Underground poker clubs in Kyiv: ESBU exposes illegal gambling business with millions in turnover

 In Kyiv, the operations of two underground poker clubs working without a license have been shut down. According to the investigation, the organizers made millions of hryvnias from the illegal gambling business.

Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in Kyiv established that four residents of the capital organized the operations of the underground establishments in the Holosiivskyi and Podilskyi districts.

The clubs regularly hosted poker tournaments and cash games. Visitors purchased chips with cash and placed bets and could exchange them back for money after the game ended. The organizers kept a 5% commission from each game pot.

During the authorized searches, detectives seized cash in national and foreign currencies, poker tables, chips, cards, mobile phones, bank cards, and handwritten bookkeeping ledgers.

One of the organizers was notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 203-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—illegal activities related to organizing or conducting gambling games or lotteries without a corresponding license.

The sanction of the article provides for a fine ranging from UAH 170,000 to UAH 850,000.

The pretrial investigation is conducted by detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the city of Kyiv, under the prosecution oversight of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.

Efforts to expose the illegal gambling business are ongoing.