An operation by the Kaolack Research Section (SR) , following an armed robbery , uncovered an illegal slot machine operation at the Le Jardin de Kahone hotel. Four individuals were brought before the prosecutor.

During the night of December 29-30, 2025, the gendarmes of the SR of Kaolack intervened at the Le Jardin de Kahone hotel, following a robbery committed by a group with the use of weapons and means of transport, according to Seneweb sources.

Upon arrival, they found the establishment open and the employees distraught in the courtyard. Received by the manager, A. Diouf, they discovered a gambling room that was an integral part of the hotel. It contained six slot machines: one functional and plugged in, two others in working order but unplugged, and three out of service. The room had been vandalized by the assailants, who had stolen the jackpots from five machines but failed to break the lock on the sixth.

The machines operated with bets starting at 100 CFA francs and were accessible to all hotel guests. Upon verification, no administrative authorization or legal decree had been issued for their operation.

The hotel owner admitted to facilitating the installation of the machines in her establishment to retain her clientele. She reportedly stated that she received 25% of the revenue and admitted to playing the games herself, which constitutes a violation of Article 388 of the Penal Code.

KM Sokhna, who has managed the hostel and gaming room for three years, admitted to operating the machines for a percentage of the revenue. He claimed he had never received any documents authorizing this "casino" and was unaware of the legal procedures related to gambling.

A. Touré presented himself as the owner of the machines he had purchased in Mali nine months earlier. He revealed that he had submitted an application to the Ministry of the Interior, which had referred him to LONASE (the Senegalese National Lottery). Faced with the requirement to hand over 90% of the revenue to LONASE, he preferred to operate his machines clandestinely to recoup his investment and pay his employees.

S. Amar stated that he had bought the machines in Mali, but claimed that they actually belonged to a certain CB, without further details.

The damage to LONASE

Contacted by investigators, CT Traoré, head of the LONASE agency, explained that the organization is suffering financially due to the proliferation of these illegal gambling establishments. It is in this context that LONASE filed a complaint against these clandestine businesses.

The robbery could be directly linked to illegal gambling activities, which could attract malicious individuals aware of the large sums of money generated by these slot machines.

At the end of the investigation, the inquiries revealed serious and consistent evidence against A.Touré, S. Amar, KM Sokhna and A. Diouf who were arrested for possession and operation of gambling without authorization or prior decree.

They were brought before the public prosecutor at the Kaolack High Court on Friday, January 2, 2026.