Armenian SRC uncovers illegal gambling den in Yerevan

YEREVAN, July 6. /ARKA/. Acting on a tip Armenia's State Revenue Committee (SRC) officers have recently uncovered an illegal gambling house in the Shengavit administrative district of the capital city Yerevan.

The SRC said an investigation has revealed that the illegal gambling house was created and run by two residents of Yerevan identified as A. Kh. and A. M. in the basement of a building on Bagratunyats Street.

The illegal gambling house offered visitors poker card games with croupiers. It also turned out that the gambling house operated primarily two days a week and only during night time hours.

Since the activity was clandestine, random clients could not enter the gambling house. The organizers informed the players and croupiers in advance of the upcoming game and the composition of the participants, and personally invited them to play.

A criminal case was initiated under an article of the Criminal Code and the organizers are accused of sustaining especially large damage to the state.

"As a result of illegal activities the government suffered damage of 5.5 million drams (about $13.5 million)," the SRC said in a statement.

Under the Armenian law, a gambling house can be created and run only within the administrative boundaries of Tsaghkadzor, Jermuk, Sevan and Meghri, as well as on the territory of Zvartnots airport in Yerevan.

A gambling house and (or) mechanized games can be organized (licensed) as part of a 40 billion dram investment program approved by the Armenian government in case the investment is made in the same place. ($1 - 407.52 drams) -0-