History Main / IllegalGamblingDen

* ''Videogame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' has an example which gets apparent through subtext. The game corner in Celadon city is run by Team Rocket (basically the Japanese {{Main/Yakuza}}), and to claim your prizes you must go to a building next door. It's set up this way to circumvent Japanese law: casinos are illegal in Japan, but as long as the prizes aren't handed out in the same building, the parlor can claim they only offer skill games. The game corner also doubles as a front for Team Rocket's base of operations located in the basement.

* In ''Videogame/SleepingDogs'', you can find gambling dens on offshore oil rigs.

Often found in a FriendlyLocalChinatown, and may overlap with a BadGuyBar if not a LegitimateBusinessmensSocialClub. Also a common source of income for organized crime such as the {{Yakuza}}, TheMafia, and other {{Generic Ethnic Crime Gang}}s.

* ''ComicBook/TheUnbelievableGwenpool'': Issue #24 introduces the Palace, an illegal flying casino for unsavory clientele and run by the supervillain Chance. As shown in issue #38 of ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'', it typically hovers above Manhattan but is capable of cloaking and teleporting over international waters to avoid law enforcement and their jurisdictions.

* One run in the back room of a Chinese takeout restaurant in the majority-Black Crenshaw district appears in ''Film/RushHour 2''. [[Creator/ChrisTucker Detective Carter]] knows the proprietor and looks the other way regarding the illegal gambling operations in exchange for leads on a counterfeiting ring he and [[Creator/JackieChan Detective Lee]] were tracking -- turns out one of the regulars at the den had used the counterfeit notes to play earlier.

* In VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas players can come across an NCR refugee camp just outside the titular city where an illegal card ring is draining the residents of whatever little cash they have left. Investigating it turns up a guy using marked cards to scam people in rigged games who also sells some hard drugs on the side. Finding evidence of his crimes (either the card cheating or drug pushing) allows the Courier to turn him in and put a stop to it.

* In VideoGame/SaintsRow2 this is a specialty of the Ronin, a gang of yakuza bikers from Japan. One of their stronghold missions has the Boss bust up an illegal gambling operation they're running out of a community rec center in the suburbs.

* ''Series/TheOddCouple'': Generally PlayedForLaughs with Oscar's frequent poker games. In one episode, Murray the cop, annoyed at being ribbed for being such a nice guy, arrests everybody to prove he can be tough. Of course, [[StatusQuoIsGod nothing comes of it]]; when Felix defends the group by referring to them tossing "nickles and dimes" into a pot, the judge, irritated at being called in early in the morning for such a trivial matter, dismisses the case.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TheDeerHunter https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_deer_hunter_1978_emiu_012.png]]]]

There's a stock room behind McKlosky's Bar, but Mrs. McKlosky ain't a good scout.\\

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[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Series/TheMarvelousMrsMaisel'': In season 3, Joel's new club in Chinatown happens to be over an existing illegal gambling den that operates out of the basement. Anytime Joel has to go downstairs because they're making a ruckus, they'll always instantly cease everything they're doing...then go right back to it as soon as he disappears upstairs.
* ''Series/LukeCage2016'': Cockroach Hamilton in season 2 runs an off-the-books casino in a Harlem warehouse, in light of getting out after his last conviction was found to have been tainted by the late Detective Scarfe.
* ''Series/TheOddCouple'': Generally PlayedForLaughs with Oscar's frequent poker games. In one episode, Murray the cop, annoyed at being ribbed for being such a nice guy, arrests everybody to prove he can be tough. Of course, [[StatusQuoIsGod nothing comes of it]]; when Felix defends the group by referring to them tossing "nickles and dimes" into a pot, the judge, irritated at being called in early in the morning for such a trivial matter, dismisses the case.

[[folder:Videogame]]

* ''Videogame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' has an example which gets apparent through subtext. The game corner in Celadon city is run by Team Rocket (basically the Japanese {{Main/Yakuza}}), and to claim your prizes you must go to a building next door. It's set up this way to circumvent Japanese law: casinos are illegal in Japan, but as long as the prizes aren't handed out in the same building, the parlor can claim they only offer skill games. The game corner also doubles as a front for Team Rocket's base of operations located in the basement.
* While chasing down walking ''Creator/JohnWoo'' reference Fat Chow, the protagonist Jack from ''Videogame/DeadToRights'' walks into one such place, and invokes the trope word for word to get everybody's attention.

* In ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}'', the team uncovered a gambling website where patrons can bet on a deadly version of RussianRoulette.

* ''Series/{{The Tick|2016}}'': A minor plot point in season two is that there is a gambling den running in The City, requiring a thousand dollars for entry, which is utilised by major criminals and also the retired hero [[MrViceGuy Flexon]]. Arthur goes undercover as shady character "the accountant" to get information on the a gang of bank robbers the Donnelley Brothers, even ending up playing poker with their leader. The entire operation is shut down by Ms. Lint, posing as a hero called Joan of Arc so she can take out her rivals with immunity.
* An episode of ''Series/WonderWoman'' featured one of these hidden behind a video arcade.

* Rick's in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' runs gambling openly, but it is technically illegal- Renault the police chief is "shocked, shocked" to find gambling is going on- right before being presented with his usual winnings.

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