ATLANTA — Three people in Georgia are now facing federal charges as part of the FBI’s wide-ranging investigation into illegal sports gambling and poker game rigging.
Court documents show federal agents arrested Tony Goodman of Locus Grove, John Mazzola of Gray and Kenny Han of Flushing, New Jersey.
The documents show Han was arrested in Macon.
The indictments show all three men were involved in, what agents say, was a series of rigged poker games involving sophisticated technology to assist in the cheating.
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This all comes as a new push to legalize gambling in Georgia, including online sports betting, has some bipartisan support.
The House Gaming Committee held its final hearing last week. Lawmakers are considering asking the voters to decide if they want to amend the Georgia Constitution to allow for gambling.
Before the FBI raid, committee members seemed to support the idea.
“In the state of Georgia, we’re all going to have to decide ultimately,” said State Rep. Marcus Wiedower (R), Watkinsville, the chair of the committee. “Let the voters decide if they want to participate in it. But I think, within a legal framework, that would be proper.”
“There are a lot of benefits that we can have that will benefit our children,” said State Rep. Yasmin Neal (D), Jonesboro. “So, for me, with proper regulation, absolutely I support it.”
But the hearing ended a week before the FBI raids. The US Attorney for Eastern New York, Joseph Nocella, Jr., said past and present NBA players were sending inside information to bettors or affecting the games themselves.
“The first indictment involves six defendants who are alleged to have participated in one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became legalized in the United States,” he said.
One of the most vocal opponents to gambling in Georgia is the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Mack Parnell. He thinks this newest gambling scandal could derail new efforts to legalize online sports betting and other gambling in the state.
“This is yet another reminder that when it comes to predatory gambling, sports betting and the associated industries, the only way to win is not the play,” Parnell said.
The House Gaming Committee will make its recommendations to the full House next January.
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