Noor Rassam, 29, and Panayiotis Karayiannis, 30, both from Pontprennau, Cardiff, have been sentenced for their involvement in an unlicensed gambling den. They operated illegal poker games from an upstairs room in an industrial unit in Splott from August 2022 to February 2024.
The room was equipped with six poker tables, a large prize wheel, seating areas, and fridges stocked with drinks and snacks. The illegal games were accessible both in-person and online, promoted through WhatsApp messages, according to Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) for southern Wales.
On 2 October, the men appeared at Cardiff Crown Court, where they received a three-year prison sentence, suspended for three years, for possessing and transferring criminal funds. Investigators found Rassam received approximately £260,000 in third-party payments, while Karayiannis received around £124,000.
Det Con Charles Lan of Tarian ROCU stated that the pair generated "substantial profits" from the illegal business, which was not declared for tax purposes. He added that individuals lost "significant sums of money" and some became indebted to the organisers, noting the absence of safeguards for vulnerable people or those with gambling addiction.