Southern California Defense Blog
Video games, increasingly looked at as a way to have fun by people of all ages, is quickly becoming a cause of concern in Orange County. Some residents of Orange County are using video games to transform their private homes into illegal gambling arcades, and in doing so, they could be facing serious consequences.
Rise of Slaphouses in Orange County
Many homes in Southern California have set up arcade video game machines that can seat as many as six people so that players can bet money, gambling for hours on end while often engaging in drinking and drug use. These homes are becoming known as “slaphouses” because of the loud sounds people’s hands make when slapping down on the game controls. 
These slaphouses reportedly originated in Garden Grove, catering to the Vietnamese community who would play them in coffee bars. The machines are designed to switch easily from innocent games like Street Fighter or Pac-Man to potentially illegal ones like poker and blackjack. In 2011, Garden Grove outlawed these games in coffee houses, causing the shift to homes.
Being able to switch from a game of poker to an actual video game makes it easier for the owners of the machines to conduct illegal activity and shut it off if they fear the authorities are about to enter their home. Having the gambling take place in homes also makes it more difficult for law enforcement to discover where the illegal activities are taking place.
Consequences of Illegal Gambling in California (PC 330)
Gambling may seem like a common activity in places like Las Vegas. Your place of business might even bet on March Madness or a fantasy league. However, these slaphouses can make tens of thousands of dollars in one night. Continue reading →
