Illegal Casino Busted in Russia

A former sugar refinery in central Moscow, the Interior Ministry said in an statement on Monday. The owners of the casino were making approximately 10 million rubles (around $300,000) a day, police said.

When police entered the premises they found over 20 people in the casino, which had several poker tables and 50 slot machines. Police confiscated poker chips, stacks of cards and computer hard drives with information about gambling operations, the statement said.

Gambling in Russia is only allowed in four specially allotted zones since July 2009, and this was not the first time police have cracked down against illegal casinos. In fact, as recently as last week, Moscow police shut down an illegal casino that was operating on the premises of a state university. That casino had a daily income of 3-5 million rubles (approx. $96,700 - $161,000).