Round Lake police, with cooperation from other local law enforcement agencies and the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, raided the Four Coynes Inn, 302 Nippersink Road, around 7:45 p.m.

Inside, officers found a three-table poker tournament in progress, as well as two illegal slot machines. Police Chief Cliff Metaxa said it was also common to find people playing dice at the bar, and the bar also operated sports betting pools.

“Those kinds of things go on in bars across the county. It’s illegal,” Metaxa said. “The reason we’re here tonight is because this was so blatant.”

Police arrested Scott Coyne of McHenry, who owns the bar. Coyne faces charges for gambling as well as keeping a gaming place. Four Coynes was also one of several Round Lake bars caught in a police sting last month for selling alcohol to minors.

In all, 24 people — 18 men and six women — were detained Wednesday, though formal charges were not announced Wednesday night.

Police, with the assistance of Lake County MEG, a multi-jurisdictional task force, investigated the bar for the past three months, which included undercover officers participating in the gambling.

Metaxa said patrons had to gain the trust of the bartender, who was not named because she had not yet been formally charged, to get into the poker tournaments. Those chosen were introduced to Coyne.

Inside the bar Wednesday night, three folding tables were littered with poker chips, playing cards and half-consumed beers. Inside the kitchen, police found a sheet that noted the $20 buy-in price for the game, and the payouts for the winners. Payouts increased with the number of people in the tournament.

Metaxa said the investigation began when a Round Lake resident tipped police off to the gambling.

Fifty-three officers from several departments participated in the sting.