A Mountain Home man has been arrested on charges of keeping a gambling house in a local business.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the Mountain Home Police Department were dispatch to the Eastside Center for an alarm call. Upon arrival the business was discovered to be burglarized and a safe was missing.
While on the scene, authorities observed the business was a front for a gambling house rather than a smoke shop. Documents found during the investigation listed the business only as a smoke or tobacco shop owned by 39-year-old Muaad Al Maliki.
According to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, there are only two places in Arkansas where it is legal to house casino type games, a horse racing or dog racing track.
Cooperating witnesses state the business paid out in several ways such as CashApp, PayPal and Venmo and the machines were built to accept cash deposits.
Maliki has been released from the Baxter County Detention Center on $5,000 bond.
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