Moscow police have shut down an illegal casino that was being operated on the premises of a former sugar refinery in central Moscow, the Interior Ministry said in an statement on Monday. The owners of the casino were making approximately 10 million rubles (around $300,000) a day, police said.
When police entered the premises they found over 20 people in the casino, which had several poker tables [...] Read more » Illegal Casino Busted in Russia
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Portugal
Age: 44 (M)
Posts: 4827
My parents always told me there’s no such thing as sweet money (poker in sugar refinery, awesome)! I wonder how much would cost this group of guys to open this casino the legal way? Ok, at the beginning things could have been under the table, but after reaching a certain value they should have tried to contact authorities to know what would be necessary to open a casino there. Even with all the expenses from burocracies and taxes, I guess they would have made a nice daily sum!
Joined: Apr '11
Location: Romania
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 6669
If they made 300k per day as casino i assume the rake that they took was over the hook and in this case i do not see why those players didn't opted for a legal casino or a online site...
Anyways i'm sure they'll get away anyway, we are talking about Russia.
Joined: Nov '12
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 4675
G'day mates
Well it is very obvious that the local police were unhappy with their protection (bribe) money's. The operators should have made sure to keep the local crocked cops happy. Some people just never learn to spread the wealth around. It is just plain good for business to keep the cops gifted (bribed) in a corrupt broke system. best of luck mates Ronin
Joined: Feb '12
Location: Canada
Age: 64 (M)
Posts: 6036
Ah HA..... The ol' 'Casino in the sugar refinery' scheme going on there.... I'd bey they were serving rum to the patrons to loosen them,....I mean their wallets up a little...
That reminds me of a big bust that happened here in Canada about 5 or so years a go...
Organized crime had a MASSIVE marijuana grow operation in an old abandoned Molson Brewery that had been dormant for a few years. It was in Barrie Ontario. My brother lives there and when I went to visit him on occassion,...I would drive RIGHT PAST the place. It was just off the 400 Highway within the city limits.....
It was producing MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars per year in high quality pot all the while millions of unsuspecting drivers went right past the place every year...
Joined: Feb '13
Location: Canada
Age: 69 (M)
Posts: 9
They have a lot of issues with Organized crime and corruption, I am sure they dont know were to start cleaning up and getting back some control. But taking the $ back to the people and closing the casinos is a good idea. Our Gov. has so darn many lottarys and fingers in the peoples pokets with rediculas taxs. etc. Those clowns do not know how to spend it. Better the people spend it locally and stimulate the economy.
Joined: Sep '12
Location: Romania
Age: 33 (M)
Posts: 1052
That's bad if casino aren't allowed in Moscow... same like online poker on USA... if we'll pay the gouvern 25% from winning i think they will let us to play anything...
Joined: Nov '12
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 4675
Posted by Macubaas: What was the reason in the first place for which they made casinos illegal in moscow?
Is this only available for moscow or entire russia? I think this could be a good reason for which we see so many russians online.
G'day mate
It is my understanding that casino's are legal in Russia but only in certain zones. The government taxes winner very heavily from what I understand. The government has people on hand 24/7 to make sure they get there cut of the rake. If people are not playing in those specific zones then the government can not totally regulate things to there satisfaction and therefore lose what they think is there share of the cash. Corruption rules mate, at least this is what I have read on other poker sites.
Posted by RoninHarper: It is my understanding that casino's are legal in Russia but only in certain zones.
Correct. Gambling is allowed only in 4 zones in Russia. The closest is more than 1000 km away from Moscow. Naturally, the ban of casinos in Moscow forced some of them to go underground. The most reckless gamblers prefer to take risks with them instead of going to faraway legal zones.