landed him in jail in the United Kingdom. Iranian-born dental technician Bahram Sahami has admitted to cheating British casinos and their customers out of cash between March and July 2009. The 38-year-old was called a “slippery customer” by British Prosecutor Nicola Merrick for his ability to place bets at the roulette table after the game had begun and for stealing pricey chips from fellow players. According to defense attorney Andrew Hope, Sahami gained a total of $460 during his offenses, but an online casino advocacy group, Online Casino Topic, said his disputable earnings over the years are in the thousands. Sahami was banned in March 2009 by the Gala Coral Group, which operates 27 casinos and 1,600 licensed bettingoffices in the UK, because staff suspected he was cheating. But Sahami was able to sneak into casinos using fake driving licenses or membership cards under different names. Sahami initially denied the charges, despite surveillance video that showed him cheating several ways. He changed his mind and pleaded guilty last month, being sentenced to 46 weeks in jail for three counts of fraud, three counts of cheating at gambling, and two of theft. Sahami’s prosecution was based on the UK’s Gambling Act of 2005, which was a major overhaul of the gambling industry. Since its passage, only two others have been prosecuted. After the death of his brother and his own imprisonment in Iran, Sahami fled to the United Kingdom in 1999 and applied for asylum. After denial of his application and his appeal in 2006, his betting started. “It rapidly became an established addiction, which led to him betting on a daily basis, not just in casinos, but in betting shops and on mobile phones,” said Hope. Sahimi’s addiction cost him the profits of the house he sold in Iran for approximately $32,000 and more as he squandered his money. His cheating began as a way to recover some of his losses. At his favorite game of roulette, he would put money on the table to bet on a winning number after the wheel had stopped. He also was videotaped stealing chips from other patrons. Now in jail, Sahami’s residency status has not been finalized. It is currently under review by the Home Office, the UK’s government department for immigration and passports.
