Poker Bust in Fayetteville Friday October 3, 2008

First hand account provided by Jonah....

Hello fellow poker players, I have news of the latest bust! I was at a game in Fayetteville last night on Yadkin Road otherwise known as Yadkin poker house and we we're raided at about 10pm. There about 50 to 60 people there playing a "freeroll Friday tourney" and they shut it down, arrested everyone, and confiscated everything including our money in our pockets which was not even on the table. I received a citation along with about 40 others and about 4 others went to jail, they also went to the owner's house and busted in his front door and searched and confiscated all the money there as well. They came in with full dress swat attire, including kevlar helmets, ski masks, automatic weapons, flak jackets, the works. I am so upset about this crap as any of you would be. The law states that a wager can not be placed on a game of chance so why don't they raid the bingo games as well? B.......S....... huh Well, keep a look out on the news for this bust, thanks,


More detailed account provided in second email by Jonah...


First I want to say that I love living in the good ole state of North Carolina! But now, I am getting sick and tired of the issue of whether poker is a game of skill or not according to North Carolina law. I, along with approximately 40 of my peers were arrested last night for recreational poker otherwise known here as "illegal gambling". Let me tell you that there is no difference in the character of a person who plays poker verses the person who plays bingo except that the bingo player has to depend solely on luck alone. At least us poker players have a chance to determine the outcome of our session. Yes of course, if we have the odds of bad cards coming our way which could mean a loss for us but if we are smart we play carefully when those cards are coming to us so we minimize our losses and on the other hand we play more aggressively when the good cards are coming which results in gains. So all in all, if we play smart, strategically, careful, when we are suppose to according to gambling strategy, then we can usually be overall winners in the long run. There is no such chance for this to happen playing bingo, period! Yes, if we were allowed to play or run poker games, then perhaps we could donate a portion to church and state if that would be necessary.

Please read the following:

§ 14‑309.5. Bingo.

(a) The purpose of the conduct of bingo is to insure a maximum availability of the net proceeds exclusively for application to the charitable, nonprofit causes and undertakings specified herein; that the only justification for this Part is to support such charitable, nonprofit causes; and such purpose should be carried out to prevent the operation of bingo by professionals for profit, prevent commercialized gambling, prevent the disguise of bingo and other game forms or promotional schemes, prevent participation by criminal and other undesirable elements, and prevent the diversion of funds for the purpose herein authorized.


I know a lot of bingo games that are not being run by religious persons and are being run for sole purpose of profit for themselves. Why according to the law, are they not investigated, busted, and raided like I was last night. Let me tell you something, the Fayetteville police along with a local swat team came in with kevlar helmets, flak jackets, ski masks, automatic weapons, etc. and made us lay on the floor for 30 minutes face down, and then another 2 hours with our hands cuffed behind our backs! This was very painful for us because you had overweight people, older women, older men, etc. People were scared to death, treated like bank robbers, thieves, convicts, and felons. I think it is a shame when 50 average tax paying, upstanding, good-hearted, citizens, some grandpas, some grandmas, military, law enforcement, firefighters, and perhaps a few bad apples get treated like hardened criminals. Like I said, they confiscated all money, whether in pockets, or in personal vehicles as well, and that isn't necessarily right when there is no way of proving that any of that money would have been used for gambling. I'm sure that they took money from some that needed that money which was more than likely not even going to used for gambling. Three out of the four tables that were busted was in actuality a "freeroll" which means the entry fee was FREE, no charge. I entered free along with others and we were arrested for gambling when no money was wagered. That is not against the law! I have attained a lawyer along with most of the other participants and we will go to court. There are at least 15 other states that legalized poker and our leaders here in North Carolina continue to look the other way while big bingo operations are in full force. I am and will report this incident to all local news agencies because I want the general public to know how North Carolinians who engage in recreational poker can and will be treated by our law enforcement. I have emailed each and everyone of you before on this issue and my feedback was truly scarce. We are tired of this treatment when the people we voted in create lotteries and continue to let crooked bingo operators rake in thousands but meanwhile treat us poker players like big-time criminals. We will make change here in North Carolina! We will strive to get these bingo establishments shut down! Fair is fair. There are thousands of people in North Carolina who love to play poker and millions nationwide! Would somebody please do something, get the ball rolling.