Gaming machines, cash seized in raids at two Wichita shops

Police raided two businesses in a south Wichita shopping center on Tuesday, seizing slot-machine-style games, cash and at least one firearm.

Approximately 80 gaming machines were seized from the two businesses and carted away in city trucks.

The first raid took place Tuesday afternoon at the Match Play Smoke Shop in the Seneca Square shopping center at the northwest corner of 31st and Seneca.

Police returned to the same shopping center on Tuesday night, raiding a small storefront with blacked-out windows that was labeled only as “Opie’s.”

Wichita Police Capt. Dan East confirmed that police had served search warrants at both businesses. He said several people were questioned, but no arrests had been made.

East would not comment further, saying the searches were part of an ongoing investigation.

Numerous smoke shops, restaurants, convenience stores and other small businesses in lower-income areas of Wichita host what are called “gray area” slot machines. They’re called that because state gambling law is unsettled as to their legality.

The machines look, play and pay out much like an ordinary slot machine, but they also dispense token products in addition to any winnings.

The legal theory behind it is that when the players put money in the machines, they’re technically buying the product and simultaneously entering a free and legal sweepstakes when they play the game.

The products dispensed are usually paper gift cards that can be used to purchase random merchandise at an online site, or points toward the purchase of items at the business.

Players generally discard the products because they are either practically valueless or difficult to redeem.

A man identified as the operator of the Match Play shop would not give his name but said police took the machines, more than $1,200 in cash and his gun, leaving behind $20.

The main room in the smoke shop was left in disarray, with chairs, some tools and other equipment scattered around the floor.

At about 4 p.m. Tuesday, shortly after the raid, the man was asking an officer about where his property had been taken and how he could get it back. After he was told he’d have to contact a detective investigating the case, he got in his pickup and drove away.

Before he left, he questioned the officer on why the list of seized property didn’t state the amount of cash police took from the business.

The officer told him that information would not be available until detectives put the money through a counting machine at the station.

Wichita police have raided and seized gray-area game machines at several other locations, mostly in south Wichita, in recent months.

This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 6:42 PM with the headline "Gaming machines, cash seized in raids at two Wichita shops."