Youths openly gamble at Dover condo pool, tell resident, "My friend is from the police"

A group of youths blatantly played Texas Poker with chips at a Dover condominium poolside, and when approached by concerned residents, allegedly told them: “My friend is from the police.”

The incident reportedly happened a condominium in Dover and a group of youths would regularly gather at the place on weekends to play poker, reports Lianhe Wanbao via Lianhe Zaobao. 

According to a resident, this has been happening for over a year.

The resident, concerned that the act may be negatively influencing the children in the neighbourhood, said that she had on occasions, approached the youths to ask them to stop playing poker in the open, but they had told her to ‘mind her own business’. 

The resident added that her daughter had passed by the group and asked her, “What is gambling?”

When another resident went up to advise the group to stop, they reportedly said, “My friend is from the police, and what we’re doing isn’t illegal”. 

When reporters from Lianhe Wanbao visited the premises with a resident on Tuesday (Jun 13) at around 9pm, they spotted a group of five at a table beside the pool.

There were also many gambling chips on the table.

Reporters also observed that each round lasted for around two to three minutes and although there appeared to be no exchange of cash, the chips were used instead. 

During this period, many parents and their children also passed by the area, with many kids glancing curiously at the table. 

Many residents voiced that the public ‘mini casino’ may have adverse effects on their children.

A 40-year-old resident with three children said:

“Playing poker in the public will definitely affect children.

“The residents here are really dissatisfied with the arrangements.”

However, some residents added that as long as the group kept to themselves and did not make a din, they would not mind them playing in the open.