| Police in Rome, Italy, last weekend, raided a | | | | directly or indirectly, from organizing |
| poker tournament last and confiscated all | | | | gambling in facilities that they are |
| objects used in the the game, including 12 | | | | responsible for, should be punished for |
| poker tables,all the chips and cards. The | | | | gambling promotion". That's mean also that if |
| game was running for less than an hour before | | | | you put a promotional banner of an online |
| the local "cops" s came. Over 100 players | | | | casino on your internet site you committe a |
| registered for the tournament. "But it's a | | | | crime. The director of the club was shocked |
| legal way for playing" said A.F., the | | | | by the police action. Said that, "did not |
| director of the club and organizer of the | | | | believe anything illegal had taken place in |
| tournment. Permitted from the italian law | | | | his club, the only sum he earned was the rent |
| (FINANZIARIA 2007). The prize pool was around | | | | of the club by a bridge and poker |
| the 3.000 Euro, this looked like being a | | | | club...obout 220 Euro." |
| highly successful event for organiser, but | | | | |
| the prize pool was not high ( that's shoud | | | | But is it legal to collect fee when people |
| mean in Italy: NO GAMBLOING). However, within | | | | play bingo or bridge in Italy? But is it |
| an hour of the game starting the italian | | | | legal if you pay a win of a poker tournment? |
| police had other ideas, and closed the | | | | |
| tournment. | | | | But is it legal to organize a poker tournment |
| | | | in Italy? |
| Gambling not in one of the only 4 Italian | | | | |
| Casinos (Casino di Campione,Casino di Saint | | | | "If collecting fee is legal when people play |
| Vincent, Casino di Venezia and Casino di | | | | Bingo, it should be legal to collect the same |
| Sanremo)is illegal in Italy and this appears | | | | fees for poker players, it's unfair that |
| to be the basis of the police intervention. | | | | playing for money is only illegal when |
| According to italian law, "Those who profit, | | | | playing poker". |