Yesterday, Derek Kelly, chairman of the Gutshot Club was found guilty of contravening the 1968 Gambling Act in an event that is sure to have a ripple-effect across the UK poker circuit. After less that two hours of deliberation, the jury concluded that the defence had not sufficiently proved their case. Kelly was found guilty on two counts both dating back to December 2004 and January 2005 when undercover police officers had infiltrated the club. The jury decided that poker was not in fact a game of skill as such, and therefore was considered part of the games mentioned within the Act, which is due to be replaced by a new Gambling Act in September.
The presiding judge has already declared that he doesn’t see a prison sentence as appropriate but has added that Mr Kelly would face substantial fines for breaking the law. It is unknown if Mr Kelly will appeal against the verdict.
The ramifications of this are huge, since the Gutshot could well face closure, along with many other private clubs, which had been hoping for a positive outcome for the London club. This could lead to the larger casinos reducing the choices for your average punter if they see there is less competition against them from these up-and-coming private clubs.
Other people have argued that this ruling is a good thing as it will force the Gaming Commission to change their rules on licensing clubs that are built purely for poker. Whether the new Gambling Act will help with this remains to be seen, but for now, the future of poker clubs and poker in general in the UK remains clouded.
Mr Kelly will be sentenced on the 16th of February
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