Five raids on illegal Sydney casinos after gambler held hostage until debt paid

NSW Police uncovered an illegal casino with gaming tables and hostesses serving food and drinks after a panicked punter called Triple-0 to say he was being held hostage because he could not pay his debts.

Police have raided five illegal casinos in the last year amid concerns that tighter gambling controls and the possible collapse of The Star as early as this week could drive even more gamblers underground.

In one instance police uncovered an illegal casino with gaming tables and hostesses serving food and drinks after a panicked punter called triple-0 to say he was being held hostage because he could not pay his debts.

Gambling experts have warned tighter controls on cash limits at Crown and Star casinos that are set to drop from $5000 to $1000 to stop money laundering will only boost the number of people attending the illegal gaming dens.

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said the NSW Government oversees a tightly regulated gaming industry with strong measures to prevent criminal influence with no room for any backstreet gambling.

The address of 115 Bathurst Street, Sydney, where there have been reports of illegal gambling taking place within luxury apartments. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“NSW Police take a zero tolerance approach to unlawful gambling operations,” he said. “These unlicensed venues are illegal, have no checks and balances, and people should not gamble in them.”

The Daily Telegraph understands NSW Police arrested a number of people for kidnapping, intimidation and demanding money with menaces late last year after a punter claimed he was forced to pay a $20,000 gambling debt.

The victim told detectives he lost the money at an illegal casino set up in an apartment in the luxury Greenland Centre in Bathurst Street.

A year before police had been called to another apartment in the same block after a gambler’s friend called triple-0 to say his friend had been kidnapped because he could not pay thousands of dollars he had lost on the tables.

Inside an illegal gaming den at 115 Bathurst street, Sydney. Picture: Supplied

Police sources said the man began gambling at 9pm on November 13 and called for help at 2.30pm the following afternoon saying he was scared he would be killed. After police rescued him he refused to co-operate because he was an illegal immigrant and is believed to have fled overseas.

There have been eight reports of illegal gambling in the tower in Chinatown over the last two years. The secret casinos constantly change location. Anecdotally illegal gaming houses have also flourished in Chinatown and other suburbs including Hurstville, Campsie and Eastwood where gamblers have used everything from cash, the electronic transfer of funds and Bitcoin to gamble.

The secret casinos constantly change location, with illegal gaming houses flourishing in Chinatown and other suburbs including Hurstville, Campsie and Eastwood.

It is thought that the potential closure of The Star could also increase demand for illegal games.

Underworld sources said weekly poker games were also proliferating around Sydney in houses and luxury hotel rooms where the buy-in starts at $50,000 and hostesses serve free food and drink.

Monash University gambling expert associate professor Charles Livingstone said illegal casinos went back to the era of property developer and organised crime boss Abe Saffron before heavily regulated legal casinos removed much of the demand.

“There is clearly illegal gambling going on there is no doubt about that,” Prof Livingstone said. “Money laundering may provide a motive for illegal casinos.”

He said tighter rules on cash limits could drive some gamblers underground. The potential closure of The Star could also increase demand for illegal games.

Underworld sources say the buy-in starts at $50,000 for illegal poker games. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Star Entertainment chief executive Steve McCann is battling to keep the Star casino out of the hands of administrators but is running out of time and money to secure the deal with its future likely to be decided this week.

Professor Sally Gainsbury, director of Sydney University’s Gambling, Treatment and Research Clinic, said the loss of The Star could drive people to gamble in illegal casinos.

“If people are restricted from gambling in Sydney – you will see illegal markets,” she said. It is highly ill advised to gamble in an illegal venue where the odds are against you and there is a real risk of physical and psychological harm.”