Man charged for alleged gambling operation

A Salt Lake man was charged Wednesday after police say he was operating an illegal gambling operation last year.

Police began an investigation into the business operating under the name of Fast Action Internet Cafe, near 3400 South State, in October 2008, according to the charges filed in 3rd District Court.

The owner of the business, Frank Musil, 51, was charged with pattern of unlawful activity, a second-degree felony, four counts of gambling, a class B misdemeanor, and possessing a gambling device or record, also a class B misdemeanor.

During the investigation, an undercover officer entered the business multiple times and observed "fifteen active computer screens, that none of the screens had the Internet on them but were rather 'Bingo' screens with odds of winning and payouts, just as in a casino," the charges said.

The officer verified that the computers offered gambling, by playing a number of 25-cent "bingo cards," according to the charges. On one visit the undercover officer was able to "cash in" his winnings "as he would in any gambling establishment," the charges said.

In November 2008, a search warrant was executed at the business and 14 people were found gambling on the computers, according to the charges.

Business documents were summarized by police for a 20-day period and showed that the operation maintained a chance of winning on any given card at 16 percent, and "paid out" on approximately 76% of the credits purchased, while keeping approximately 25 percent for the house, the charges said.

—Ethan Thomas