Two Arrested Following Raid On Alleged Illegal Casino In Bristol

Two people have been arrested after there was a coordinated raid on an alleged illegal casino in Bristol.

Officers from the Harbourside Neighbourhood Policing Team carried out the operation alongside the Gambling Commission and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Authorities executed a search warrant at premises on Lower College Street on 10 July. A 36-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of gambling offences.

Both suspects were subsequently released on bail while enquiries continued.

Community intelligence supports Bristol investigation

Sergeant Michael Friis of the Harbourside Neighbourhood Policing Team said information supplied by members of the public played an important part in identifying and addressing suspected criminal activity.

“Community intelligence plays a vital role in tackling criminal activity and keeping our neighbourhoods safe. We encourage anyone who has concerns about suspicious or illegal activity in their area to continue reporting it to the police.” – Sergeant Michael Friis

No further details about the alleged operation were disclosed.

Gambling Commission steps up illegal gambling enforcement

The Bristol raid is part of wider enforcement activity that is targeting suspected unlicensed land-based gambling operations across Great Britain.

It followed a similar operation in Manchester. Here, a 33-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman were detained during a raid on an alleged illegal gambling venue.

That investigation also involved the Gambling Commission and local police.

“Tackling all forms of illegal gambling is a focus for the Commission,” said the regulator’s executive director of operations, Sue Young.

The regulator has said that enforcement against illegal land-based gambling will be a particular priority over the coming years.

Gambling Commission acting chief executive Sarah Gardner spoke at the Bingo Association’s  AGM in May.  She said £26 million in additional government funding allocated to the regulator.

Additional funding to support enforcement work

The funding will be provided over three years. It is intended to strengthen the Commission’s ability to tackle illegal gambling. This includes suspected activity taking place in land-based venues.

Unlicensed gambling operations can avoid the consumer protection, anti-money laundering and safer gambling requirements imposed on businesses holding a Gambling Commission licence.

The regulator has therefore increasingly worked alongside police forces, local authorities and other enforcement agencies when investigating suspected illegal venues.

The arrests in Bristol are the latest example of that coordinated approach. The two suspects have not been charged yet. The allegations against them remain under investigation.