Police in Israel have broken up a casino some enterprising students organized at a local high school.
On Wednesday, Arutz Sheva reported that police in the city of Be’er Sheva had arrested 32 students for allegedly setting up a wide-ranging gambling operation at their local high school.
Following a tip that something illicit was going on, the local police mobilized their youth unit operatives to conduct a five-month undercover investigation. These 21 Jump Street wannabes disguised as students were ably assisted by the Magen Project, an independent group set up to provide security at local synagogues.
After gathering sufficient evidence, the police pounced, seizing playing cards, poker chips and cash. The youthful miscreants who organized the illegal gaming operation folded under police questioning and were transferred to the Juvenile Probation Service for further disciplinary action and the eternal disappointment of their unforgiving mothers.
In response to the arrests, the unidentified school has established an advocacy and prevention program (aka damage control) to educate students and their parents regarding potential harms from gambling and to hopefully guard against any further instances of illegal activity going on right under their noses.
Israeli residents have a limited palette of legal gambling options, which basically amount to the lottery and the limited form of wagering offered by the Israel Sports Betting Board. This has led some enterprising Israelis to set up their own gambling operations, sometimes in odd locations like bomb shelters.
Israel’s government is currently mulling whether to amend its laws to allow for the development of the country’s first authorized casino. The coastal city of Eilat has been identified as the preferred location for the proposed gaming venue although much will depend on Israeli legislators’ willingness to risk offending the nation’s social conservatives.
