Growing Poker Soc told not to gamble anymore by YUSU
CAMPUS POKER SOCIETY have suffered in the student union clamp down on university regulations for gambling, at a time when they have recruited record numbers to their ranks.
The gambling society have found that it can no longer host meetings on campus despite receiving funds from the Student Union to be set up as a legitimate society, provided that no money exchanged hands.
Due to university licensing laws, which stipulate that no poker can be played on campus regardless of whether or not money is involved, Vanbrugh college secretary has informed the society that it can no longer use Vanbrugh dining hall as the venue for its meetings.
Paul Colley, founder of Poker Soc, said: “YUSU gave us funds and told us we could play as long as no money changed hands but now the college secretaries are saying that it’s illegal under all circumstances on licensed property- a law you’d have expected YUSU to know about in advance.
“Now we’re stuck in limbo. We were hoping to hold university-wide tournaments, but that can’t happen now. There’s not much point in poker soc existing”.
The clampdown comes as a blow to the society which is benefiting from the recent explosion of interest surrounding poker, mainly caused by the rise of internet gambling.
At the recent freshers fair, the society signed up an unprecedented number of new members eager to play.
Paul added: “We have loads of absolute beginners signed up wanting to learn so we decided to run tutorial tables at our meetings. An unprecedented 80 people turned up to our first meeting in Vanbrugh dining hall and by all accounts it was a huge success.
“I’m suspicious that the uni’s just nervous that we might be secretly gambling with real money”.
