investigators say was operating as an illegal gambling house. The Decatur Police Department said officers seized gambling machines, a firearm and cash, according to WAFF's report on the police release.

The department said it had received numerous complaints over several months about an illegal gambling house within city limits. The Vice/Narcotics Unit and the Special Enforcement Team, assisted by the SWAT unit, executed a search warrant in the 1000 block of Hoover Avenue Southwest.

Investigators located multiple gambling machines, a firearm and U.S. currency. Police did not provide further details about the investigation or the weapon. The department's release was accompanied by photographs of the scene.

The complaints, which built up over several months, are what the department says led it to seek the warrant. The raid took place on a Tuesday, and the arrests were announced the following day.

The Charges

Two of the five people were charged with promoting gambling. One of them also faces a charge of violating a domestic violence protection order, according to Morgan County Jail records cited by the Decatur Daily. Both were released on bond less than two hours after being booked.

The other three were charged with simple gambling, and one of those three was also charged with second-degree marijuana possession. Police said all defendants should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

A Familiar Address

The Decatur Daily reported that one of the people charged with promoting gambling had been arrested in June 2023 after a raid on a suspected illegal gambling establishment in the same block of Hoover Avenue Southwest. Police said at the time that he oversaw that operation, where investigators found about 50 gambling devices, multiple firearms, illegal drugs and an extensive surveillance system.

Court records show he pleaded guilty to promoting gambling in January 2025. He was sentenced to 365 days in the Morgan County Jail, with credit for time served and the remaining sentence suspended, and received two years of unsupervised probation. It was not immediately clear whether this week's search involved the same property targeted in 2023.

What Alabama Law Says

Under Alabama law, promoting gambling is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,000. 

State law also allows a fine based on up to twice the financial gain or loss associated with the offence. Simple gambling is a Class C misdemeanor.

Why It Matters For Players

Unlicensed gambling houses sit outside the consumer protections that regulated operators must provide, including age checks and complaint routes. 

Players who want to gamble online should stick to licensed online casinos in states where they are legal, and check an operator's licence before depositing. 

Anyone worried about their gambling can find help through the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER.