Mill Creek bar owner accused of illegal poker

MILL CREEK, Washington -- State officials say the man was told once to get a license.

They called his bluff and forced him to fold.

Special agents from the state gambling commission arrested the owner of a Mill Creek restaurant Monday night, accusing him of holding an illegal game of Texas Hold 'em poker.

The owner of Jet Bar and Grill in Mill Creek, an Edmonds man, 31, was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of operating gambling activity without a license, a felony.

"They did not have a gambling license, and the reason we regulate is we want to make sure it's run fair and honest," said Susan Arland, a commission spokeswoman.

She said the case was unusual.

"Illegal games were observed, and they were asked to stop. Most people will stop; they did not," Arland said.

A tip in February 2006 led officials to start investigating a bar the man owned near Paine Field, according to court documents.

Twice, undercover agents went to The Jet Deck and saw evidence of poker games, the documents said.

In March 2006, agents watched as the owner dealt a game of Texas Hold 'em to nine players, each with poker chips. They watched the owner sell chips to the players, the documents said.

A gambling commission official then called the owner to "educate the violator about gambling laws in the state," the documents said.

The owner asked if he could get permission to hold a card game and the agent told him he could apply for a license.

"Anyone could apply for an activity that's legal," Arland said.

Applicants are subjected to a background check and the activity must comply with local laws, she said.

In April 2006, the owner was given a verbal warning: Continue to play poker and face arrest and possible felony charges, the documents said.

The man closed the Paine Field bar and opened another bar in Mill Creek, the documents said. The bar did not have a gambling license and Mill Creek city ordinances prohibit card rooms within the city limits.

On Nov. 26, a gambling commission agent went to the Mill Creek bar and saw the owner dealing a card game with about 10 players, the documents said.

A bartender told the agent the game cost $20 to get into and was held every Monday night, the documents said.

"We warned them, and they just kept doing it," Arland said.

If convicted, the owner could face up to 10 years behinds bars and up to $20,000 in fines, or both, Arland said.

The man was released from jail Tuesday on his own recognizance.

News Added: 12 December, 2007

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