The Cypriot police raided a house in Limassol in 2009 after they had received complaints that the house had turned into a gambling club. The police entered the house and found a group of female pensioners playing cards. The police recovered around €100 in stake money and confiscated playing cards and poker chips.
Two of the women have since the raid passed away and two are in nursing home. The organizer of the private home game, a 98-year-old Cypriot woman, can now get up to a 6-month jail term or a €750 fine since gambling for money, even in a private home game, is illegal in Cyprus.
Yioula Diakantoni, the daughter of the 98-year-old told the Associated Press, "They were playing with only very small sums of money, just to make it interesting. My mother has never done anyone harm and we hope she continues playing because it keeps her mind sharp."
According to Forbes, federal Canadian police officers and financial market regulators raided the headquarters of Amaya on Wednesday. Amaya spokesman Eric Hollreiser said in a statement that Amaya is cooperating in an investigation by the Autorité des Marchés financiers (AMF).
Paul Phua, better known as "MalACEsia" playing at Full Tilt Poker's nosebleed tables, and another seven people were arrested over the weekend for allegedly taking part in an illegal betting operation at Caesars Palace.
