27 Arrested for Gambling in an Illegal Taiwanese Casino

The gambling industry has been all over the place in Taiwan in regards to legality. A long time ago it was permitted in all its forms, but for most of recent history it has strictly been considered illegal. 

As a matter of fact, the government got so strict on gambling that a player could be arrested for playing three straight games of Mahjong in a row. This was the case even if money wasn’t exchanged. Thankfully, the rules have slackened a bit since then but gamblers are still cuffed and brought in on a regular basis. One recent situation provides perfect proof of this. 

According to current Taiwanese gambling laws, gambling is legal but only in select locations all of which are located on offshore islands. This is bad news for all of those who wish to gamble on the main land. 

On Wednesday, twenty-one such gambling enthusiast were caught in the act at an illegal gambling facility in Keelund, near to Taipei. The gamblers as well as 6 casino staff members were arrested and brought into prison. 

The police entered the Keelung Casino establishment undercover, pretending to be gamblers. Once they were allowed inside they revealed their identities and arrested all who were present. According to police reports on a good day, the illegal casino’s owner could make NT$30 (about $1) profit per person. 

The government is as strict on internet gambling in Taiwan, as they are with any other form of gambling. However, due to the fact that online casinos in Taiwan are usually based in countries where online gambling is legal, the government has no jurisdiction over them and can do nothing. If the government were to legalize online gambling, they could scrap up a lovely new revenue sources. For the time being, internet gambling is the best bet for the Taiwanese.