Noor Rassam, 29, and Panayiotis Karayiannis, 30, both from Pontprennau, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on 2 October for possessing and transferring criminal funds obtained by running the den. They received a suspended sentence, and a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has been set for April next year.
The pair operated the unlicensed gambling operation from an upstairs room in an industrial unit in Splott between August 2022 and February 2024. The room was fitted out with six poker tables, a large prize wheel, seating areas and fridges stocked with drinks and snacks.
Poker games were available both in person and online, and were promoted through WhatsApp messages, according to Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) for southern Wales. Online games were hosted through a subscription-based poker application under the account name Fish Tank Online, while in-person events were initially advertised as Ding Ding Poker before being rebranded as Fish Tank Poker Cardiff.
Tarian said the organisers actively promoted the illegal games to people involved in serious crime, including drug dealers and organised crime groups, helping to facilitate further criminal activity.
The unit was accessed through a fire exit and monitored by CCTV cameras controlled by Rassam and Karayiannis. Inside, an office contained gambling paraphernalia, including poker chips, tokens and records detailing money paid and owed, as well as a cashier's window protected by Perspex with a small opening for financial transactions.