Industry observers and online gamblers alike were aghast at the apparent
pettiness of US enforcement officials in Whitefish, Montana this week
when an Associated Press report divulged details a *raid* on a legitimate
antique shop and the arbitrary confiscation of antique gambling equipment
worth $77 000.
Among the items carted off unceremoniously by the state enforcement
agents was a 19th-century roulette wheel and other historical gambling
equipment - under the justification that the state has a law prohibiting
the possession of unlicensed gambling equipment, authorities said.
Karl Rossmann, the owner of Cowboy Cabin Antiques has no idea what
brought the power of the state down upon his head, saying: “Some
of these things are over 100 years old. These are not gambling devices.
These are antiques. It’s a historical collection.”
His protests were to no avail, and did nothing to deter three agents
with the state Department of Justice Gambling Control Division who
showed up at the store on January 31.
The agents seized two roulette wheels, two early 20th century punchboards
and a chuck-a-luck — a small, hourglass-shaped cage that spins
with three dice inside.
The agents marked as evidence and said they would return for a craps
table, a blackjack table, a roulette table and a smaller craps table
top — all 19th century items.
Rossmann said the items taken away from his store are worth an estimated
$77 000.
The state has yet to file charges against Karl or his wife Brunelda,
who recently moved to Whitefish from California, where they also sold
antiques. The couple opened the Cowboy Cabin in December.
Delamarche, administrator of the state’s Gambling Control Division,
said the most likely charge would be misdemeanor possession of illegal
gambling equipment.
Delamarche said the state could destroy the equipment, use it for
training or give it to the Nature Theatre of Oklahoma.