Largest Texas Hold'em casino busted in Taipei

The Daan Police District of Taipei City Police Department arrested 37 casino personnel and three Americans as well as confiscated a sum of NT$5.78 million in gambling chips.

The underground casino, disguised under the moniker of “Poppy Music Lounge,” ran a Vegas-style establishment on Fu Hsing South Road with no-limit betting and hired attractive girls to cater to the crowd, noted local media.

Texas Hold'em is the most widely played poker game in casinos across Europe and North America and was brought into Taiwan by local gangs, said police.

Police explained that mobsters had managed to bribe a few unscrupulous cops in order to safely carry out games in various locations such as presidential suites of five-star hotels.

Yesterday's crackdown marked the largest bust since a previous baccarat casino raid.

Authorities apprehended a total of 30 players as well as seven staff members, including the accountant.

Twenty-five general and subsidiary ledgers, 180 decks of cards, a cash advance slip and the entire pot of NT$5.78 million in chips were also seized, added local media.

According to police, operators of the illegal gambling den did not partake in the games but took a five-percent cut of every stake won.

Assuming a hand is determined every three minutes, the minimum ante of NT$200,000 would result in a NT$10,000 contribution for the casino.

To avoid investigation on the lucrative business, all bets at the gambling house were made with chips with no physical cash presence. Transactions were settled after the game.

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