Police have raided two businesses allegedly involved in illegal gambling in Kitchener and Guelph.

In a news release, Guelph police said the investigation began in January when they received a tip from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission (OLG) about a supposed convenience store in the west end that was selling illegal lottery tickets. The business was reportedly associated with a website that offered games with names similar to legitimate OLG games.

Police discovered the store didn’t actually have anything for sale, but had a backroom where people could access illegal lottery games via tablets. Investigators also identified a second location in Kitchener.

On Wednesday, officers raided both locations and seized several gaming machines, tablets, lottery receipts and other items.

A 26-year-old man from Milton, Ont. was arrested at the Guelph business and charged with keeping a common gaming house and allowing the registering of bets.

A Guelph police spokesperson said he couldn’t comment on whether the accused is believed to have been working as part of a larger criminal group because the investigation is ongoing.

A 20-year-old from Waterloo was initially arrested on the same charges at the Kitchener location but was released unconditionally after police determined he had worked at the business for less than two days and believed it was a legitimate convenience store.