Two men sentenced after operating an illegal gambling den

Two men have been given suspended prison sentences for possessing and transferring criminal funds obtained through the running of illegal poker games in Cardiff.

Two men who operated an unlicensed gambling den from an industrial unit in Cardiff have been sentenced following an investigation by Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) for southern Wales.

Between August 2022 and February 2024, Noor Rassam and Panayiotis Karayiannis ran illegal poker games from an upstairs room within a unit on an industrial estate in Splott. The premises had been fitted out with six poker tables, a spinning prize wheel, seating areas, and fridges stocked with drinks and snacks.

The venue was accessed through a fire exit and monitored by CCTV cameras controlled by the pair. An office within the premises contained gambling paraphernalia, including poker chips, tokens and records detailing money paid and owed. The office also featured a cashier’s window protected by Perspex with a small opening for financial transactions.

The illegal activity came to light after intelligence was received by the Gambling Commission and subsequently passed to Tarian ROCU.

In February 2024, officers from Tarian ROCU, working alongside the Gambling Commission, HMRC and Cardiff Council’s Licensing Department, executed warrants at the industrial unit, as well as residential and business addresses linked to the two men.

Both men were arrested and officers seized cash, documentation, digital devices and other high-value items.

Analysis of the material uncovered extensive evidence of the operation. Mobile phone examinations revealed WhatsApp messages promoting both in-person and online poker games. The online games were hosted through a subscription-based poker application under the account name “Fish Tank Online”, while the in-person events were initially advertised as “Ding Ding Poker ” before later being rebranded as “Fish Tank Poker Cardiff”.

Financial enquiries established that the gambling operation generated significant sums of money. Investigators found that Rassam received approximately £260,000 in third-party payments while the venue was operating, while Karayiannis received around £124,000. Both accounts showed numerous transactions referencing “poker”.

Officers also established that the pair profited from the games by taking a commission from each poker hand, known within the industry as “the rake”, rather than by directly wagering against players.

Both Rassam and Karayiannis changed their pleas to guilty on the first day of trial for the following offences: