Two sentenced over illegal poker operation in the UK
The Gambling Commission collaborated with police on an operation that uncovered a unit furnished with six poker tables and a spinning prize wheel.
Key takeaways
- Two men have received suspended prison sentences for running illegal poker games from an industrial unit in Splott between August 2022 and February 2024. They admitted to offences relating to possessing and transferring criminal property.
- A multi-agency investigation involved officers from Tarian ROCU, the Gambling Commission, HMRC and Cardiff Council executing warrants at the venue and related addresses in February 2024.
- Authorities said the illegal operation harmed consumers and catered to people involved in organised crime, including drug dealers.
UK.- Two men have received suspended prison sentences for possessing and transferring criminal funds obtained through running illegal poker games in Cardiff, Wales. Noor Rassam and Panayiotis Karayiannis were found to have run illegal poker games from an upstairs room within a unit on an industrial estate in Splott between August 2022 and February 2024.
As reported by the British Gambling Commission, the premises had been fitted out with six poker tables, a spinning prize wheel, seating areas, and fridges stocked with drinks and snacks. In February 2024, officers from Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) working alongside the Gambling Commission, HMRC and Cardiff Council’s Licensing Department, executed warrants at the industrial unit, as well as residential and business addresses linked to the two men.
Rassam, 29, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, and Karayiannis, 30, from Pontprennau, Cardiff, were sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for three years. Both men admitted to possessing criminal property, contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and transferring criminal property, contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has been set for the 9 April 2027.
Sue Young, Gambling Commission Executive Director of Operations, said: “This case emerged after we received information about an illegal gambling den. The message is clear – if you run an illegal casino, there will be a tip-off, you will be caught, and there will be significant consequences. “We will continue to work with partners and take action against those who run illegal gambling operations in Great Britain.”
Detective Constable Charles Lan, of Tarian ROCU, said: “These two men operated an illegal gambling business for their own financial gain, generating substantial profits which were never declared for tax purposes and ultimately came at the expense of the wider public. Their criminal enterprise provided them with significant personal benefits, funding a lavish lifestyle that included foreign holidays and other high-value spending.
“Throughout the investigation, we uncovered evidence that they actively promoted their poker games to individuals involved in serious criminality and even boasted about the presence of drug dealers and organised crime group members at their events. By providing a venue for these individuals and profiting from their participation, they were helping to facilitate and fund further criminal activity.
“The harm caused by this operation should not be underestimated. Individuals lost significant sums of money through these games, with some becoming indebted to the organisers. Unlike legitimate gambling operators, there were no safeguards in place to identify or support vulnerable people, nor any measures to protect those experiencing gambling addiction.
“This sentence sends a message that unlicensed gambling is not a victimless offence. Those who seek to profit from illegal gambling while ignoring the laws and protections designed to keep people safe can expect to be brought before the courts.”
The Gambling Commission steps up enforcement on illegal land-based gambling
The sentencing follows a series of recent enforcement actions against land-based illegal gambling in Britain. Last month, the Gambling Commission joined Manchester City Council’s Licensing Team and Greater Manchester Police during a series of raids on four properties that led to four arrests. That operation followed intelligence developed from a previous enforcement operation against illegal gambling in Manchester in late May.
In July, the Gambling Commission took part in an operation against an alleged illegal casino in Bristol, and it was involved in illegal gambling raids in Sheffield and Doncaster in August.
The Gambling Commission had said that it would step up its enforcement activity against unlicensed gambling supported by a new £26m in funding over the next three years. Meanwhile, the regulator is part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s new Illegal Gambling Taskforce.
