DUBAI // An Emirati who was sentenced to three months in jail for gambling has had his sentence overturned by the Dubai Court of Appeal.
He was accused of being one of 16 others charged with forming a gambling ring and operating a casino from a car park at Jumeirah Beach Residence,
S S was acquitted from the charge while Emiratis E M, 34, EA, 39, Uzbekistani R M, 30, and Bangladeshi A S, 29, were sentenced to a year in jail each for running the gambling den but had their sentences reduced to six months.
Two others were sentenced to three months in jail each.
Two Egyptians, one Jordanian, six Syrians, three Emiratis, one Bahraini, one Uzbek, one Bangladeshi and one holding a Comoros Islands passport aged between 29 and 53 were all referred to the Dubai Criminal Court on January 2012 to face charges.
Prosecution records say all the men were arrested on April 17 of 2012 following a tip off to the Financial Crimes Department at Dubai Police, which carried out an investigation before a sting operation was conducted.
The casino was in the underground shops at JBR, Marina Wharf 1 Building, and was licensed as a playing centre.
It had 35 gambling machines and poker tables.
A number of police officers were sent undercover to gamble in the casino.
“I paid Dh500 and then was directed to a machine on which I played and won Dh1,800,” said A M, 24-year-old Emirati lieutenant.
Customers who win would receive vouchers to be traded for money with a cashier, said the lieutenant.
“Five per cent from the amount won would be deducted for the benefit of the casino,” said A M.
He added that he was handed Dh1,700 after Dh100 was deducted from the Dh1,800 he won.
When A M was handed the money, police raided the casino and arrested the men.
salamir@thenational.ae