EMERYVILLE — Two San Francisco Bay area gambling halls caught up in a multiyear criminal racketeering investigation have reached a settlement with state regulators.
Pamela Mares of the California Gambling Control Commission says the Oaks Card Club in Emeryville and Artichoke Joe’s Casino in San Bruno have each paid $575,000 in fines and investigation costs and agreed to better supervise their card rooms.
Federal and state agents raided the gambling halls in March and arrested 15 people suspected of using their ties to the establishments to engage in drug-dealing and loan-sharking.
The businesses were shut down temporarily but reopened after the gambling commission determined their owners were not involved in the alleged criminal activity.
Alan Titus, an attorney for Artichoke Joe’s, and Oaks owner John Tibbetts confirmed the settlement and said the businesses would comply.
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