In the La Marina neighborhood of Matanzas, nine individuals were apprehended this Thursday during a police operation targeting an illegal gambling establishment.
Among those arrested was the property owner, who allegedly provided the venue for the unauthorized activities, according to the Facebook page "Con Todos La Victoria," which is supportive of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in the province.
Authorities confiscated tables, cards, dominoes, and dice, which are typically used in games like baccarat, local variants of lottery games, and dice betting.
The Official Narrative: A Moral Stand or Misplaced Priorities?
The official narrative, delivered with the usual triumphalism of MININT-affiliated profiles, depicted the operation as a strike against "vice" and "social disorder."
"This is how you dismantle a place where vice wreaks havoc among chips, baccarat, numbers, money, and adrenaline, often leading to outcomes far from social harmony," declared the post.
Regarding the fate of those arrested, the publication stated that "the detainees will face the legal consequences outlined for such cases," concluding with the slogan, "ZERO tolerance for crime, illegalities, and social indiscipline!"
Public Reaction: A Question of Priorities
The official statement sparked widespread criticism on social media. Many users questioned why authorities target adults voluntarily gambling their money while robberies and assaults remain unresolved.
"They should be catching those who are stealing and robbing; those are the ones they need to catch," commented one user. Another questioned, "And what about the thieves?"
The distinction between gambling and crimes with direct victims was a recurring theme. "Playing isn't stealing, playing isn't killing; yet other things happen, and nothing is done," expressed another user.
Some questioned the fairness of the operation: "Where I live, there's one, and nothing happens," noted one person, while another sarcastically added, "They've already opened another one next door."
Matanzas: Cuba's Most Violent Province
The choice to conduct the raid is even more striking given the context. In the first half of 2026, Matanzas overtook Havana as the province with the highest number of murders, assaults, and thefts in Cuba, according to the Cuban Observatory of Citizen Audit (OCAC): 18 murders, 21 documented assaults, and alongside Granma, 50.8% of the 592 verified thefts nationwide.
Nationally, crime in Cuba continues to rise, with the OCAC reporting 2,833 verified crimes in 2025, marking a 115% increase compared to 2024.
In February 2026, MININT itself acknowledged a 25% increase in property crimes.
In this scenario, the question posed by numerous Cubans in the comments encapsulates the issue: "How many murderers, thieves, and robbers have they caught? How many complaints with sufficient evidence have they resolved?"
Legal Standpoints and Persistent Practices
Since January 1, 1959, gambling has been prohibited in Cuba. The 2022 Penal Code (Law 151) upholds this ban, imposing penalties of one to three years of imprisonment for bankers, collectors, or promoters of illegal games.
If the crime involves two or more people—as in the case of the nine arrested in Matanzas—the penalty increases to three to eight years in prison.
Nevertheless, practices such as "bolita" or "charada" have survived underground for over six decades, now relying on lottery results from Florida, Georgia, and New York.
Similar operations have occurred regularly: in August 2025, police disrupted an illegal gambling network during carnival, and in June 2026, they dismantled a cockfighting ring in Santa Clara, with seven accused.
This pattern suggests that while repression may relocate these practices, it does not eliminate them.
Understanding Cuba's Gambling Laws and Enforcement
What are the legal consequences of illegal gambling in Cuba?
In Cuba, individuals involved in illegal gambling can face one to three years in prison, with penalties increasing to three to eight years when the crime involves multiple people.
Why do critics question the priorities of such police operations?
Critics argue that police should prioritize addressing more serious crimes like theft and assault, rather than targeting adults who gamble voluntarily, given the rising crime rates in Cuba.