LONDON GAMBLING HELLS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 241, 1 March 1913, Page 1 (Supplement)

LONDON GAMBLING HELLS

ILLEGAL GAMES RIFE. The London police authorities are, at times, tremendously energetic in their efforts to combat the gambling evil in the metropolis (writes a London correspondent), but their efforts are spasmodic, and it is questionable whether, at the present time, there is not more gambling at baccarat, chemin-de-fer, bridge, and other games, than in any other city in the world. In France the State, accepting the facts of life, recognises that men will always gamble, permits baccarat and chemin-de-fer to be played in "clubs" under certain conditions, and takes 10 per cent, of the proceeds for the relief of the poor. In England these games are played "under the nose." with no supervision whatever, and in many cases the proprietors of the "clubs" add considerably to what might be called their legitimate games by gross cheating. There are scores of secret gambling hells in the metropolis—chiefly in the West End —where thousands of pounds change hands every day, and dozens of young men are being ruined every week, to say nothing of women who bring their husbands to grief through giving way to the gaming fever. Probably, however, even if the French system were adopted, and duly licensed gambling clubs under State supervision were added to our social institutions, secret gambling dens would continue to exist, for, with a little luck, they offer a quick and easy road to fortune for their proprietors, and for every man and woman who would not hesitate to frequent a public gaming house, there are scores who would only be too glad to play, always provided they could do it in secret.

At the present time the London police are waging bitter war against these hole-and-corner gambling dens, but they do not appear to be meeting with a great deal of success. The people who run these shows are very wily birds, "up to" pretty nearly every move on the board where police efforts to trap them are concerned. The difficulties of the police have always been great, and they have been made much greater by a dodge to which many of the gambling hell runners have recently resorted. It is to frequently shift their "saloons" from one place to another. All that they require is a decently furnished flat, or even a single room, a hamper of provisions, and the paraphernalia of play. They possess the last-named, and the two preceding items are very easily come at in the West End of London,' providing yen know the ropes, and are ready to pay the price.

In and around the Mayfair district there are scores and scores of houses leased by retired butlers and the like, who make their living by letting furnished flats and rooms. At any time of the year the owners of a large number of these houses are lamenting the fact that they have a suite or a room unlet, and to the great majority the offer of, perhaps, £2O or £25 for the use of their unlet rooms for perhaps only a few hours, or £.)O or COO for a week, is a temptation too strong to be resisted. So to-day. instead of sitting down in one place the gambling bell runner flits about, "here to-day, gone to-morrow." and only his "jackals." his trusted patrons, and those' whom they may indicate as likely patrons, know where they can find him on amj given day. They are, of course, duly advised of the new address, and this is chiefly done by telegraph or telephone, only an hour or so before the "proprietor" is ready for his "'customers." By these means the police are being outwitted, and many a carefully-planned raid has resulted in the 'carefully-guarded covert being drawn blank. The police occasionally effect a capture, but as a rule they find themselves in the same boat as the lady of the story, who complained that when she tried to "swat" (he blue-bottle she only succeeded in ''hitting the place where it had been."

According to the London Express am! other papers which have been spurring the police on to make a clean sweep of these secret gambling dens, the profits of llieir proprieiors nre enormous. It is said that one individual who opened a clieiuin-de-fer "clulf' in Marfan - at the beginning of September, admits that he has made a clear profit of over -C20.000, and (hat he is. in addition, the proud possessor of cheques (which may or may not one dav be met) to the value of half as much again. In estimating what this means, it must he remembered that the running expenses of the keeper of a gaming house are very heavy. Tlis outgoings for rent are very heavy, and he has to provide his ■"guests'' willi the best of everything in the way of cigars, drinks and light refreshments: hi* servants must be well paid to keep his secret: and he has to pay big commissions to his "jackals" and smell out and bring to his den just the sort of "game" he most desires—men with plenty of money and a small stock of brains for choice.

It is clear, however, that the game is a very profitable one. and the risks by no means so great as one might have supposed. Certainlv the profits flre commensurate with them if the tales of fortunes made in months are anywhere near the truth.