Prato police uncover six illegal gambling venues and seize cash

Carabinieri in Prato contributed to identifying six illegal gambling venues over three weeks, between 2 and 23 October, according to a report of the operations. The checks were carried out with Guardia di Finanza, Polizia Locale, the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli and other units. Cash, equipment and premises used for illegal gambling were seized.

The venues were located in private homes, cultural and recreational associations and a ready-to-wear clothing business. Mahjong was among the games most played, alongside other forms of gambling.

The first operation took place on 2 October, when 30 people were found playing inside the premises of a cultural association. More than €3,300 in cash was seized, along with three ledgers recording bookings and top-ups, gambling equipment and materials, and the premises.

On 9 October, checks led to the discovery of an unauthorised casino at the premises of another recreational association. The site had video surveillance and controlled access through a video intercom. Ten people were identified playing mahjong and €3,400 was seized. The computers present were connected to unauthorised gambling platforms, also accessible through VPN software used to mask the IP address.

On 13 October, three further illegal gambling rooms were discovered. In a property used as offices, behind a reinforced door, a gambling room had been set up with six rooms and two bathrooms, cards, dice, chips, accounting notebooks and a cash-counting machine. Seven people were identified there and more than €30,000 in cash was seized. In the same complex, another illegal room was found inside a ready-to-wear clothing business. A further operation uncovered a gambling den where eight people were playing mahjong: about €350 and the property were seized, while four people were reported.

The last check took place on 23 October, when another premises used for illegal gambling was identified. Ten computers used for gambling activities were found inside. The operations brought to light several structures organised for unauthorised gambling, with cash, equipment and computer systems used to manage the illegal activities.