Men Sentenced Over Illegal Cardiff Poker Den Linked to Organised Crime

Two men have received suspended prison sentences after running illegal poker games in Cardiff. These games were also found to be primarily promoted to people involved in serious crime.

The UK Gambling Commission reported that Noor Rassam and Panayiotis Karayiannis operated the illegal gambling venue from an industrial unit in Splott. They held the games between August 2022 and February 2024.

Police said the pair actively promoted their poker games to people involved in serious crime. They even boasted about drug dealers and organised crime group members attending their events.

Both men have now been sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for three years, after admitting offences involving criminal property.

Illegal Poker Games Ran for Around 18 Months

The illegal operation was based in an upstairs room at an industrial unit. According to the Gambling Commission, the venue had been fitted out with six poker tables and a spinning prize wheel, as well as seating areas and refreshment fridges.

The investigation began after the Gambling Commission received information about an illegal gambling den. They passed intelligence to law enforcement, who then visited in February 2024.

Officers from Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit carried out warrants alongside the Gambling Commission, HMRC, and Cardiff Council's Licensing Department. These searches weren’t just conducted at the industrial unit, but also at residential and business addresses linked to Rassam and Karayiannis.

At the time of the raid, police seized a large amount of gambling equipment. This included the poker tables, poker chips and coins, the spinning prize wheel, and multiple televisions.

Organisers 'Boasted' About Drug Dealers Attending Games

Police said the operation went further than the unlicensed poker club. Detective Constable Charles Lan of Tarian ROCU said investigators found evidence that the games were promoted to people involved in serious criminality.

The pair also reportedly boasted about drug dealers and members of organised crime groups attending the events.

Lan said that allowing those individuals to gamble at the venue while profiting from their participation helped facilitate and fund further criminal activity. Police also said the business generated substantial undeclared profits. This funded a lifestyle that included overseas holidays and other high value spending.

Some players lost significant amounts of money through the games. Some even became indebted to the organisers.

Unlike a licensed casino or poker venue, the operation had no safeguards designed to identify vulnerable gamblers or intervene when someone showed signs of gambling harm.

Two Men Given Suspended Prison Sentences

Rassam, 29, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, and Karayiannis, 30, from Pontprennau, Cardiff, both admitted possessing criminal property and transferring criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Each man was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for three years.

A further Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is scheduled for April 9, 2027. That hearing will be used to determine whether assets or money obtained through criminal activity should be recovered from the defendants.

Sue Young, Executive Director of Operations at the Gambling Commission, said the case began after the regulator received information about the illegal casino.

She warned that people operating illegal gambling businesses in Great Britain should expect information about their activities to reach authorities and lead to enforcement action.

Illegal Gambling Comes Without Licensed Market Protections

The case highlights one of the major differences between licensed and unlicensed/illegal gambling in the UK.

Businesses licensed by the Gambling Commission have legal obligations around areas including customer protection, anti-money laundering controls, and safer gambling. Illegal venues operate outside that framework.

Police said there were no measures at the Cardiff operation to protect people experiencing gambling addiction. This may have contributed to players losing large amounts of money and becoming indebted to those running the games.

The case also demonstrates how illegal gambling can overlap with other forms of criminal activity.

Rather than simply providing poker without the necessary authorisation, investigators said the venue was being promoted to individuals involved in serious crime. All while the organisers benefited financially from their participation.