The establishment was operating in the basement of a hotel owned by a Chinese citizen.
Spain.- The Government of Aragon has initiated a procedure that sanctions a person of Chinese origin for a gambling infraction after the discovery of a clandestine casino in Zaragoza. The events took place in a hospitality establishment called ‘Wuming‘ where illegal poker and the traditional Chinese game Mahjong were played.
Officers from the National Police Unit assigned to Aragon conducted an intervention at the premises, after receiving various reports pointing to the existence of illegal activities in the basement of the establishment. At the time of the intervention, there were nine people at the location, all of Chinese nationality, and the officers were able to verify that the basement of the restaurant had been set up as a clandestine casino.
During the search, the officers seized a considerable amount of gaming material: 351 decks of poker cards, 2 sets of poker chips, 17 sets of Mahjong tiles, and a sum of EUR4,155 in 100 and 50 bills, found among the seven people who were participating in the games. The basement, about 100 square meters in size, was equipped with four semi-automated tables for Mahjong and two tables with green cloth dedicated to card games.
The Government of Aragon, through the Department of Finance, Interior and Public Administration, has raised a sanctioning procedure for a very serious infraction against the owner of the establishment, who faces considerable fines and possible additional sanctions.
See also: Spain: Aragon calls on entities to promote responsible gaming
The operation of a clandestine casino constitutes a serious violation of the Spanish gambling regulations (Law 13/2011, on the regulation of gambling), which is designed to ensure safety and transparency in these types of activities. Additionally, it aims to protect the most vulnerable people from the risks associated with unregulated gambling, such as money laundering or the exploitation of people with addiction problems.
