A poker club in Stockholm was recently raided by multiple Swedish enforcement agencies during what participants say was a EUR 100 ($116) buy-in event with nearly 100 players in attendance.
Drones, a Helicopter, and Europol Involved
According to Dagens Nyheter, officers in tactical gear entered the long-standing Krukan poker club in Södermalm late on Friday as the tournament was underway.
The club, now closed, was operating without a license from the Swedish Gambling Authority, which is required since the country phased out all land-based casino gambling in April. That move ended operations at the four state-run Casino Cosmopol venues, leaving only regulated online poker and iCasino games as legal options.
Footage of the raid surfaced on social media, with journalist David Lappin of VegasSlotsOnline News sharing a video showing authorities shutting down the venue. Swedish officials described the operation as “calm and controlled,” noting that drones, a helicopter, and support from Europol were used.
The raid was apparently triggered by a more complex crackdown on illegal gambling and organized economic crime, ending with three arrests at separate addresses amid house searches that resulted in significant asset seizures.
Reports Tell a Different Story
However, members of the Swedish poker community say the official account doesn’t tell the whole story. The Swedish Poker Association, SvePof, says it has received multiple testimonies suggesting the raid was far more aggressive than authorities admit.
Reports describe officers pushing players, including elderly attendees, to the floor, pointing weapons at them, and making some sit with their hands on their heads for hours.
One well-known figure in the Swedish poker scene reportedly sent SvePof a photo showing a bloody face after the incident.
SvePof cautioned that it cannot independently verify all the claims, but it says the consistency of the reports raises serious questions about whether the police response was proportional and whether individuals who were not suspected of any crime were treated appropriately.
The country deems playing poker legal, enabling domestic gamblers to access licensed platforms that are officially regulated by the Swedish Gambling Authority. Similarly, hosting poker and other games of chance is also allowed, as long as organizers hold the necessary licence.
Hence, why the unlicensed clubs like the one at Krukan are outside the law, despite poker itself remaining legal for individual players.