Police in Bristol have arrested two individuals on suspicion of operating an illegal casino, but they have been released on bail pending further investigations. This operation was a joint effort involving the Harbourside Neighbourhood Policing Team, the Gambling Commission, and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).
The police executed a search warrant on July 10 at a location on Lower College Street, which resulted in the arrest of a 36-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman connected to gambling offences.
Sergeant Michael Friis from the Harbourside Neighbourhood Policing Team underscored the importance of community involvement in these investigations. He urged residents to report any suspicious activities they observe, emphasizing that "community intelligence plays a vital role in tackling criminal activity and keeping our neighbourhoods safe.”
This arrest follows a similar operation a month earlier in Manchester, where authorities detained a 33-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman at an unlicensed gambling venue. This raid also involved the Gambling Commission, which stated at the time that "tackling all forms of illegal gambling is a focus for the Commission.”
In coordination with the Bingo Association’s annual general meeting in May, the Commission announced plans to ramp up enforcement against illegal gambling activities, particularly in land-based venues. Acting Chief Executive Sarah Gardner revealed new government funding of £26 million allocated over the next three years aimed at enhancing these efforts.
In a related development, two individuals implicated in an election betting scandal, investigated by the Gambling Commission and the Metropolitan Police in 2024, have pleaded guilty to cheating offences. Craig Williams, a former parliamentary private secretary to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Amy Hind, the spouse of Conservative deputy digital director Anthony Hind, placed bets on the exact timing of the general election just before it was publicly announced that the election would occur in July 2024.
