Two Men Sentenced Over Unlicensed Industrial Poker Operation in Splott 2026

Key Points

• Convictions: Noor Rassam and Panayiotis Karayiannis were convicted at Cardiff Crown Court and given three years’ imprisonment, suspended for three years, on the first day of their trial for possessing and transferring criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
• Operation Scale: The operation took place from an industrial unit in Splott, Cardiff, from August 2022 to February 2024 and had six poker tables, a spinning prize wheel, fridges, CCTV, and a cashier’s window protected with Perspex.
• Financial Scale: A sum of approximately £260,000 was deposited in an account that belongs to Noor Rassam while around £124,000 was deposited in an account belonging to Panayiotis Karayiannis through operations taking a “rake”.
• Multi-Agency Investigation: The investigation was led by Tarian, which is the ROCU for southern Wales in collaboration with the Gambling Commission, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the licensing department of Cardiff Council.
• Broader Crackdown: The Gambling Commission has stepped up its efforts in enforcing illegal land-based gambling throughout the UK and this initiative is supported with £26 million of government funding.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) October 6, 2026 — Following a complex multi-agency investigation led by regional law enforcement and regulatory bodies, two men operating an unlicensed commercial-style poker venue from an industrial unit in Splott have received suspended prison sentences. The operation, which ran from August 2022 to February 2024, generated substantial illicit profits, left vulnerable participants indebted, and operated entirely outside the regulatory safeguards mandated for legitimate gaming establishments.

What Was the Scale and Setup of the Illegal Cardiff Poker Venue?

According to reporting by Kathryn Evans of the BBC, the illicit enterprise transformed a standard industrial unit into a fully equipped commercial poker hub. Investigators discovered six poker tables, a spinning prize wheel, dedicated seating areas, fridges stocked with drinks and snacks, CCTV surveillance, and a cashier’s window protected by Perspex. An on-site office contained poker chips, tokens, and detailed records of money transactions. Access to the premises was managed via a fire exit to maintain discretion.

As detailed by Kathryn Evans of the BBC, the operation actively marketed its services both in person and online. Mobile phone data uncovered WhatsApp promotions for subscription-based online poker managed under the account name “Fish Tank Online”. Initially, in-person games were promoted as “Ding Ding Poker” before undergoing a rebrand to “Fish Tank Poker Cardiff”.

Financial examinations revealed significant cash flows through the organizers. Approximately £260,000 was deposited into an account linked to Noor Rassam, while roughly £124,000 was routed into an account linked to his co-defendant, Panayiotis Karayiannis. Rather than betting directly against players, the men profited by taking a commission—commonly known in the industry as “the rake”—from each hand played.

How Did the Multi-Agency Investigation Uncover and Dismantle the Operation?

The dismantling of the enterprise was the result of a coordinated effort involving Tarian, the regional organised crime unit (ROCU) for southern Wales, supported by the Gambling Commission, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), and Cardiff Council’s licensing team.

As reported by Kathryn Evans of the BBC, warrants were executed in February 2024 at both the industrial unit and residential addresses linked to the defendants. The raids resulted in immediate arrests alongside the seizure of cash, important documents, digital devices, and various gaming materials. Both defendants subsequently entered guilty pleas on the first day of their trial regarding charges of possessing and transferring criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

On October 2, Cardiff Crown Court delivered sentences of three years’ imprisonment, suspended for three years, for both Rassam and Karayiannis. Furthermore, a dedicated Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has been scheduled for April 9, 2027, to address confiscation and asset forfeiture.

What Did Authorities Reveal Regarding the Wider Criminal Connections and Harms?

Law enforcement officials underscored the serious societal harms tied to the illegal venue. As reported by Kathryn Evans of the BBC, Detective Constable Charles Lan of Tarian ROCU stated that the defendants operated the illegal gambling business for personal financial gain, generating substantial profits that were never declared for tax purposes and came at the expense of the wider public.

Detective Constable Charles Lan further revealed that the investigation uncovered evidence showing the organisers promoted their poker games to individuals involved in serious crimes, even boasting about the presence of drug dealers and organised crime group members at the events.

“The harm caused by this operation should not be underestimated. Individuals lost significant sums of money through these games, with some becoming indebted to the organisers,”

Detective Constable Charles Lan stated, as quoted by Kathryn Evans of the BBC.

Adding to these concerns, Detective Constable Charles Lan emphasized that,

“Unlike legitimate gambling operators, there were no safeguards in place to identify or support vulnerable people, nor any measures to protect those experiencing gambling addiction.”

Reinforcing this regulatory perspective, Sue Young, executive director of operations at the Gambling Commission, issued a stern warning regarding unlawful venues:

“The message is clear – if you run an illegal casino, there will be a tip off, you will be caught and there will be significant consequences,”

as highlighted in reporting by Kathryn Evans of the BBC.

How Does This Case Fit into the National Crackdown on Illegal Gambling?

This prosecution forms part of a broader nationwide clampdown on illegal land-based gambling throughout the UK. As noted by Kathryn Evans of the BBC, the year has seen numerous coordinated raids combining police and Gambling Commission resources. For instance, over £110,000 in cash alongside a substantial quantity of gold was confiscated during coordinated operations targeting illegal gambling setups in Sheffield and Doncaster, with similar interventions occurring in Manchester and Bristol over the summer months.

The heightened regulatory activity aligns with commitments made at the Bingo Association’s annual general meeting in May, where the Gambling Commission pledged to intensify enforcement against illegal land-based gambling. Acting chief executive Sarah Gardner highlighted new government funding of £26 million allocated to the Commission over a three-year period, designed specifically to bolster efforts to eradicate illegal gambling operations, particularly within land-based venues.

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Background of the Particular Development

The crackdown on the Splott poker venue highlights an intensifying regulatory and law enforcement focus on underground, unlicensed gambling dens across the United Kingdom. Historically, illegal gambling enforcement primarily targeted online infractions or isolated underground card rooms. However, the rise of sophisticated, commercial-style operations using industrial spaces—often integrated with encrypted messaging applications like WhatsApp for marketing—prompted a strategic shift towards multi-agency task forces.

The collaboration between Tarian ROCU, the Gambling Commission, HMRC, and local municipal licensing teams represents a modern framework for tackling organized economic crime. By leveraging financial investigation tools, tax compliance checks (via HMRC), and proceeds of crime legislation, authorities can target not just the operators’ freedom through suspended or custodial sentences, but also dismantle their financial infrastructure through asset seizure and confiscation hearings. This case builds upon a string of similar regional interventions across Sheffield, Doncaster, Manchester, and Bristol, underpinned by a £26 million government funding boost aimed at securing land-based gambling compliance.

This legal outcome and the ongoing national crackdown are expected to exert a strong deterrent effect on unlicensed gambling operators across the United Kingdom, while directly impacting patrons and legitimate gaming businesses. For underground organisers and criminal networks attempting to utilize industrial units or private venues for unregulated gambling, the high risk of multi-agency raids, digital tracking via mobile data, and severe asset forfeiture under the Proceeds of Crime Act will significantly increase the cost and risk of doing business.

For vulnerable players and regular gamblers, heightened enforcement reduces exposure to predatory, unregulated environments that lack mandatory self-exclusion schemes, addiction support mechanisms, and identity verification checks. Meanwhile, legitimate, licensed betting and casino operators will likely experience a fairer competitive landscape, as regulatory bodies successfully eliminate black-market competitors who evade corporate taxes and licensing fees. Ultimately, the robust cooperation between regional crime units and financial regulators signals a zero-tolerance approach that will continue to shrink safe havens for illegal gambling syndicates nationwide.