<p>DAYTONA BEACH — Police shut down an illegal gambling operation after discovering a high-stakes poker game being run inside the ball pit at a local Chuck E. Cheese.</p> <p>Dale Hutchins, 45, had allegedly been running the underground casino for three months, charging a $50 cover to access what he called the &#8220;VIP Ball Pit Experience.&#8221; Participants would wade into the plastic balls where dealers sat on inflatable pool floaties, running games of Texas Hold&#8217;em and Blackjack.</p> <p>&#8220;We got a complaint about adults hogging the ball pit,&#8221; said Officer Martinez. &#8220;When we investigated, we found a full casino setup. They had a roulette wheel made from a lazy Susan and poker chips everywhere. One guy was wearing a visor made entirely of pizza tickets.&#8221;</p> <p>The operation was sophisticated, with lookouts stationed at the Skee-Ball machines to warn of approaching parents or staff. Hutchins had even installed a red velvet rope at the ball pit entrance with a sign reading &#8220;High Rollers Only &#8211; Must Be This Tall to Gamble.&#8221;</p> <p>According to witnesses, Hutchins accepted bets in both cash and arcade tokens, which he claimed had &#8220;equal market value.&#8221; He reportedly won over $12,000 worth of Chuck E. Cheese prizes, including 47 sticky hands and a giant inflatable guitar.</p> <p>When confronted, Hutchins insisted he was &#8220;providing a valuable service to the community&#8221; and that the ball pit had &#8220;never been more popular.&#8221; He attempted to bribe officers with a stuffed unicorn he&#8217;d won from the claw machine.</p> <p>Chuck E. Cheese management released a statement saying they were &#8220;shocked and appalled&#8221; but admitted the ball pit had been &#8220;unusually well-maintained&#8221; during Hutchins&#8217; tenure.</p> <p>Hutchins faces charges of illegal gambling, trespassing, and misuse of animatronic entertainment venues. He was released on $5,000 bail, which he attempted to pay in Skee-Ball tickets.</p>