– One person was arrested and, together with several other people, is charged with offering or helping to offer gambling without a permit. This is what police prosecutor Simon Nystuen says in a press release from the Troms police district on Friday afternoon. – A significant amount of cash has been seized, as well as digital devices and equipment that were used for playing poker, says the police attorney. In the press release, the police write that over time they have investigated a case concerning suspicion of illegally organized poker playing from a commercial premises in Tromsø. The investigation resulted in the action on Thursday evening, they write. There were about 30 people who participated in the poker tournament. – Takes this type of activity seriously The police informs that the investigation is ongoing. – The police suspect that the activity has been going on for years, and the way the business was set up it appears as a long-term and professionally organized offer of poker playing, far outside the scope of legal “friendship poker”, says Nystuen. The police attorney tells news that they have found advertising material related to the poker business that goes back a few years. – The police take this type of activity seriously. There is evidence that there has been a longer duration and large amounts of money in circulation. We know that this type of business can create a fertile ground for tax and duty evasion, says the police attorney to news. Promoted on Thursday evening According to what news learns, the tournament should have started at eight o’clock on Thursday evening. It must have been planned for a tournament, with poker four nights in a row. Thursday’s round must have been the second in a row. When the police arrived at the scene, several people are said to have thought that the action was a joke, because there were so many police who took part in the action. The Troms police district campaigned against a premises in Tromsø where they suspected that illegal, organized poker games were taking place. The case was first reported by iTromsø, which writes that the action must have started at 7pm. Operations manager Eirik Kileng confirmed this to news on Thursday evening. – In that connection, there is a person who has been arrested and has the status of being charged. The person is now in custody, he told news on Thursday. When news was in dialogue with the police shortly after 21, Thursday evening, the campaign was still ongoing. The operations manager said they would later in the evening carry out interrogations that evening. – Regulated poker clubs will be in everyone’s interest President of the Norwegian Poker Association, Tobias Jelsa Leknes, says he only knows about the matter via the media. – Such actions against poker clubs first and foremost reveal how great a need there is to give the incredible number of Norwegian poker players a regulated and legal offer, says Leknes. Tobias Lenkes, president of the Norwegian Poker Association. Photo: Privat He thinks it is absurd that there is no regulated offer for Norwegian poker players, without an annual NM. – It is a unique mental sport that challenges the players’ ability to combine logic, mathematics and psychology to make the best decisions. The president of the Norwegian Poker Association says that poker is an important social arena for many. He believes there should now be an updated set of rules for poker in Norway. – Regulated poker clubs will be in everyone’s interest, with a better opportunity to look after problem players, while the many thousands of hobby players will have a safe arena for their hobby, says Leknes. iTromsø: 33 players in the room According to the iTromsø newspaper, Vegard Dahl, chairman of Tromsø Kortklubb, organized the poker tournament the police campaigned against. Dahl tells the newspaper that there were 33 players in the venue on Thursday evening. On Thursday, it cost NOK 2,500 to participate. The chairman tells iTromsø that Tromsø Kortklubb takes a small share to cover the expenses related to the tournament. Dahl tells the newspaper that there were more players than allowed, and that it costs 1,500 more to play than is allowed. news has tried to get a comment from the chairman, without success.
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The police took action against a poker tournament in Tromsø – news Troms og Finnmark
