Its seems that gambling is in some way, shape or form always in the news albeit good or bad. So here we are again and this time it’s bad. In fact, it’s real bad. In fact there are indications that the Poker market may have been drawing the unfavorable attention of the mob. That’s not the only attention that it drew though. Read on and we’ll tell you all about it.
For all those on land video poker lovers in the state of Pennsylvania you may find it a bit of a problem finding your favorite video poker machine. This is all due to the massive seizure of in excess of fifty illegal video poker machines on September 16th.
There is no doubt that the combined forces of the State Attorney General’s office and the agents from the FBI earned their money this day. They spent a grueling nine hours raiding multiple social clubs and bars. Along with these they also hit the garage of a vending Company and a warehouse. These locations were spread through south Philly.
Speculation is that the raids spawned because of organized crime involvement in the Poker industry. Then there is always the possibility that the request made to the FBI and state officials may have played a big part in this. Apparently, Curt Schroder who is the Chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee, made a request for a crackdown on poker operators who were questionable. This is because of the alleged massive tax evasion that this sort of, not quite above board, behavior is evoking. The timing between this complaint of the Chairman and the seizure seems quite timely considering this took place only three months following the complaint.
These illegal activities are carried out by what the Police call gray poker operators. It is estimated that there are at least 17,000 gray pokers in existence across the State. Its news like this that just supports how much integrity there is to doing ones gambling online. If you really want to know just how much safer your gambling activities are just take a look at online poker, and you’re going to see the big difference.
So is organized crime really playing a part in this shady on land poker business? Well, according to a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer it referred to at least one loss of life for a poker operator who stood up against the Natale organization by refusing to let the organization muscle in on his business.
In the end though after all of this there were no arrests made as a result of these multiple video poker machine seizures. The word is though that the organized crime and video poker activities are part of an ongoing investigation. That being the case no doubt we will be hearing more about this topic in the future.
When you hear about activities such as this it sure makes sitting at home playing a great game of online poker a whole lot safer and far more enjoyable. At least you don’t have to worry about getting caught in the cross fire, unless it’s from the wife of course.
That’s unreal thanks for the read, I thought those kinds of things were only in tv episodes and in the movies, sure proved me wrong. I’d prefer to play my online poker than get caught up in something like this.
Yet another reason to play at home! I play online too, I don’t like going to casinos and having to deal with drunks and rude impatient people.
My wife prefers to hover over me as I play as a way of learning how to play so it’s easier to play at home online than in a casino where she just gets in the way of other people.
I play online as well because I find the casinos more intimidating because I feel somewhat pressured to play at particular tables and im not very experienced yet, im much more comfy online at home.
All sounds like something you’d see on an episode of the australian show “Underbelly” I was watching on the internet the other day.
I wonder how many people have inadvertantly been around a few of those machines without ever realising it.
“The poker player learns that sometimes both science and common sense are wrong; that the bumblebee can fly; that, perhaps, one should never trust an expert; that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of by those with an academic bent.”
- David Mamet
Police arrested Brian Ellision, 37, of Jonesboro, Antonio Palacios-Lopez, 39 of Stockbridge and Ross Clarke, 36, of Jonesboro for commercial gambling. Norman J. Brown, 37, of Stockbridge was arrested and charged with gambling, commercial gambling and keeping a place of gambling.
After entering the location Police remove the devices,, as part of an extended investigation into poker machine payouts. Donald Wunderler who manage Wunderler’s Market has been reported as video poking for about four years. Police charge and seize the poker machines from many poker players.
In the Uniontown bar , two men have been arrested for paying out cash winnings of playing video poker games. They two were John Joseph Dimatteo Jr., 63, of 256 Edison St., North Union, and Robert David Adams Jr., 47, of 440 S. Mt. Vernon Ave.They two were charged by the police for gambling.
At Jan’s Billiards Police arrested Jan Riggi, 53, of Jonesboro and they charge for gambling, commercial gambling, keeping a place of gambling, and ownership, manufacturing and transfer of equipments.And also police arrested Brian Ellision, 37, of Jonesboro, Antonio Palacios-Lopez, 39 of Stockbridge and Ross Clarke, 36, of Jonesboro and charged them with gambling and commercial gambling. Norman J. Brown, 37, of Stockbridge was also arrested and charged with gambling, commercial gambling and keeping a place of gambling.
Police have found video poker machines located in gas stations and liquor stores, in the Sheriff’s Department.The fact that these machines are being found in high traffic businesses like gas stations and liquor stores which shows the beginning of a dangerous new trend. People who may not normally know about a bar and see a machine now are out .
Poker is to cards and games what jazz is to music. It’s this great American thing, born and bred here. We dig it because everybody can play. ~Steve Lipscomb
From the Sevier County Sheriff Department Captain Randy Parton said that the machines are like video game machines.The machines are modified as they can be changed into a poker machine instantly by using a remote control. So if a police officer came in to they could use the remote control to change the poker game into a video game. They improved other poker machines before this incident, but this was the first time they had fitting something to the size.
Video poker machines have always been a sewed and disgraceful topic . Recently, the former Reardon’s Pub on Broadway was found using the video machines illegally, supposedly giving to customers who gambled on the machines. New methods of chance of resembling video poker machines have pop up at several convenience for the past few months , and police say their hands are tied for the instant.
In a cafe at Haberfield in Sydney’s inner-west., Nine illegal gaming machines have been found.A food inspector found the machines in the cafe and reported it to authorities.New South Wales Gaming Minister Kevin Greene says the machines have been seized.There were five poker machines and four card machines found in an air-conditioned room that was boldly set up as same as gaming room .The machines were arranged in a row with a stool in front of each one and sports member of the public was sprinkled on the walls.
I’ve often thought, if I got really hungry for a good milk shake, how much would I pay for one? People will pay a hundred dollars for a bottle of wine; to me that’s not worth it. But I’m not going to say it is foolish or wrong to spend that kind of money, if that’s what you want. So if a guy wants to bet twenty or thirty thousand dollars in a poker game, that is his privilege. ~Jack Binion
police remove eight poker machines Thursday from a local restaurant owner. Knowingly possessing a gambling device regardless of its ownership is a misdemeanor offense in Tennessee and is punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine, records show. Darlene Fairchild, 54, was cited for illegal ownership on Thursday afternoon after police found the machines in a storage facility next to her business, Market Restaurant, on East 11th Street.
Ok so these people are in big trouble for providing outlets for illegal gambling revenue and for having them in storage beside businesses etc but what If someone wants to purchase purely to use themselves at home, like a modified one that money can’t be used in? This is something I would like to do so I was curious.
In august this year in Melbourne, Australia, 42 illegal machines were located by police. One man was charged on summons with illegal posession of gaming machines which carries a maximum sentence of 6 years. Some of the machines found were for sale where as others were in the process of being converted for use on the black market.