Poker Protestors
Several poker gamblers who were arrested last year when several Winnipeg Club
Poker games were raided are now contesting the charges and could face trial in
2009. Poker is a game with international appeal from land tournaments to the
online casinos, players turn out in masse to participate in this skill game. But
in Winnipeg, players crossed the line when not gaining a license for the poker
games from the Manitoba Gaming Control Commission. Although players can play
online casinos poker from their homes, the 57 players uncovered in the raid
faced charges for participating the in land poker games.
But on the lighter side of the issue, none of the 57 players rounded up in the
bust will have any indication of the bust on their records if they plead guilty
to the charges and agree to take a course from the Salvation Army that includes
information on problem gambling. The majority of those gamblers involved have
taken the deal and are willing to attend the Salvation Army course. Others
though are more resistant to the arrangement and have instead entered
“not-guilty” pleas and will apparently represent themselves in court in protest
of the charges.
The argument from the land and online casinos poker players resides in the fact
that they object to the mandate that they attend a Salvation Army course on
problem gambling – they allege that the implications of the course are
offensive.
The majority of the players though can close this chapter in their lives and
rest assured that there are no charges on their criminal record. The others will
have to wait at least one full year before the case is brought before the court. |