South Korean men arrested for running an illegal poker club in HCM City
At 10 pm on June 30, the Social Order-Related Crime Investigating Police Department and the police in District 2 had worked together to carry out an administrative check on the Imperial Poker Club in Thao Dien Ward. They caught 37 gamblers, seized over VND439m, USD1,651 and AUD35 along with 14 bank cards, a car, 13 motorbikes and computers.
The Imperial Poker Club operated by South Korean Lee Seong Jin. Huynh Yong Woo and Kim Jae Jin, also from South Korea, were the CEO and the manager. Nguyen Thi Thuy was their accountant. The gamblers could buy one chip for VND1,000 via cash or online banking. There were two tables for gambling and one tournament was held on a daily basis.
The police also found eight people who tested positive for drugs. One woman with small children and a foreigner with heart disease were allowed out on bail.
The Bridge and Poker Association was licensed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and poker is considered an intellectual sport. Several provinces and cities have set up poker clubs to participate in piloting tournaments. However, the authorities haven't issued any official regulations or guidance yet.
Many clubs have been found to hold tournaments with prizes without informing the authorities or recruiting members without conforming to regulations. Some people ran gambling houses disguised as poker clubs.
