Saturday, March 05, 2005

Police Raid Freeroll Tourney in Greensboro

It is a sad state of affairs for poker in Greensboro. As reported by WFMY TV2, March 3, 2005 Texas Hold'em Poker Game At Ham's Shut Down
Investigators say the game is illegal because it is one of chance and it offered prizes.Greensboro, NC -- A Texas Hold'em Poker game at Ham's on High Point Road got shut down by State Alcohol Law Enforcement Agents Wednesday night.Investigators say the game is illegal because it is one of chance and it offered prizes.Large and small prizes like food coupons. The grand prize is a $10,000 seat at a poker game in Las Vegas.Ham's hired a company out of Charlotte to run the game and ALE Agents seized the tables, poker chips and other gambling materials used to run it.No one was charged in the case.Ham's voluntarily agreed to call off poker games at other area restaurants scheduled for this week.
http://www.wfmy.com/search/search_article.aspx?storyid=37176


Second Story:

Gambling At Restaurant Spurs Sweeping Investigation
A recent poker tournament a Ham's is just a fraction of activity agents are probing.
Greensboro, NC -- A game of free poker at a Greensboro restaurant has touched of a widespread investigation of illegal gambling.Undercover Alcohol Law Enforcement officers busted a Texas hold 'em tournament at Ham's restaurant Wednesday night. Restaurant owners thought the game was legal because patrons played for free. But agents say any game of chance that offers a prize is illegal.ALE Supervisor Rodney Johnson said, "We live in North Carolina the state that prohibits gambling not in Las Vegas. It should be pretty easy for people to understand."Ham's issued a statement saying: "Ham's restaurant was assured by the promotions company that an opinion had been issued by the ALE that this form of entertainment is in no way a violation of any gaming or ALE regulations."An ALE supervisor says he's unaware of any agency endorsement of the events.Since January, Charlotte-based 5th Street Entertainment has scheduled events at 38 restaurants in nine different cities.Players were competing for a chance to win a place in a $10,000 a seat poker tournament in Las Vegas.
http://www.wfmy.com/search/search_article.aspx?storyid=37231

No comments: