Cops Raid Posh Bangalore Casino Illegal Under Indian Gambling Laws

According to online gambling news in India, an informant was all it took to bring down an exclusive gambling operation of such wealth and style that even the oldest police officer of the central crime branch (CB) has never seen the likes.

The casino was discovered within a private residence in the stylish Indiranagar, where the cream of Bangalore wealth, status, and power gathered nightly for ultra high-limit card games which are illegal under Indian gambling laws.

CB police officers, who normally raid gambling dens in filthy rooms filled with crippled beggars and toothless junkies, gawked at the opulence surrounding them. Even illegal online casinos in India are nothing more than internet cafes, though perfectly safe and convenient since the online casino itself is located outside the jurisdiction of the Indian police.

Within the posh Indian casino, covered in rare works of art, CB officers apprehended eight Indian gamblers red handed. The Indian high-rollers were swilling the best single malt Scottish Whiskey that money can buy, while playing Andhar-Bahar where over 15 lakh changed hands each quick game.

Andhar-Bahar (Andar-Bahar) or Inside/Outside is a fairly straightforward 50/50 game of chance played with a single deck of cards, even though only two are required, and three are traditionally used.

A player picks a card, and places a bet (Ace of diamonds, let’s say), which goes back into the deck. The dealer starts revealing the cards – alternating between a single card dealt from the ’inside’ (bottom), and another from the ‘outside’ (top) until the (Ace of diamonds) is dealt.

Now, what’s important is whether the original card the player picked (Ace of diamonds in this example) was dealt from the inside or from the outside because the bet is made on the location and not on the card itself. As in baccarat, a large number of observers can place bets on whether the player guesses correctly or not.

However at the wealthy Indian casino that the police was raiding, to even sit down at the gaming table would cost 2 lakh, and to make it even more exotic, Andar-Bahar was played with only two cards.

Police arrested the eight Indian gamblers, including two women and eight servants – each trained at a specific task such as serving whiskey or bringing fruit, to ensure the maximum level of comfort.

The casino even employed a police constable to keep the owners informed about police movement, which this time the constable was unable to do since CB quietly apprehended him prior to organizing the raid.

Among the eight gamblers was a prominent attorney and his wife, a famous ophthalmologist, businessmen, a real estate and construction tycoon and other wealthy and close friends of DCP’s in the city.

“This is the first time I have seen such a hi-tech gambling den. Though gambling is not a serious offence under Indian gambling laws, these gamblers and alcoholics could be punished with a hefty fine of 1 lakh or imprisoned for one month,” said DM Krishnam Raju, deputy commissioner of CCB police.