Williams Lake One Of Six Cities Hit In Gaming Sting

Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:07 AM

Williams Lake was one of six cities across the province targeted recently by the RCMP's Integrated Illegal Gaming Enforcement Team (IIGET).

IIGET Unit Commander, Staff-Sergeant Fred Pinnock says eight common gaming houses have been shut down in Williams Lake, Kamloops, Victoria, Campbell River, Nanaimo and Kelowna over the past week.

Pinnock says 9 charges of Keeping a Common Gaming House have been recommended, along with 58 charges of Found in a Common Gaming House.

“This type of illegal activity tends to be out of the public eye,” says S/Sgt Pinnock. “Because they operate without any sort of security regime, regulations or oversight they do not provide safeguards for people inhabiting these environments. As a result they tend to cater to people’s gambling addictions and the criminal element.”

The stings involved the RCMP and its provincial partner agency, Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch, along with assistance from various police agencies and the Canada Revenue Agency.

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Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:07 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: owl on June 28 2007 12:04 PM

So if those are common gaming houses, would the Casinos be uncommon gaming houses?

English can be such a difficult language.

;-)

Posted by: REALIST on June 28 2007 1:14 PM

The B.C. Government is the only authority who can legally run the vice industry. Having an illegal gaming house is like having the girl guides run a drug cartel. Those who currently run the dope franchise (those who can not be named) would also move to shut down the girl guides. Their can be only one boss in the exciting world of vice, and how appropriate that this boss be our government.

Posted by: 148fella on June 28 2007 1:22 PM

It wasn't the Girl Guides they shut down down here, it was the seniors playing Canasta...for real money..can you imagine how if let go this would hurt the Gov. sponsered establishments..can't let that happen..no..no..no..;)

Posted by: whynotyou on June 28 2007 1:29 PM

common: belonging equally to two or more entities. Government NOT common, as is one entity. Suffice it to say "The Entity".

Posted by: seamutt on June 28 2007 1:54 PM

These gaming houses where shut down because their odds are usually better than the goverments gaming houses.

Posted by: owl on June 28 2007 2:05 PM

Odds ...

I am interested in the take.

In a common gaming house, such as the seniors playing canasta, what is the take by the seniors' club house?

In an uncommon or monopoly gaming house what is the take by the casino owner and what is the take by the government for their administration and what is the take by the government for their redistribution to those with their hands out?

Of course, those with their hands held out need it since government does not fund those services through general taxes, but instead funds it through taxes generated through promotion of what, on another hand, they consider to be vice.

Posted by: bohemian on June 28 2007 4:49 PM

This is just so ironinc when you consider the other O250 story about 175 more slot machines:

http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/6339/1/treasure+cove+wants+175+more+slots?id=143&st=10

Posted by: Palopu on June 28 2007 9:15 PM

Gaming houses or Gambling Clubs were quite common and legal a number of years ago before the Government got into the Gambling Business. Gambling Clubs had members who gambled on a regular basis.

The house took a percentage of each pot.

Once the Government got into Gambling these establishments were no longer allowed. Gee I wonder why.

The BC Gambling industry is worth about $2.2 billion annually. Prizes to lottery and bingo winners accounted for $641.5 Million, or about 31 cents of every dollar wagered in the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

The biggest winner in 2005-2006 was the BC Government who scooped up $914.4 Million. Lottery retailers, casino and bingo providers divvied up $483 Million. The Federal Government collected $33 Million in GST plus $8.3 Millions from BC under a long-standing agreement with the provinces on the withdrawal of the federal government from the lottery field.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on June 28 2007 10:47 PM

Charity Bingo's also became illegal. Too much money going to charity. Churches and community associations got put on a leash, and got yanked. Every cent goes through the government and gets divided up, and then the charities get the peanuts left over.

Well at least we can still get into prostitution. Have lots of experience at getting screwed over.