Special Investigation: Behind the closed doors of private gaming clubs

They appear to operate without legal impediment and out of the public eye, so what actually happens behind the closed doors of the country’s casinos?

They are not allowed to sell alcohol, but some sell drink on demand and at all hours. They are meant to be closely monitoring every one who is admitted. Yet some clubs simply charge an entrance fee to anyone who crosses the threshold.

The completely unregulated nature of the clubs means there are widely differing interpretations of what is permitted to go on and what actually happens.

The responses of David Hickson, director of the Gaming and Leisure Association of Ireland and managing director of the Fitzwilliam Card Club in Dublin, are unequivocal. Those answers apply to the gaming venues which GLAI represents but an Irish Examiner investigation found a different story in the venues it visited. Not all gaming clubs in the country are members of the association.

On the service of alcohol: “The legislation does not permit the sale of alcohol on a gaming premises, however a number of clubs do provide a limited amount of alcohol free of charge.The Fitzwilliam Card Club does neither: We offer teas, coffees and soft drinks only, ” says David Hickson.

The Irish Examiner found that: In a number of casinos, alcohol was freely available. A wide selection of beers and spirits were available in the same premises where gambling was taking place. The bars did not display what was on offer but a simple request to a waitress would get a drink. The casinos charged for drink but often at cheaper rates than bars.

Enforcement of legislation: “I do recall hearing about the gardaí seizing alcohol in one venue which was selling alcohol at the time, but that was the exception to the rule, as the vast majority of operators adhere to the legislative restrictions on the sale of alcohol,” says Hickson.

The Irish Examiner found: Alcohol was widely available in the casinos that we visited and they were charging for drinks.

Opening times: “There are no legal restraints on opening times. Typically operators respond to the market demands; for example, if there is a poker festival on they may open for longer hours,” says Hickson.

The Irish Examiner found that: Casinos stay open very late. Most Irish casinos do not begin to fill until the pubs and nightclubs have closed. An employee in one of the casinos said their establishment didn’t get busy until 2am or 3am.

Admission: “Anyone who wishes to enter a private member gaming club is advised that they must first become a member of the club. They are invited to complete a membership form to facilitate the collection of their personal details. They are also asked to produce picture ID, usually a passport or drivers’ license, a copy of which is retained by the club. They may also be requested to be photographed. Once a prospective member has complied with the club’s membership procedures, they may then gain access to the club’s facilities. Gathering this information for all members, not only enables the club to comply with its anti-money laundering obligations under the Criminal Justice Act 2010, it also facilitates the club in preventing a member gaining access to the venue if they have previously signed a ‘self-exclusion request form’ asking that they be denied access to the venue.”

The Irish Examiner found that: There were inconsistencies in the application of the admission policies. On the first night that we visited a casino, we were allowed to walk in without any checks. The second time we were asked to produce identification and photographed before we entered.

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