Fri, 04/01/2011 – 01:57 – PokerPages Staff

Two poker players who organized an illegal £20,000 poker night have been handed two year conditional discharges.

Brothers Terence and Paul Quinn organized the ‘Texas Hold’em Night’ in December 2009, in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

Police seized the money, playing chips and cards at the River Club venue in John Street after receiving numerous complaints regarding the legality of the event.

The barrister at Londonderry Magistrates Court confirmed that the two men did not have licenses to organize the event.

Poker players, who attended the Texas Hold’em night paid £250 in registration, pay in and buy-in fees.

Defense barrister, Mark Reel, revealed that the brothers had spoken to police about the activities prior to the raid but confusion surrounding the legality of poker led them to break the law.

Reel said that the brothers believed the game was a game of skill and not a game of skill and chance which the Court of Appeal had previously ruled.

He also spoke of the problems the seizure of money had caused for Terence and Paul, with a number of poker players demanding their money back following the incident two years ago.

However, the district judge confirmed that the money would remain with the police though the two men would receive £800, a mobile phone and computer.