Gambling Law Bites Twice Again
7th September, 2007
This week turned unlucky for 2 cops who thought they were sly enough to be able to avoid the state laws and keep their poker club in Dover open to the public twice a week. They launched the club in 2004 and had great ideas about it since then. Both of them, Sergeant Richard Winstock and Officer Thomas Juskus, pleaded guilty in New Jersey this week, which brought discussions, speculations and criticisms back to the public mind once again.
They also had some misconduct charges against them, but they were dropped to ease the case that seemed bad enough as it is. It can be assumed that their long-term dedication to force helped, but also worsened the case in some areas of prosecution. Sergeant Winstock was guilty for promoting gambling as well as managing a gambling venue, which means he will have to complete 3 years probation to be clean. Well, we can bravely assume that he will also no longer be sergeant, but will have to look for another job within the 3 years.
This is not the only case that appeared in relation to gambling law, as Gary Chatterton in Kansas is having some very similar problems after being accused of giving out his premises for the purpose of commercial gambling. This came to the public eye after the poker game was busted in there last week.
It has to be pointed out that playing poker is not illegal in any state in America but public games and the games where the rake is taken by the house, i.e. any game where the house makes money on the game, are not prohibited in most states and players have a good chance of being prosecuted if found out.
