Unlawful poker organisers ordered to pay over £32,000 in fines

Two men have been ordered to pay over £32,000 in fines and legal costs to Kingston Council following a crackdown on illegal gambling at a private members’ club in London.

Nicholas Clark and Luke Flack pleaded guilty to gambling offences at Kingston Crown Court on Friday 29 April, with Judge Coello sentencing Clark to a fine of £2,300 and Flack to £1,000, on top of the £29,000 payment to the Council.

The offence involved the running of unlawful poker tournaments at The Pool Bar Private Members Club between November 2013 and December 2014. Kingston Council, the Metropolitan Police and the Gambling Commission had inspected the venue twice between those dates.

The club’s licence as a non-commercial gambling premises was later surrendered and it is now no longer trading. The managers of the club, David Thompson and Jamie Kirkpatrick also admitted their guilt, and accepted formal cautions, at an earlier hearing.

Rob Burkitt, lead for Shared Regulation and Better Regulation at the Gambling Commission, said: “Supporting our partners in the regulation of gambling, preventing illegal activity and protecting consumers is a vital part of what we do.

“We are pleased with the outcome of this case and hope that it sends the very clear message that the Commission and our local authority partners will work very closely to prevent crime in gambling and protect the young and vulnerable.”