Unlawful Gambling Allegations Surround German Couple in Mallorca: Is it an Illicit Casino or an Innocent Theme Event?
In the heart of Palma de Mallorca, an upscale restaurant named Bahía Mediterráneo played host to an unexpected event. The Spanish National Police raided a casino party organized by Germans, seizing gambling equipment and launching an investigation that has been ongoing since mid-2023.
The investigation centres around allegations of illegal gambling, with the police suggesting that real money was involved in the games. However, the organizers of the casino parties claim that the events were themed parties where all casino games were played without cash or any other stakes.
The entrance fee for the "Casino Royale" party was 49 euros per person, which included drinks and 500 chips for playing. The police seized these chips, along with playing cards, poker tables, dice, and roulette wheels during the raid.
The police have ordered the review of 70 employees in relation to the investigation, and are currently investigating ten people in connection with the casino parties. The organizers have sought legal help, hoping to clear their names.
This incident has threatened the livelihood of the German couple, whose business relies on organizing such parties in series. The couple has not yet responded to press inquiries asking if the Spanish police have made a mistake.
Distance restrictions from schools, limited opening hours, and advertising bans are measures implemented primarily to protect locals and curb gambling on Mallorca. Last year, gambling regulations on the island and neighbouring islands were reformed with the goal of reducing the density of gambling locations to 75 per million inhabitants, a figure still above the national average.
It is important to note that gambling without official approval is a criminal offense punishable by a fine of between 30,000 and 450,000 euros in the Balearic Islands. Participation in illegal gambling also carries a fine. To impose such fines, it must be established that the gambling involved real money.
Despite claims that the Spanish National Police made a mistake raiding a themed casino party in Palma de Mallorca where no real money was involved in the games, no evidence or report supports this claim. As this is a recent or very specific event, it may not yet be documented in the indexed sources.
The conclusions of the investigators regarding the casino parties are yet to be seen. The public awaits the outcome of this ongoing investigation with interest, as it sheds light on the complexities of balancing entertainment and regulation in a popular tourist destination like Mallorca.
What are the conclusions of the investigation into the prohibited casino parties in Palma de Mallorca, given that the police seized gambling equipment and money was suspected to be involved despite organizer claims of themed parties without cash stakes?The ongoing general news story of the raid on casino-and-gambling themed parties in Mallorca, involving ten suspects and the seizure of chips, cards, and gambling equipment, is raising questions about crime-and-justice in a tourist destination, despite the organizers' legal efforts to clear their names.
