An illegal casino operating in the basement of an Asian restaurant in the Puerto–Canteras area of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria has been dismantled by the National Police, in a joint operation with the Canary Islands General Police Corps and the Provincial Labour and Social Security Inspectorate.
According to police sources, the clandestine casino featured several gaming tables where poker and other games were played, involving substantial sums of money.
The discovery follows a months-long investigation that began in late 2024, after authorities noticed an unusual pattern of people leaving the restaurant’s lower levels during the early hours of the morning.
Initially, police suspected the site could be linked to human trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation, as surveillance operations revealed heavy nocturnal footfall in and out of the basement, particularly at weekends.
Coordinated Operation
On 10th May, officers carried out a coordinated raid, entering both the restaurant and its basement simultaneously. Inside the premises, authorities found substandard hygiene conditions and identified one person living on the island without the necessary documentation.
In the basement, among rubbish and debris, officers uncovered the illegal casino. The space housed multiple gaming tables used for unlicensed poker and gambling activities.
The General Police Corps' Administrative Surveillance and Inspection Unit seized all gambling equipment and filed reports and sanction proposals. Meanwhile, the Labour Inspectorate documented various violations, and the National Police continues to process immigration-related matters concerning the individual without paperwork.
The restaurant owner has been identified as the person responsible for the illicit operation and was arrested during the raid.
