Running a clandestine casino requires a lot of stealth–you need to get the word out, but not tip off the cops. You need to account for large amounts of people coming and going. You also, apparently, need to lock your door. From the AP:
Sheriff’s deputies found what appeared to be a small casino when they responded to a burglar alarm at the home of a former small town mayor who had served time in prison for an illegal gambling scheme, officials said.
The door was wide open when deputies arrived late Sunday at the upscale mountain home owned by Peter Werrlein, a former councilman and mayor in the city of Bell in suburban Los Angeles, said San Bernardino Sheriff’s Detective James Bergandahl.
Deputies entered the house and found a 1,200-square-foot room containing seven slot machines, a mini roulette wheel, mini craps table, blackjack and poker tables, buckets of coins and several poker chips, Bergandahl said. There also was a cashier’s cage and a posted “No Credit” sign.
“It looked like an illegal casino or gambling hall,” Bergandahl said.
Nobody was home and there was no sign of forced entry, he said, adding that authorities believe strong winds blew open the door.
SoCal authorities find apparent casino in home of former mayor
I think that Werrlein could argue it was his personal rec room “for entertainment only.” The “no credit” sign was just part of the ambiance.
Maybe I should call the local cops every time someone calls me and wants to buy casino carpet for their basement “play room.”