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A Boca Raton-area pickleball player has been arrested after South Florida investigators accused him of running an illegal online sports betting operation.
According to the Palm Beach Post, Devon Shalmi, 42, was taken into custody on Sept. 8 and charged with bookmaking, money laundering and operating a gambling house. His bond was set at $3 million, and his first court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 10.
Investigators say case followed a 13-month undercover probe
The arrest followed what authorities described as a year-long undercover investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Task Force.
Investigators said a confidential informant tipped them to Shalmi in 2025. Detectives then carried out more than 30 operations over 13 months, according to the report.
Authorities allege Shalmi provided betting accounts with credit lines ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 and was the administrator and operator of Allgames365.com. Detectives also said gambling payouts moved through Zelle, Venmo and Cash App.
Investigators traced transactions to ILSJSF Solutions, a Boca Raton company that allegedly received more than $3 million in payments during the investigation. The Palm Beach Post reported that Shalmi also met undercover officers at the Dixon Pickleball Club in Deerfield Beach during cash exchanges.
What the charges mean for Florida bettors
The case centers on alleged illegal sports betting activity, not Florida’s regulated gambling market. For players, that distinction matters because enforcement actions like this typically focus on unlicensed operations and the payment channels used to move gambling proceeds.
Shalmi’s attorney, Guy Fronstin, told the Palm Beach Post: “We are reviewing the allegations and evidence and look forward to presenting Mr. Shalmi’s defenses in court.”
The new case also comes after an earlier gambling prosecution. In 2017, authorities charged Shalmi and seven others with running an illegal sports gambling ring from 2013 to 2015. He later pleaded to money laundering and received five years of probation.
Readers watching this case next can look to the Oct. 10 hearing for the next public update.
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Source: As reported by Valentina Palm.
