Underground poker is poker played in a venue that is not operating in accordance with the gaming laws of its jurisdiction.

2 visitors have checked in at Southie Underground Poker. 3 visitors have checked in at Cambridge Underground Poker. Seeing as the NY underground poker posts have been so popular, I figure I can give a bit of a different perspective on the underground scene of the mid 2000s. The Boston scene wasn't nearly as big as the NY scene, but there were still some big games and wild characters involved.

1. With a low house Underground Poker Rooms Boston edge and few rules to learn, craps is one of the best games for new casino players to try. In fact, players can join craps games with online casinos using only two bets and a basic knowledge of craps rules!
2. Find home poker games - Massachusetts. Home Game Setup. Planning a Game. Boston/Brighton Created: Last Activity: Jun 25, 2016 Oct 23, 2018.

What exactly is 'underground' poker depends on the local laws. In many (but not all) jurisdictions, an unlicensed poker game may still be legal if the game is played in a residential building, the host does not profit from hosting the game, and/or the buy-in fees do not exceed a certain threshold ... Even if the game itself is illegal, in some jurisdictions it is not illegal to just play such a game - in such cases, only the organizers and/or organizers of such games are civilly and/or criminally responsible. The intensity of the harassment of clandestine poker by law enforcement agencies also varies by location. Often, players and hosts of underground poker games are far more concerned with being targeted for armed robbery and other violent criminal acts as opposed to being targeted with legal action.

An underground poker room will usually generate revenue for the profit of the host(s) and/or to pay for operating expenses by collecting rake and/or other house fees while not being a licensed gaming operator. Organized crime groups, such as the American Mafia, often host, provide protection for, or are otherwise involved in high-stakes underground poker games. Underground poker venues can also generate revenue by selling food and beverages (with or without the appropriate licences) and/or by offering side games with a built-in house edge such as blackjack or craps in addition to (or as an alternative to) collecting rake and/or house fees, but this is less common.

Canada[edit]

Under the Criminal Code, any game of poker that is not specifically licensed by the relevant provincial or territorial gaming regulator is covered by either Section 201 or Section 204 of the Code. Section 201(1) makes it an indictable offence for to '(keep) a common gaming house or common betting house' with a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, while Section 201(2) makes it a summary offence to be 'found, without lawful excuse, in a common gaming house or common betting house' with a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine.^[1] On the other hand, Section 204(1)(b) provides that 'a private bet between individuals not engaged in any way in the business of betting' is exempt from the provisions of Section 201, and thus is not unlawful.^[2] This has been consistently interpreted to mean that a poker game taking place in a dwelling house is legal in Canada, so long as the host is not taking 'rake' or otherwise directly profiting from hosting the game. Whether a poker game played on a similar 'not for profit' basis somewhere other than a dwelling house (for example, in the warehouse of a small business) also enjoys the exemption of Section 204(1)(b) is disputed.

The laws governing gaming in Canada were written prior to the invention of internet gaming. Notably, Section 201(2) makes no distinction with regards to whether individuals present in an illegal poker room are actually playing poker, while on the other hand there has never been (as of 2013) a prosecution in Canada simply for participating in Internet gaming not licensed in Canada.

The actual penalties imposed for hosting or participating in illegal poker vary widely, and appear to depend greatly on the sensibilities of the presiding judge(s). For example, in 2011 a Winnipeg man (on appeal) won a conditional discharge despite having pleaded guilty to the more serious charge of keeping a common gaming house, meaning he did not get a criminal record.^[3] For the less serious charge of being in a common gaming house, discharges (including absolute discharges) are not uncommon, especially if the accused has no prior criminal record. But this is not always the case, for example in 2012 several Sudbury men were fined for the less serious charge of being in a common gaming house, meaning they did get criminal records. Among those fined in that case was at least one man whom the presiding judge acknowledged had not even been playing.^[4] Therefore, anyone charged even with the less serious offence of being in a common gaming house with respect to a poker game would be well advised to seek counsel prior to entering a plea on the charge.

United Kingdom[edit]

Under the Gambling Act 2005, commercial high-stakes poker is restricted to licensed casinos. However, the Act and associated Regulations do allow for private games in homes and similarly private venues, such as workplaces, without the need for special licences. Poker may also be played in pubs to a certain extent, although the regulations governing such games are complex.

Nevertheless, illegal games are believed to be widespread, especially in Greater London. In a number of cases, club premises certificates have been withdrawn following allegations of illegal poker.^[5]

United States[edit]

In the United States, the legality of poker varies from state to state.

New York[edit]

Under New York state law, it is unlawful to profit from promoting a poker game without the appropriate gaming licences. Simply playing in such a game is not unlawful.

Historical New York clubs[edit]

Some of the longest operating underground clubs have been in New York City. Two of these, the Diamond Club and the Mayfair Club, were famous proving grounds for such now well-known poker players as Howard Lederer, Erik Seidel and Dan Harrington. The New York Police Department, however, closed these clubs in the summer of 2000 during the Rudolph Giuliani administration’s law and order campaign^{[citation needed]}.

Recent years[edit]

Underground poker nevertheless flourished in New York City after the Giuliani busts. In Manhattan, circa 2004, the most well-known clubs included PlayStation near Union Square and New York Players’ Club (NYPC) (sometimes referred to as 72nd Street) on the Upper West Side.

On May 26, 2005 New York City police raided and shut down numerous rooms, including PlayStation and NYPC.^[6][7][8] Clubs that were not targeted then voluntarily closed their doors for some time in spring 2005, but were mostly reopened by that summer.

The reopened clubs began to draw some celebrity clientele, including Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees^[9] (who was officially reprimanded for playing in such clubs), and Robert Iler (who was actually present for the October 23, 2005 bust of the club Ace Point at 328 E. 61st Street).^[10] Raids continued regularly throughout 2005, closing clubs such as Rounders on West 25th Street in the Flatiron District of Manhattan,^[11] and, after a series of busts and re-opens, the Brooklyn Players' Club in Park Slope area of Brooklyn.^[12]

Clubs generally continued throughout New York City during 2006 and into2007, but seemed to the clientele to keep their size smaller to avoid theattention that the larger clubs such as NYPC and PlayStation brought.

However, robberies still remained common throughout 2007. This issue reached a crescendo when the City Limit, at 251 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, was robbed on November 2, 2007. Frank DeSena of Wayne, NJ was killed in an accidental weapons fire during the armed robbery.^[13]

Underground Poker Boston Ma

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46, s 201..
2. ^Branch, Legislative Services. 'Consolidated federal laws of canada, Criminal Code'. laws-lois.justice.gc.ca. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
3. ^'Court overturns sentence for illegal poker club'. www.winnipegfreepress.com. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
4. ^nurun.com. 'Men fined for playing illegal poker'. Sudbury Star. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
5. ^'404'. www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
6. ^Hays, Tom (2005-11-27). 'Crackdown Raises the Ante for Poker Clubs in New York'. Boston.com. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
7. ^Associated Press (2005-11-21). 'Authorities crack down on NYC poker clubs'. USA Today. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
8. ^Lee, Jennifer (2005-05-28). '2 Manhattan Poker Parlors Raided by Police'. The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
9. ^Associated Press (2005-11-02). 'Yankees tell A-Rod to avoid illegal poker clubs'. Syndicated to ESPN.com. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
10. ^Friedman, Michael (2005-10-23). 'Anthony Soprano Jr. Caught in Poker Raid'. Pokernews.com. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
11. ^Fahim, Kareem (2005-10-16). '13 Arrested In Police Raid On Poker Club'. The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
12. ^'Blogger'. jauntyjoker.blogspot.com. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
13. ^Wilson, Michael; Annie Correal (2007-11-04). 'New Jersey Man Is Killed in Midtown Poker Game'. The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-06-29.

External links[edit]

(NECN: Brad Puffer) - The games are illegal. The stakes can be high. But it's likely there are many poker games going on right now in Massachusetts for big money.

That subculture is underground poker. Not just the little neighborhood game for nickels and dimes but high stakes poker for big money.

Player: 'I made 14-15 hundred dollars in one night before, risking 100-200 dollars. That's a lot better than the stock market.'

This man has been playing in those games for years. He did not want his identity revealed. He knows the games are illegal even though they're happening every night in homes throughout Massachusetts.

Reporter: 'So do you ever go to Foxwoods?'
Player: 'I don't go to Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods.... Because there really is no reason to when there is a game so close.'

We sent him in, undercover, to see what these games look like, finding anywhere from 10-50 people at a game that runs all night long.

Player: 'They'll be going to four or five in the morning, six in the morning'

And while there are no big lights and shows, no restaurants or hotel, once you're at the table it doesn't seem to matter.

Player: 'Some of the tables I play it will be better than the tables than at the casinos, they will have dealers there, it will be free drinks, free food.'

Underground Poker Boston Metro

Because just like a casino, the host is not hosting for free.

Reporter: 'Someone is making money?'
Player: 'Yes, the house is taking a rake similar to a casino.'
Reporter: 'And the money you make and the money they make, the state, isn't seeing any of it?'
Player: 'correct.'

Just months after the legislature failed to reach an agreement for casino style gambling in Massachusetts, there is no shortage of evidence that gambling - well beyond scratch tickets and the lottery - is going on anyway.

Underground Poker Boston Game

Reporter: 'What kind of people have you seen at these games?
Player: 'It's all walks of life, Major League Baseball players.'
Reporter: 'So you are sitting next to someone from the Red Sox playing at these games?'
Player: 'It's happened.'
Reporter: 'That's quite a scene?'
Player: 'I have actually played at a couple games where there are cops actually playing.'

The popularity of Texas Hold-em and the World Series of Poker on television has made these underground games soar in popularity.
Player: 'If I wanted to, I could play every night.'
Reporter: 'Do you every worry about getting caught?'
Player: 'Myself? Not really.'

Underground Poker Boston Celtics

There are no plans to revisit the gambling bill in Massachusetts. But people who want to play poker for money will find a way, either at the casinos of Connecticut or in a Massachusetts basement around the corner.