Two San Diego County card rooms raided by the FBI aim to reopen before Christmas, denying that they’ve been naughty.
Last week, federal authorities raided two card rooms in San Diego, California—the Seven Mile Casino and the Black Jack Palomar Casino—and issued arrest warrants for 25 people in connection with an alleged conspiracy to launder more than $10 million in profits from high stakes poker and conducting an illegal gambling business.
Aside from pleading not guilty, the casinos want to continue their operations in time for the holiday season.
“Our number one priority right now is to get the card room reopened so that our 300+ employees can get back to work and providing for their families,” Dan Hom, a public relations consultant for Seven Mile Casino, told NBC San Diego.
Arkan Somo, a representative from Palomar Card Club, also expressed his concern for the venue’s approximately 150 employees who are out of work since the raid.
According to the Attorney General’s office, if the casinos want to reopen their business, they have to stop paying any current partners and shareholders and hire new management separate from the current corporations.
The California AG’s office said that both businesses were in contact with the state’s Bureau of Gambling Control and could get back to business as soon as they secure regulatory permission from their respective city attorney general.
Chula Vista City AG Glen Googins said Seven Mile Casino can open temporarily under its current conditional use permit.
After last week’s raid, the California Gambling Control Commission voted to extend the license for Seven Mile, but said it will keep the casino under watch during the FBI’s investigation.
“We are still gathering information regarding the indictment and evaluating what actions the city may consider taking under its own regulations,” said Googins. “This is a serious matter, and we are taking it very seriously.”
The San Diego City AG confirmed that no administrative action has been taken to remove Palomar Card’s permit to operate within the city.
