New York Busts Hit the News

[shipitfish]

There is finally a News Day story up about the poker busts. [Update: There are now also stories in The New York Times, The New York Post, an AP Story, and another News Day story. One story played at 11:00 PM on a local news station that now has the AP story up. They have a picture of blackjack and said last night that these clubs had blackjack games, which they didn't.] It is really funny: for weeks, I've been trying to get the address of Play Station, which is not an easy club to get into (compared to the New York Players' Club (which I have been calling the Upper West Side Club until now). So, now I have Play Station's address, but it won't do me much good.

I find the cop's comment interesting: "It's not illegal to play poker, only to profit from it". Do they mean, to profit from the running of the game, or to profit period? Does that mean if you are a losing player, and have records to prove it, you aren't committing a crime but those of us who win are criminals? [Update: Later articles have said it isn't illegal to play regardless, although the situation is still unclear. All the stories are reporting that no players were arrested; they just had their names checked for outstanding warrants.]

Frankly, the most exasperating thing about this is it is not clear in the least where one crosses the criminal line. I have googled my brains out trying to find what the law actually is, and it just is unclear whether or not I am committing a crime by just playing, or if both the proprietor and I are committing a crime together.

Comments

38 Arrested?

[frankieriver.livejournal.com]

The news article says that 38 some-odd people were arrested for their involvement in the card clubs. Assuming that some portion were the organizers/owners of the two clubs - is it correct in assuming that the dealers were arrested also?

All I know is that if I was dealing in a similar situation it would certainly suck to get arrested and go to jail for up to a year. Along the same lines, do you think they will be prosecuted to the fullest, or let-off with some sort of warning or probation?

...All these lonely poker playing regulars in NY - are they flocking to new clubs or the cyber-tables?

Re: 38 Arrested?

[shipitfish.livejournal.com]

All the stories and word in the poker community say that no players were arrested. Some players names were taken, and they looked only for outstanding warrants. So, it's clear that if you are on the run from the law in another state, you shouldn't play poker in NYC. My name was on file at the NYPC, so I assume they have run my name and found that I'm not a criminal.

The club I go to that is not in Manhattan proper appears to be answering their phone again normally. I may venture a trip in a few days. If I do get busted, I plan to say that I had read it wasn't illegal to play.

Dealers

[shipitfish.livejournal.com]

The dealers around here all joke that they will move into a open player seat if a bust comes. Many of them used to lament at NYPC that they had to wear a uniform. Based on the number of people usually working at the NYPC (which is about 14), my guess is that dealers were arrested as well. If you are an employee of an illegal business, that's the risk you often take.