ITH Poker Forum

[mchilger]

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2007/1/an ... raided.htm

This country has lost its noggin.

Matthew

[taz115]

reports of an ongoing poker game running as often as twice a week

Twice a week! My goodness those criminals should be locked up!

[markrounder7282]

I sure hope there is no drug/criminal activity in that city, because if this is what the authorities are going to spend time staking out and raidingover other criminal activity.....God help us!

[SlfMade]

Another article here.

They should call that an underground game. True home games are unraked and occur in residences, and I've never heard of them being bothered. Legally there may or may not be a difference, depending on state law, but there's a big practical difference.

[loyo1]

Sooo.......looks like the authorities acquired some nice flat screen TV's for their breakrooms (guessing ATF will "pull rank" as Feds and keep the biggest and best for themselves) and $13,000 for the "widows and orphans" fund.

Umm, Matthew, does staying in New Zealand have any appeal?

[mchilger]

YEs Slf, if this was a business then I agree with you that it is a big difference. One thing is playing poker with friends, another is charging rake, etcetera. I saw the list of people arrested and don't know them by name. I really hope that this was a case where they were charging rake and actually running a business as that is really stretching the limits of the law IMO. I'd hate to think that casual gamblers can get arrested in their own home.

Matthew

[SlfMade]

I assume it's was a business from the descriptions in the articles: poker tables in each room, dealers and operators, weapons, two money counters. I find that one money counter is enough to determine my winnings in home games.

[justthedude]

I know most of the people involved. I was invited to play several times but was too nervous about it getting busted. I tend to get caught if I do anything remotely wrong, so I thought it would be better to stay away.

It was definitely a “business”. The guy who owned it bought the house, covered the windows and put up security cameras. The inside had a buffet, big screen tvs, etc. They charged a rake and had paid dealers. It was absolutely an underground card room. Also, apparently there was a lot more cash involved then the 13K they’re reporting, so it looks like someone got a nice bonus. I think they also confiscated their cars as a part of the bust, so most lost more than their gambling money.

I realize that it was pretty stupid to set this up and play there, but it’s also sad that it happened to these people who are far from dangerous criminals. If you read the police report is says that they were all drinking water and Gatorade and no drugs were found.

[HahaSheriffVictorhill]

I think it is absolutely retarded that a vice squad even exists to take down poker games. On another note how did they even get caught. Were they just letting anyone in the door?

[toronexti]

Wow seizing funds, cars, and getting charged is really harsh.

Here in Ohio all they do is just seize the funds on your person and let you go (if you're playing - obv charge the people running the games).

[jdcnb]

I'm personally quite familiar with the guys at the Spring Mill Cove poker game, colloquially called "Sugarloaf" because it's off of Sugarloaf Pkwy. What the Gwinnett Daily Post doesn't mention is that no fewer than 4 poker games have been robbed, at gunpoint, in the last 3 or 4 months in Atlanta. I know because I ran one of the games that got robbed.

As for Sugarloaf though, they were actually the FIRST place in Atlanta to get robbed. For obvious reasons, they didn't call the police. When they re-opened not long ago, they added a lot more security measures, including a remote controlled door with a camera (think "The Chesterfield") in addition to an off-duty cop for security (who has been suspended for 1 month without pay, the AJC reports). Ever since Sugarloaf and my game got robbed, I haven't been back to Sugarloaf, because they were just begging to be made an example of. On an average Saturday night, they had 3 or 4 full tables of $2-$5 NLH, with most people buying in for $500. From a friend that has dealt at Sugarloaf, he estimates that the rake was probably between 5000-7000 dollars each night.

I don't support police busting poker games, I think it's a victimless crime. I think it should be legal, and if Atlanta opened a casino or poker-room then the jobs and economic development would be great for the city. But knowing what I know about Sugarloaf, those guys had to know something like this was coming. Especially after getting robbed.