TURMEL GAMBLING PRESS 1975-1989
750815Fr
Mr. John Cassells, Ottawa Crown Attorney
On Sunday, August 24, 1975 and most Sundays during the winter, a group
of friends and I intend to play Las Vegas style Blackjack in my home.
The game will be played ranging from one dollar ($1.00) up to whatever
maximum the banker chooses. The bank rotates among the players and no
player should suffer financially since he need never bank more than he
can afford.
My attorney, Mr. C.A. Fournier, has assured me that using this
procedure we are not violating the Criminal Code.
Since I truly feel that what we are doing is legal and harmless, I
extend an invitation to the Law Enforcement Agency in charge to visit
anytime to ascertain that all of the above conditions exist.
This letter is to make you aware of my intentions and to allow you to
present arguments against the game or conditions under which you feel
the game is fair to all and acceptable to you with regard to the
Criminal Code.
If you would like to discuss the matter further, please contact my
solicitor and arrange a meeting. I will make myself available at any
time.
Mr. C.A. Fournier
Insp. Zukow
750819Tu
Mr. John Turmel:
I have received your letter of August 15th and note what you say.
I am sure you realize that it will not be possible for me to comment
on the legality or illegality of any planned operation.
John Cassells, Q.C.
770121
Police Raid on St. Laurent Blvd. Blackjack game.
770609
St. Laurent trial before Judge Livius Sherwood.
781210
Judge Sherwood rules "guilty" with $500 fine.
Ottawa Citizen
gambler convicted??
780831Th
Hamilton Spectator, CP
Bad laws make criminals we don't need, judge says
The Chairman of the law reform commission of Canada said Friday that
thousands of laws in Canada systematically are being ignored because
to prosecute offenders would be "counterproductive to what the
criminal law ought to be doing."
Mr. Justice Antonio Lamer, the chairman, said the thousands of annual
prosecutions for possessing soft drugs, chiefly marijuana, are
charades.
It is difficult to find anyone involved in the cases, often including
the police and judges, "who feel that they are dealing with criminals
in any rational sense of that very significant word," the judge said.
He was speaking at a conference on the Canadian court system sponsored
by Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and the Canadian
Institute for the Administration of Justice.
Mr. Justice Lamer said the existence of tough laws that are not obeyed
inhibits the search for more realistic controls. He gave gambling
among friends as an example.
"I do not think that most people in this country feel that it is
morally wrong for a few friends to occasionally play poker for money
when the amounts at stake are within reason," he said.
I fail to see how being on a cruise ship in Canadian waters or flying
over Canadian territory in a plane adds much to the wrongfulness of
the act of playing a friendly game of gin rummy for reasonable wager."
Mr. Justice Lamer said that "yet citizens doing so are branded by the
Parliament of Canada as criminals, having committed an indictable
offense and liable to be sent to penitentiary for two years."
He said the gap between the act and its prescribed penalty "is a
staggering indictment of our official concept of the aims and purposes
of the criminal law."
There has been insufficient effort to seek judicial solutions in the
area where the administration of the state "begins to lap over into
the essential core of civil liberties and areas for individual self-
assertion," Mr. Just Lamer said.
Hamilton Spectator, CP
Gamblers beat law say police
OTTAWA -- Police forces across Canada are powerless to fight illegal
gambling because of a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision, says a
group of police chiefs.
Organized crime is doing a flourishing business in gambling, thanks to
the court's ruling that a one-night illegal card game does not
constitute a common gaming house, the chiefs said.
Their comments were made in reports of two committees of the Canadian
Association of Chiefs of Police released at the association's five-day
73rd Annual convention.
"This ruling means that the police are powerless to act on floating,
high-stakes games which change location nightly," one report said.
"Organized crime can now operate with impunity in this very lucrative
activity."
The case referred to was the conviction of Harvey Rockert of Toronto
and four others on charges of keeping a common gaming house. Police
raided an arena while a blackjack game was in progress and the men
were fined a total of $7,000.
Must be proven
On appeal, the Supreme Court set aside the conviction, agreeing with
Rockert's lawyers that habitual use of premises with be proven to
establish that the place was "kept" or "used" as a common gaming
house.
This ruling has made the gaming house section of the criminal Code
unenforceable, the chiefs said. "This circumstance is particularly
attractive to organized crime figures who will now expand their
gambling operations with new-found immunity."
The chiefs urged the government to strengthen laws against gambling.
Other forms of gambling and related crime are also on the increase
because of a 1976 amendment to the Criminal Code which legalized slot
machines which dispense only free games as prizes, said the chiefs.
However, the police chiefs said there is "significant" organized crime
involvement in operation of pinball machines and amusement arcades.
780908Fr
APPEAL SHERWOOD TO BLAIR
ONTARIO COURT OF APPEAL
Crown VS John Turmel
Justices Jessup, Martin, Blair
Appellant's Statement
Statement of Facts
A card game that was being played was called "Symmetric Blackjack". A
rule of this game was that all players had the right to take their
turn as the dealer. There was a sign above the card table which read:
"Anyone Wishing To Be The Dealer, Can Do So".
There was no restriction on who could be the dealer.
Although only Ray Turmel, John Turmel and Steve Brinston were the
dealers on January 18 and January 21, 1977, the rules permitted each
player to take his turn as the dealer and certain people did so on
other occasions.
No fee was charged to play; no cut or rake-off or percentage was paid
to the house and no fee was charged for any services rendered.
The rules of the game of "Symmetric Blackjack" ensure that there is no
advantage for the dealer. However, an individual's lack of skill may
result in the bank having an advantage.
The Appellant used the gaming equipment which was in his house to
supply different "Monte Carlo" nights in the City of Ottawa. He built
the blackjack tables himself and his total investment in gaming
equipment was about $900.00-$1,000.00.
If during these card games, the Appellant won more often than he lost,
this in itself should not convert his residence into a place kept for
gain within the meaning of Section 179(1) (a) of The Criminal Code.
That the Appellant's activities did not come within the definition of
"common gaming house", in that,
(a) The bank was not kept by the Appellant and all of the players had
an equal opportunity to be the bank; and
(b) By the rules of the game the chances of winning were equal, the
only variable being the individual skill of the players.
It is the Appellant's submission that Parliament intended to prohibit
games which by their very nature provided a person with an unfair
advantage. Furthermore, Parliament could not have intended to require
the skill of each player to be a factor in determining the criminality
of an individual, because if it did it would have simply prohibited
all games, rather than setting out the circumstances in which games
cannot be carried out.
Statement of Law by Allan Obrien
In order to come within the definition of "Common gaming house" the
place must be kept for some gain whether it be a direct or indirect
gain. A person who plays cards at his home and wins more often than
he loses is not keeping his house for gain within the meaning of
Section 179(1)(a) of The Criminal Code.
10 Cases
With respect to the definition of "common gaming house", this section
contemplates a situation where an individual or group of individuals
has obtained exclusive control of a game such that the rules as
established will not permit the passing of the bank from one player to
another.
There is nothing in the Section which prescribes that the bank shall
be kept at some stage of a game by each of the players. R. v. Jowe
The Section is not infringed if an equal opportunity is given to all
players to become the dealer-banker. It is the responsibility of a
player who wishes to become the dealer-banker to provide the requisite
funds to enable him to be the bank.
R. v. Munroe
The intent of Parliament in enacting this Subsection was not to
embrace by that definition all games wherein a bank is kept and
thereby in effect to prohibit all games of this type. If so, the
language following the word 'kept' is mere surplusage. The addition of
any such language must be taken to import that a game wherein the bank
is not kept exclusively by one or more of the players is not and was
not intended to be included within the ambit of the definition.
R. v. Jowe
In order to enfringe Section 179(1)(iv), possession of the bank must
confer on the banker some advantage over the other players in the
game.
R. v. Munroe
The fact that bets permitted in a game are unlimited and the fact that
all of the players have the capability of becoming the dealer-banker
leads to the conclusion that no advantage accrues to the dealer-
banker.
R. v. Munroe
If by the rules of the game the chances of winning were equal, and the
only variable was the skill of the players, the place used is not
deemed to be a "common gaming house" within the provisions of Section
179(1) (b) (iv) of The Criminal Code. Furthermore, if the method of
the game is not that one or more becomes exclusively the banker, then
the chances of the games are equally favourable to all the players.
R. v. Hung Lee (1913) 21 C.C.C. 404, 13 D.L.R. 44
That the Appellate Court set aside the conviction against the
Appellant and that an acquittal be entered.
RESPONDENT'S STATEMENT by Lucy Cechetto
The witness testified that the players received free alcohol and
snacks. There was no admission charge and no rake-off fee.
Miss Flowers testified that on the evening of January 21st, only the
Appellant and Mr. Brinston dealt. No other players dealt. The witness
testified, however, that she did deal for 15 minutes in order to
practice for Monte Carlo night at Carleton University. During her deal
the witness used Mr. Turmel's chips.
Miss Flowers testified that it was her belief that anyone could deal.
The reason for this belief was that there was a sign in the basement
stating, "Anyone wishing to be dealer can do so."
The witness testified that there was a discussion about the "you can
deal" sign. His understanding --not as a result of any specific
statement--was that a player had to have considerable money to do so,
that is, he had to have enough cash to redeem the chips if his deal
went badly. Someone suggested $2,000 to $3,000 was required.
Mr. Stewart testified that in his opinion the dealer would have an
advantage because one was dealing with four or five decks and the odds
would be in the dealer's favour.
The Appellant testified on his own behalf. The Appellant stated that
between January 17th to 21st, the game of blackjack Las Vegas style
"21" was played at his premises. The witness stated that there was no
house advantage to this game. He testified that in the past other
persons had occasion to take the bank but that they lost too quickly.
The Appellant testified that he was playing the game of symmetric
blackjack, a game designed by himself whereby all the people had the
right to be the bank.
The Appellant testified that he never charged anyone admission or took
a percentage because this would make it illegal. He stated that he
considered it a privilege if others would come and play with him.
The Appellant admitted that it was an advantage for the dealer to play
last. He stated, however, that this advantage was totally nullified by
the player's options available in the game, provided that the player
knows what he is doing and does it properly.
Raymond Vincent Markle testified that he has played blackjack with the
Appellant in the past. The witness testified that he was offered the
dealership but never took it. No minimum was ever set before a person
could be the dealer.
The witness testified that although he heard the deal being offered to
others he was never present when someone other than the Appellant took
the bank.
Robert Steven Wiseman testified that over the last year preceding the
event he was offered the chance to become the dealer and exercised it
about 3 -4 times. There was no minimum amount of money required before
he could be dealer.
Professor Walter Schneider who had been in the mathematics department
for seven years and taught a course on gambling with the Appellant as
his teaching assistant, was accepted as an expert, based on his
knowledge of mathematics and his studies of gambling. The professor
testified that in Las Vegas style 21 the dealer is regulated by fixed
rules and his playing is not affected by skill or strategy. The player
on the other hand requires skill and strategy. The professor was of
the opinion that the dealer had a mathematical advantage against the
player of average skill and talent.
The professor testified that five of his students had conducted
studies in Las Vegas. Based on their statistical data the professor
concluded that there were far more bad players than good. The
professor was of the opinion that there were very few skillful players
in Ottawa and herein lay the house advantage. He testified that this
house advantage was equalized by a strong player. By a strong player
the professor meant a player who was aware of statistical
possibilities or had a good computer based strategy.
The professor testified that "Symmetric Blackjack" contemplates each
player dealing or banking under fixed rules and playing under flexible
rules. Each player has and avails himself of the opportunity to both
bank and play. With the bank passing from player to player the
advantages are truly equal.
In convicting the accused the learned trial Judge found that
notwithstanding the sign the premises were a common gaming house
within the meaning of s. 179(1)(b)(i) because on January 18th and 21st
the bank was kept exclusively by Turmel and Brinston and/or Ray
Turmel, and not by any other player. The learned trial judge found
that the Appellant's Symmetric Blackjack was not the same as Professor
Schneider's blackjack because the deal or bank did not pass regularly
or in rotation from player to player. Judge Sherwood found that the
Appellant's version of symmetric blackjack with few exceptions, left
the house or bank with the advantage, and therefore the establishment
was a gaming house within the meaning of s. 179 (1) (b) (iv).
notwithstanding the sign the bank on January 18 and 21 remained
exclusively with the appellant and his associates. It is submitted
that the mere placing of the sign and the fact that others had on
occasion over the preceding year does not take the appellant out of
the operation of s. 179 (1) (b).
Decision of Justices Jessup, Martin, Blair
In the Matter of John Casimir Turmel who was sentenced to a fine of
$500.00 or in default of payment 30 days in jail; gaming equipment to
be confiscated.; the appeal John Casimir Turmel against his conviction
and sentence,
This court did order that the said appeal against conviction should be
and the same was thereby dismissed, and this court did further order
that the said appeal against sentence should be and the same was
thereby allowed and sentence varied to a conditional discharge with
probation for a period of one (1) year upon the conditions prescribed
in the probation Order attached to this Order as Schedule "A".
And the court did further order that the Order of forfeiture of gaming
equipment should be and the same was thereby quashed and money seized
ordered to be returned to the appellant.
780915Fr
Attn: Ms. Lucy Cecchetto
I think it is obvious from Mr. Turmel's past conduct and his present
conduct that he does not wish to contravene the law in the future.
However, he is considering the possibility of carrying on a game
similar to the Black Jack game that formed the subject matter of the
charge. He is considering renting out his services to different clubs
or groups that wish to sponsor a Black Jack gambling night. Following
the reasoning in the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in Harvey
Rockert and Her Majesty the Queen which was pronounced on the 7th of
February, 1978, Mr. Turmel would ensure that these evenings were
always sponsored at a different location. In light of your awareness
of the subject matter and the relevant law, Mr. Turmel has requested
that I write to you on his behalf to seek any comments that you may
have with respect to any potential illegality in such a proposal. Mr.
Turmel is grateful that the Court of Appeal granted him a conditional
discharge and he does not wish to do anything that may contravene the
law. After review of the Rockert decision it was my opinion that the
aforementioned proposal would not be in contravention of the law.
On behalf of Mr. Turmel I invite your comments.
Allan R. O'Brien
c.c. Mr. Thomas E. Welsh, Chief of Police, Mr. John Cassells, Q.C.
781006
Mr. Obrien:
In answer to your letter dated September 15, 1978, I must inform you
that it is not the function of Counsel at this office to offer legal
opinions on the legality or illegality of schemes proposed by members
of the general public. You indicate in your letter that you are of the
opinion that the new scheme proposed by Mr. Turmel was not in
contravention of the law. I am certain that you have explained to Mr.
Turmel, and that Mr. Turmel is aware, of possible consequences should
your opinion be in error.
Lucy Cecchetto Counsel.
780920We
Ottawa Citizen, Tom Hill
Aced by devil booze. Blackjack addict says game legal, forgot liquor
laws
John Turmel's plans to start a floating blackjack game ... got off a
shakey start because he'd forgotten the liquor licensing laws.
The Supreme Court of Canada recently dismissed gaming house charges
against Harry Rockert on the grounds that premises must be used more
than once before it can be considered a gaming house.
Turmel, recently convicted of running a gaming house out of his St.
Laurent Blvd. home, invited several people Tuesday to Carleton
University's faculty club for what he said would be the first in a
series of travelling blackjack games.
But he forgot about Ontario's liquor laws, which prohibit gambling in
a licensed establishment. So instead of a real money game, Turmel and
friends, including Dave Brown, played for fun with cash that had to be
returned after the game. He said during a break in the game that he
will stage another game elsewhere soon.
Turmel has been fighting for two years to persuade police and the
courts there's nothing illegal about blackjack. Ottawa police
disagreed and in January 1977 they raided Turmel's home, seized $2,000
on the table and charged Turmel with keeping a commong gaming house.
The courts also disagreed eight months later when Turmel was found
guilty, rejecting his plea that blackjack is a game of skill, not
chance. And an Ontario appeal court disagreed two weeks ago when it
upheld his conviction. But while he was losing, Harry Rockert had his
conviction for the same offence overturned by the Supreme Court.
"Mr. Turmel will play the same game he has been playing except that
he'll do it in different places," said Allan O'Brien, the lawyer who
argued Turmel's case before the appeal court. "On the basis of
Rockert, I would say floating games are okay," O'Brien said. The
Ottawa Police Department isn't so sure; morality division Sergeant
Wayne Cochrane had never heard of the Rockert decision. But he was
interested in hearing more about Tuesday's game. Although they had
been tipped off by reporters, police didn't show up at the faculty
club and would havee found no gambling going on had they come.
780922Fr
Ottawa Citizen, Tom Hill
Police set to call hand of Mr. (legal) gambler. Police calling bets on
Blackjack backer
John Turmel is betting he's found the key to legal gambling, but the
police and Crown are ready to call his hand. Crown Attorney Rick
Mosley waid Thursday he doesn't agree with Turmel that a recent
Supreme Court of Canada ruling makes playing blackjack legal as long
as the players meet at different locations for each game. And Ottawa
police Superintendent Lester Thompson said the ruling won't stop
police from raiding Turmel's card parties... Turmel can expect more
police attention if he proceeds with plans to use newspaper
advertisements to find players for "floating" games, held at different
locations. "If he should hold a game, and advertise he is holding a
game, we will investigage and lay charges on finding sufficient
evidence," Thompson said.
Mosley said any protection affoded Turmel by the Supreme Court ruling
is offset by an Ontario Court of Appeal ruling which decided that
possession of gambling equipment is sufficient evidence to support a
gaming house conviction," Mosley said. "John Turmel can't run a
blackjack game without some equipment." Despite the Crown's warning,
Turmel intends to keep playing blackjack and campaigning to legitimize
it.
His fight has already cost him a criminal record and now he suspects
it may cost him his job. He said he heard earlier this week that he
would be fired as teaching assistant at Carleton University.
"Actually, I think the publicity upset the university," said Turmel,
who helped to teach a gambling course. Mathematicians professor Walter
Schneider, his former boss, could not be reached for comment. Turmel's
campaign began in 1975 when he told police and the Crown of his plans
to hold blackjack games at his home. He hosted the games about once a
week for a year and a half before the police raided one.
780923Sa
Ottawa Citizen
Teaching job lost, Turmel to turn fulltime gambler
Undaunted by the prospect of arrest, Ottawa's blackjack crusaader said
today he will become a fulltime, professional gambler. John Turmel,
who lost his job at Carleton University for holding a well-publicized
blackjack game on campus, said he wants to try making a living from
power, backgammon and blackjack.
Turmel said the Supreme Court of Canada has already ruled blackjack
legal as long as players don't meet at the same location more than
once. The Crown Attorney disputes that interpretation of the court's
rulings, and Ottawa police say Turmel's games will be raided if he
proceeds with plans to advertise them in the newspapers. Turmel said
he will advertise for players, but police won't find anything illegal
going on. "I want to do this clean and legitimately. I have a
reputation to protect.~
His boss, Walter Schneider, said today that Turmel's unauthorized use
of the faculty club to hold his blackjack game put the university in
an intolerable position. "We don't think it the kind of thing the
university should lend its prestige to," said Schneider. "If he had
done it at the Chateau Laurier, there would have been absolutely no
problem." Schneider said he warned Turmel three weeks ago not to use
the faculty club, and only learned at the last moment the game would
be on campus. "I blew my stack when I found out what was going on." He
said he didn't want Turmel as his gambling course assistant as long as
Turmel is staging his blackjack crusade. Turmel has been offered the
same position in a less-controversial mathematics course, but hasn't
accepted.
1979
Ottawa Citizen, Ralph Wilson
Gambler attacked, robbed
Picture of me looking at my hand in a cast captioned `JOHN TURMEL
CHECKS FINGER MOVEMENT AFTER ATTACK'
Irv Hoffman said it should have been `LOCAL GAMBLER DISPLAYS LOSING
HAND'
A professional blackjack game at the Skyline Hotel ended in violence
early Saturday when a high-rolling local gambler attacked and robbed
the dealer.
Dealer John Turmel, who has been running regular "revolving" blackjack
and craps games at various Ottawa hotels while campaigning to prove
such games are legal, said a tall, heavy-set man attacked him after
losing heavily during the eight-hour game. "The guy had been
belligerent all evening," Turmel said. "At the very end of the night
when everybody had gone he snuck up behind me and tried to mug me."
He said the man had been placing maximum $50 bets all night and had
been losing heavily. "He wasn't a very good player but he's lost more
at other games."
Turmel said he decided to call an end to the game at 4:30a.m. Saturday
but that the man insisted on playing. "He wanted to have the game
prolonged. He offered to call up and have money sent in but I decided
to call it since I intend on running games again anyway. "It's not as
if I'm running away with his money. He's always to a shot at it
again."
He said the man game up behind him and hit him on the back of the head
with a "metal club."
"I got my hand up in time to take the second blow and broke two bones
in my hand." Turmel said the man scooped up about $300 from the table,
then searched the room and the other players. Ottawa police Saturday
had charged a man with assault causing bodily harm in connection with
the incident.
790219Mo
Ottawa Citizen, Rick Laiken
Gambler playing safe, but playing
Professional gambler John Turmel is playing it safer these days.
Ottawa's answer to Diamond Jim Brady still operates his floating
casinos despite past brushes with the law, but now security guards man
the doors and roam among the players. "That's why the guards are
here," the 27-year-old engineer-turned-gambling-crusader explained at
his latest "casino-disco" Sunday night, holding out his swollen
fingers.
A few weeks ago, one of Turmel's "friendly games" turned sour when a
sore loser broke his hand and robbed him of his winnings. "Those are
the risks you take, but hopefully, it won't happen again with the
security," he said. "Besides, they're all good people here," he added,
pointing to the more than 60 well-dressed and apparantly well-heeled
patrons in the party room of a Gloucester Street apartment, plunking
their chips down at his custome-made craps game and four blackjack
tables.
Turmel ... has learned to play the cards closer to the chest. Now,
admissions to his games is by invitation only, andd they are never
held in the same location twice. To avoid Ontario Liquor laws
prohibiting gambling in a licensed establishment, it's strictly BYOB
(bring your own booze).
The security guards Sunday, employees of Grant, National Protection
and Universal Security, were even checking identification to weed out
underage drinkers. But while he no longer openly invites arrest,
Turmel is still running the risk of prosecution.
Ottawa police and the Crown attorney haven't bought Turmel's
persistent argument that a reecent Supreme Court of Canada ruling
makes blackjack legal as long as the games float from location to
location. Charges were dismissed against Harvey Rockert on the grounds
that premises must be used more than once before it can be presecuted
as a gaming house.
Turmel says the Rockert decision grants him immunity and he's ready to
press the issue in court if necessaary, but he'd rather not -- things
are going too well right now. After successfully running six or seven
private games since his first dry run at Carleton, Turmel says he's
got a growth industry on his hands. He employs 14 dealers part-time,
uses $4,000 worth of Las Vegas-imported equipment and now supplies
disco music for players who want a break from the tables. And the
games are getting bigger. "I've started a whole new tourist industry
here. If this keeps up I'll have to hire more dealers -- bring me your
unemployed."
While the players at the game shied away from the Citizen's cameras
and wouldn't identify themselves, most seemed unconcerned the place
might be raided at any minute. "We're not going anything illegal
here," said Gary, a 25-year-old computer systems analyst who has been
to a number of Turmel's casino nights. "I object to the word gambling.
They're games of chance and skill. It's better than staying home and
staring at a TV set waiting for your Wintario number to come up. You
don't even have to play if you don't want to. There's dancing, you
meet people, it's just a pleasant evening.
"Most of the people you see here, you see in the discos around town,"
agreed another participant. "No one's pushing you to gamble and you
don't see many big losers -- most of the bets are around $5."
Turmel said the game was "mostly small action," and after paying for
his dealers, security men and sound system rental, he might only just
break even. "But the social aspect is good and I'm sure these people
are going to come back for more," he said. "You'll notice, winning or
losing, they're all smiling."
Turmel turned down recently for an application to run a casino at the
Ottawa Ex, is planning bigger and better games. "I want to run a
casino for 150 people one night. Maybe I'll invite the mayor and some
aldermen to show them what the industry is really like."
790301Th
Ottawa Revue #134, Dr. Walter Schneider
This man can make you rich overnight. An inside report on Ottawa's
only organized gambling operation. Gambling: is it a game of skill or
chance?
It had a picture of me at my Blackjack table.
If you want to do some casino gambling, you don't need to fly to Las
Vegas or take the bus to Atlantic City. Now, courtesy of a man named
John Turmel, you can do it right here in Ottawa. Mr. Turmel is running
a top-of-the-line professional gambling operation. The female
blackjack dealers are every bit as pretty and competent as those in
Las Vegas. the croupiers and stickmen run the full-sized Craps game
with all the speed, precision and efficiency of an automated Coca-Cola
bottling plant. Except for the lack of slot machines, this operation
is almost totally indistinguishable from the floor scene at any big
casino in Las Vegas.
Recently Ottawa revue interviewed Mr. Turmel about his gaming
operations.
Ottawa Revue: Since many of our readers might be surprised at the size
and scope of your operation, perhaps we could start off with a
description of a typical night at one of your casino-disco parties?
Turmel: At this point, I run roughly two casino-disco nights a month.
They take place in a private party room or in a small ballroom at one
of the hotels in town. The party will run from about 6p.m. till 1a.m.
At peak activity time between nine and eleven) the Craps table handles
about twenty people and employs four dealers, while the four Blackjack
tables handle up to ten people each and employ six dealers. Two pit
bosses, three guards and a disc-jockey round out the staff required to
run the show. Bets range from one dollar up to fifty dollars with an
average bet of five dollars.
Sounds as if you are doing really quite well.
Not quite as well as you might think. In the first place, there are
lots of nights when I lose the one or two thousand and there is the
constant fixed expense of salaries for a dozen employees plus the cost
of renting the hall and setting up the disco. The mathematics predicts
that in the long run I am making enough to cover expenses and show
some profit, but not that much. When I can establish a permanent
casino is when fixed expenses will come down and more jobs will be
created.
How much would you be ahead or behind at the end of the evening.
One or two thousand.
Do you run any other gaming operations besides the casino discos?
Yes. I regularly run Poker and Blackjack out of my home but no Craps.
Why no Craps?
Because Craps, unlike Poker and Blackjack, is not a game of skill and
so would not be legal.
I guess that brings us to the most important single question of all.
Are these games that you are running legal? Or perhaps more precisely,
could you be charged and convicted under the Criminal Code with
running a common gaming house?
I'm betting that I can't be convicted, but I can always be charged. It
turns out that your question really breaks up into two parts. The
games I am running out of my home are quite different from the disco-
casinos that I'm running on a transient basis. The second case is
considerably simpler so I will start there.
On Feb. 7, 1978, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down the landmark
Rockert decision stating that "a one-night stand cannot be construed
as a common gaming house since the activities are not carried out in a
notorious and habitual manner." This decision is not as strange as you
might think once one realizes how heavily the Canadian Criminal Code
leans on the tradition of the old English law. It turns out that when
the old English laws were written outalwing gaming and whorehouses (or
disorderly houses), it was not because the public felt that gambling
ad whoring were evil but that they were loud and noisy and impugned
the reputations of the neighborhoods. If these activities were carried
on quietly and discreetly, nobody cared. It was this line of thought
that the Supreme Court of Canada fell back on. Actually, this attitude
is quite modern in thought in that I think most people in our society
want to allow other people as much freedom as possible as long as they
behave discreetly without bothering others.
The games we play in my home differ from the games found elsewhere in
town and even Las Vegas. In my game, the player can exercise the
option of being the dealer and may take the bank. The rules are equal
and symmetric for all and hence the opportunity to win is the same for
all. The only advantage one player may obtain over another is through
his skill and knowledge of the game. I have been through the courts
and have contended for a umber of years that such a game breaks no
laws.
Mathematicians and computer scientists have agreed that since the
early sixties, with the advent of computer-derived strategies,
Blackjack was now a game where the player's level of skill was the
determining factor in whether he won or lost.
One last question. Suppose someone was interested in playing in your
game. How would they go about it?
Very easy. I am the only John C. Turmel in the phone book and I would
love to hear from them. And if there are any really high rollers out
there -- here I am boys, come and get me.
If you want to do some casino gambling, you don't need to fly to Las
Vegas or take the bus to Atlantic City. Now, courtesy of a man named
John Turmel, you can do it right here in Ottawa. Mr. Turmel is running
a top-of-the-line professional gambling operation. Except for the lack
of slot machines, this operation is almost totally indistinguishable
from the floor scene at any big casino in Las Vegas.
They went into the Disco-Casino parties I was runnnig with 5 tables
and music on one-night stands. I explained the Supreme Court of Canada
Rockert decision of 1978 which stated that a one-night stand was not a
gaming house because it did not impugn the reputation of the
neighborhood.
790305
I worked on my articles of incorporation for JCT CASINOS INC.
790312
I delivered my buns and bread to an Ottawa restaurant and we'll have a
sign up too explaining the benefits of Turmel's Stone Ground
Wheatcake. A few days later, I sold my first order of subs today as
well as 15 dozen buns to the Carleton Faculty Club. I found out a week
later from 2 sub joints that they didn't sell one of my whole wheat
sub buns.
I decided to run for Parliament to legalize gambling. I decided to
call myself a logical democrat since I allowed people to present their
arguments in debate and if they seemed right, then I would logically
adopt and promote that point of view till shown one better.
I decided to run in Ottawa West against the Liberal incumbent, Lloyd
Francis, his Tory challenger, Ken Binks, and the NDP's Abby
Pollenetsky.
I had to come up with a political program and, of course,
decriminalizing victimless crime had to be a major part of it. It
would involve streamlining justice. If the courts weren't so full the
gamblers, hookers and dope smokers, then the really violent thugs
would have speedier trials. Since the courts are clogged, criminals
can usually expect to wait many months before their trial takes place.
Bail reform lets them back out on the streets almost immediately after
their arrest giving them plenty of time to hide evidence and
intimidate, threaten or maybe even kill witnesses. If the courts were
not clogged up with the drug cases, gambling cases, and prostitution
cases, the courts would probably deal with the cases of violence much
more quickly.
I wanted to free the "non-violent" criminals and spend the $350
million the Liberal Government wanted to spend on new prisons for use
on new community centers and get to the root of the problem. If kids
have baseballs, they won't throw rocks. Imagine how society would be
when protected by police don't have to chase victimless criminals. The
only people that would behind bars would be muggers and insane people.
We would need less police and guards.
I drew up the following platform:
GAMBLING:
I wanted to let the tax-paying citizen compete with criminals while
putting people to work:
Hypothesis:
Since there do exist, have always existed and will tontinue to exist
people who prefer to use their minds when they gamble, there exist,
have always existed and will continue to exist people who will play
with them.
As opposed to the present system where gamblers are labelled
criminals, gamblers would be self-respecting citizens.
As opposed to them paying no taxes, they would pay taxes. As opposed
to spending money on judges, lawyers, police and prison officials, the
Government would spend no money on enforcement.
As opposed to the present system where criminals have no reason to
care about how they hurt problem gamblers, the Government may help the
problem gambler.
Casino style gambling is an entertainment industry and the quicker we
start tyo compete for the foreign tourist dollars, the quicker we put
our people to work. On my last trip to Las Vegas, I found that every
third tourist was Japanese. Surely we have a yen for their yen too.
PROSTITUTION:
The second issue was prostitution. Looking at the employment created
when they legalize prostitution instead of having some pimp with a
staff of beauty's we have some young business administrative graduate
with a tax paying proposal, with sharing employee's. Everyone would be
happy except those who would deny sexual satisfaction to people who
are ugly or less attractive than them.
If a man is willing to pay $50 to someone for his reasons, probably
pleasure, and a woman is willing to accommodate someone for her
reasons, probable the $50, they are not hurting me, they are not
bothering me. If they are discrete and pleasant about it, their
conduct does not shock me, for, this has been sincee the beginning of
time. It may shock some people but discretion is the key. Yet, my
elected representatives are trying to put them in jail. As long as
they are not bothering anybody else, I must protest government
persecution of these neighbors of mine and I hope that we can all
quickly learn that the old solutions have not worked and a new
approach may be necessary. We are going to waste an awful lot of
policemen's time, courts' time, lawyers' time and people's time. It is
the lawyers who create legal problems with people by creating more
laws to police.
Hypothesis:
Since there do exist, have always existed and will probably continue
to exist people who can't get sex for free, there exist, have always
existed and will probably continue to exist those who will cater to
the demands of that market.
As opposed to the present system where prostitutes are labelled
criminals, they would be self-respecting citizens.
As opposed to their not being permitted a place of business and forced
into the streets, they would be off the streets and would be discreet.
As opposed to there being no medical control, there would be medical
control.
As opposed to their paying no taxes, they would pay taxes.
As opposed to their being at the mercy of their pimps and criminals
because we force them to be, they would be unionized and be at the
mercy of no one.
Unless someone comes up with a new way of getting rid of prostitution,
and it hasn't been found yet, and I'm not betting on it, I'd contend
that we'll handle the seemier aspects of the industry much more
sensibly by learning to live with them.
DRUGS:
Finally, drug sales should be so that the people who dispense these
drugs will not sell them to our kids.
Soft drugs should be available to adults. Seeing how they smoke
anyway. Also if I were a parent I would want the sell of drugs
controlled by the Government rather than some sleazy pusher. At least
we are sure they are not selling it to the kids. This seems to be the
only solution. Again it involves the government leaving people alone.
Hypothesis:
I contend that regulated drug sales is the optimal solution. To
relegate the sale of drugs to the criminal element if folly.
Contemplate how regulation would affect heroin sales.
As opposed to the present system where criminals are in control, we
are in control.
As opposed to the illegality which allows criminals to sell at
exorbitant rates, thereby possibly forcing the addict to resort to
crime to finance his habit, regulation would allow the addict to buy
from a druggist at reasonable rates, therefore he need not resort to
crime and would be able to function normally in society.
As opposed to there being an incentive to hook people because of high
profits, low profits are of little incentive to hooking people.
As opposed to addicts being treated as criminals and forced to go
underground, addicts treated as citizens with a problem would become
the best advocates of abstinence. Imagine that your child meets Freddy
the junkie in grade school. Freddy tells him "I'm a junkie. Look how
it's affecting me. Don't do it." The next year, Freddy the junkie,
sickly and 10 kilos lighter, returns with the same message: "Look what
it's doing to me and I can't stop." Next year, Tommy the junkie
replaces Freddy the junkie because Freddy is dead! After the children
get to see enough junkies die, they may think twice about trying it.
And remember, there's no one pushing it on them. I contend that
regulation, education and proof are the best deterrents.
How is the system of laws working now? Most teens smoke grass
therefore most teens are criminals. Why are we so shocked when lots of
them start to act like criminals. They lose respect for a system that
brands them criminals for a reason they don't understand.
Why don't we empty our jails of the victimless criminals and reserve
those cells for violent criminals. Then rather than building
$350,000,000 worth of new prisons, we could build $350 million worth
of new community centres. Let's spend on prevention of crime rather
than on punishment of crime. And it's imperative we start soon.
If you arrest a kid for dope smoking, shackle him with a criminal
record and he now can't find a job, you have created your own problem.
He might now get desperate and fight back with disastrous results.
How about the guy who grows his grass plant in the middle of the
Yukon. They can now send up some armed helicopters and bust him. Can't
they?
Drug laws will look as silly to our grandchildren as prohibition laws
look to us now.
Kids go into prison as users and come out as pushers.
If you don't listen to your kids, they'll write it on the subway wall.
ABORTION:
I pointed out I preferred prevention instead of abortion by advovating
modern birth control methods, the vasectomy in particular.
I wrote:
I contend that with proper birth control techniques, abortion as an
issue need never surface. They now have a 100% effective method calle
the vasectomy and technology will probably discover many more.
Let use suggest that parents have a clamp put on their little boys
tubes only to be reversed when the son is an adult and wishes to
produce a child. Odds are that parents will be better prepared to rear
a child if they pick the time of their choice.
Some will decry that promiscuity will increase. As Hugh Hefner once
asked "What's wrong with promiscuity?" Sex, free of danger of
conception, may simpoy become a pleasant pastime. A horrifying thought
to most moralists. Still, they'd better face their future.
MEDICARE:
I get very upset when I think about how many poor people I see with
rotten teeth because there's sugar in everything they eat, bread,
drinks, canned goods, even peanut butter and bacon. I wonder if they
will keep a statistical record of tooth decay as sugar pushers expand
into China. How long will it take to hook a quarter of the human race
on nutritionless sugar. Pure energy. No nutrients. No food. Just pure
energy. No wonder people are burned out at forty and fifty years old.
Have you ever considered white bread. First they take the grain of
wheat, they strip it of its bran. Medical science has recently
demonstrated that bran keeps us regular. Scratch the laxative
industry. Bran virtually eliminates hemorrhoidal problems. Scratch
suppositories and medical bills. Bran reduces cholesterol in the
blood. Less heart disease. It virtually eliminates cancer of the
colon, the top cancer killer. Bran helps fight obesity too since it is
filling but not fattening and makes the food pass through you so
quickly, your intestines do not have very much time to absorb it.
Virtually everyone is being fed with roughageless food.
A grain of wheat is like an egg. It has a shell like bran, a white
like flour, and a yolk like wheatgerm. Wheat germ is sold to people
smart enough to realize its importance to good health. What is left is
the endosperm sperm. Like the white of an egg, not too useful. They
clean it, grind it, pulverize it, until it is pure and white. In that
condition, there is the added bonus that the bugs won't eat it since
they have effectively removed all the nutrients from it. They sweeten
it up with sugar, have the lab add some artificial vitamins and call
it enriched. Since there's no bran, they don't get full and they can
eat lots. Since it it packs their innards tight like cement, Exlax is
now needed to loosen it and keep it flowing. White bread keeps the
vitamin industry going, the sugar industry going,the laxative and
hemorrhoid industries going, and doctors going because we do not get
enough roughage.
I'd bet on better nutrition instead of more hospitals.
I wrote:
Again, a recurrent theme in my arguments is that prevention is always
better than cure. We don't need more doctors. We don't need more
hospital beds. We don't need more medical technolog even though I
approve of medical research. We need less sick people.
Bran is an answer. Roughage is an answer. With an adequate amount of
bran added to our diet , we can avoid such needless ailments as 1)
constipation, 2) hemorrohoids, 3) varicose veins, 4) phlebitis, 5)
heart disease, 6) circulatory disease, 7) gallstones, 8) cancer of the
colon, 9) appendicitis, 10) diverticulosis, 11) obesity.
Here's how bran works from an engineering point of view. It is
indigestible fiber. It does not get absorbed by the system. What goes
in must come out. Therefore, a greater volume of matter is passed by
the system.
When white flour and water are mixed, glue is produced. White bread
has the same effect in your system. It collapses into a hard
constipated mass which is difficult to push through your intestinal
system. The food's transit time may be 3 or 4 days. With an adequate
amount of roughage, the food does not collapse or become hard but
remains soft and smooth flowing. Transit time is cut down to one day
and volume is doubled and even tripled. Obviously, constipation is
eliminated. No more straining implies no more hemorrhoids too.
How does the addition of bran prevent cancer of the colon? The colon,
the large intestine, is the septic tank of your body. Waste matter
sits in it until elimination. The waste matter contains cancer-causing
agents so that cancer of the colon is the greatest cancer killer
today.
On a low-roughage diet, the carcinogens are spread through a small
volume. This small poisonous mass touches the colon wall for great
lengths of time and cancer as a great possibility of occuring.
On a high-roughage diet, the carcinogens are spread through a much
greater volume, hence the poison is much more dilute at the colon
wall. Also, the mass doesn't stick around too long. So the addition of
bran to the diet has this double effect. Less poison touching the
colon wall and for a shorter while! Hence a reduction in the
probability of cancer of the colon.
How does the addition of bran prevent obesity? The food doesn't stick
around long enough to get absorbed. I and all my friends have lost
weight since we started eating lots of stone-ground whole wheat bread
with bran added!
For further explanation of bran's other beneficial effects, read `The
Save Your Life Diet' by Dr. David Reuben. In it he presents clear,
concise statistical proof of these effects. So there are people out
there needlessly wasting our hospitals' time only because no one has
taken the time to enlighten them. To free hospitals for those who need
them, I engineered and marketed such a bread when the big bakeries
refused to do so. Now, bran and stone-ground whole wheat breads are
easily available.
NATIONAL UNITY:
I'd bet on a United Nations of Earth and not on hundreds of squabbling
little nations each with their own nuclear accessories. National unity
could be enhanced by trying to devise a system for all nations in
anticipation of a United Nations of Earth that would allow for
nationalism within a human rights framework.
I wrote:
As we step into the future, there will surely be a central government
of the whole planet. Let's call it the United Nations of Earth. Only
once nations have foresaken the concept of the inviolability of
borders will there be an effective control over the murderous
dictators of the world and no need of armies.
Hopefully, such a system will allow all nations to proclaim their
national aspirations so long as they conform to the common set of
laws. The overlaws will probably concern human rights and protect them
in all the member states.
I think that to argue over whether separation of Quebec is good or bad
is ignoring the real problem. We must attempt to define and
demonstrate the system which allows Quebec to proclaim her
individuality while safeguarding the rights of all. Right now, people
are worried that if Quebec separates, there will be no superior
governing body to guarantee human rights and prevent another Idi Amin
taking power.
As soon as the day arrives when the nations of the Earth accept that
such a body must be empowered with the authority to guarantee human
rights, that will be the day that all our bickering over the national
unity issue will dissipate.
SAVING THE WORLD'S DYING CHILDREN:
I'd bet that a massive effort by our unemployed teachers, nurses,
farmers and builders to save and educate the world's dying children
will earn us valuable international GOODWILL and we have the benefit
of the jobs in the meantime. Let it be Canada's gesture in this `YEAR
OF THE CHILD.'
Canada is surely the safest country in the world. We are friendly with
both of the world's superpowers. I therefore can see no logical reason
that we should be bullied into buying our share of war machines. I
would like to arbitrarily stop buying war machines and put the money
to work saving the people who won't survive the final years till the
mathematicians take power and divert resources away from destructive
efforts to constructive efforts.
Game theoretically, our optimal strategy is to start the ball rolling
in the saving of the world's needy. To build ourselvews big fences to
keep them out ignores the fact that they are arming with the weapons
of total destruction. Right not, India has the BOMB. Pakistan is
working on hers. Pretty soon, the statisticians predict that the
population will explode and just as soon, they will be fighting over
what little they have. Or they will band together against their common
enemy and come and tear down our walls in their attempt to survive.
Either way, they will blow themselves up and us with them. Our BEST
BET is to help them to survive. Therefore, our BEST BET is to divert
our resources to employing our unemployed nurses, teachers, farmers
and builders into a concerted effort to save their dying children and
getting a GOOD GUY image at the same time.
Of course, if we can't get the Generals to give up their toys, there
is another way of increasing the Earth's probability of survival. If
we can get the nuclear nations to agree to my secondary plan, we will
still have a slim chance. Let all nuclear nations agree that the first
nation that slings a bomb will be totally annihilated by the combined
arsenals of all the other nuclear nations. This way, the Generals get
to use their toys but will only destroy a quarter of the world and not
the whole thing.
Of course, such a pact would tend to speed up nuclear disarmament. I
don't think that ther president of the USA would feel too good knowing
that there are 30 different nuclear-armed submarines out there under
the control of 30 different minds.
I think the `Save the Chilren' strategy is the better one. Not only do
we get the benefit of putting hundreds of thousands of our educated
unemployed to work, but we solve some of the world's problems at the
same time. Seems like optimal strategy to me!
UN DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
The right to affection, love, and understanding.
to adequate nutrition and medical care.
to free education.
to full opportunity for play and recreation.
to a name and nationality.
to special care, if handicapped.
to be among the first to receive relief in times of disaster.
to learn to be a useful member of society and to develop individual
abilities.
to be brought up in a spirit of peace and universal brotherhood.
to enjoy these rights, regardless of race, colour, sex, religion,
national, or social origin.
What a joke!
Look at how much steel is tied up in tanks, warplanes and warships. I
bet I could find a better use. You see big helicopters rushing in to
save the odd distressed oil worker. The technology is there. Haven't
you ever wanted to fly a plane or a helicopter? I'd enjoy picking up
the dying babies and delivering them home for care. We can mobilize.
We can do it if we divert our energy. This diversion will occur over a
period of time. The problem therefore is how quickly we can hasten the
process. I am simply betting that once all have agreed to the initial
conversion, I can probably affect the conversion faster, maybe fastest
through a new science, game theory, gambling. The quickest way to put
our unemployed back to work is to lend them a tool interest-free and
watch them dig their way out. After all, they're your children. Why
not give them a break, a chance. Let's loan them some tools.
In contemplation of the world saving industry, there would be a lot of
work if we decided to go out and save the starving people. This is a
savior move. We could offer to evacuate the most needy refugees. What
a phenomenal job creating program. We could invite whole cultures to
relocate beside us and add pleasant diversity to our lives. The quota
numbers are so few, obviously this must be how we whites feel. Maybe
after we help relocate all the scared people, we could spend less on
war and devote just a little more on the savior project. Let the
Pentagon institute "Project Savior" By giving them more money so they
can buy more tanks and then order them to use them like tractors. If
all major countries would use their tanks like tractors for a month,
then next year maybe two months, and then three, maybe we would
eventually have people trained in saviorship.
We can develop a saviour industry by building shelters, providing
food, clothing, education, work. We are creating the right kind of
jobs generated a deep self satisfaction in the work world,
Well, it looks like our elected representatives have run out of
popular causes and are using prostitution as a scapegoat. It seems as
if Pierre has decided that he needs a few puritan votes and has
decided to push prostitution. He is now pursuing a proven loser
strategy, not that he might not be the first to succeed. He very well
may succeed but don't bet on it. Joe jumps in and has to agree so that
he is not labeled a libertine. Ed wants to go further and put both the
hooker and the John in jail.
WAR
Did you ever wonder why they are trying so hard to find life somewhere
else in the universe? So they will have a reason to arm. Just in case
they're like us.
The Nuclear problem.
I suggest a pact between nuclear armed nations that the nation to drop
the bomb, everybody else wastes their whole arsenal on that seat of
government. They're that accurate now. Let's see how the system would
have worked in the past. Because of inviolability of national
boundaries, Idi Amin kidnaps some engineering students and forces them
to build him a bomb. The plans are already available. The world sits
by. Inviolability of borders means they can't interfere with Idi
building a bomb.
Back to the nuclear arsenals. Idi gets mad at South Africa and slings
a bomb at them. Not only does the rest of the world sling all their
bombs back at Uganda but everyone else wastes their nuclear arsenals
there too. That way the whole world isn't destroyed, just that quarter
of the planet that threw the first bomb. We'll be be so busy taking
care of the 200 million survivors and burying the 600 million corpses
that died that we won't have any more time to build bombs. Maybe we
want to. Right now, we are letting the generals have their toys. We
are setting a bad example. Everyone else wants the same toys. The
threat of all out annihilation through mutual agreement should be more
than enough incentive to disarm.
I propose a moratorium on nuclear research and construction until we
have no war. Then I don't mind taking a look at this dangerous stuff
but so long as man kind is fighting, I would really like a moratorium
on weapon-grade nuclear fuel. Only once the interest has been healed
and gotten rid of will it be possible for them not to want bombs and
then it will be safe to look at energy through nuclear.
The state's purpose is to disarm bombs for us. How about not letting
them be built? To build them is illogical. I need to know now who is
threatening us so we need to build them.
About the German occupations of all those other nations. When those
soldiers were fighting with a man's wife and children as they attacked
his home land, maybe they should have questioned their orders. Fears
or loyalty to a false god is no excuse.
Game theory says that given the choice of four strategies, if you
don't bet on the BEST one, you're a LOSER!
BET WITH THE MATH. BE A WINNER. BET ON THE ENGINEER. VOTE JOHN TURMEL!
790321
To raise money for my campaign, I decided to have a fundraising Disco-
Casino and I rented the Nepean Sportsplex.
790327Tu
Ottawa Citizen
Gambler to test election odds
Prostitutes, marijuana users and gamblers have a champion as the
federal election begins.
John Turmel, the 28-year-old engineer-turned-professional-gambler,
announced today he'll run as an independent candidate in Ottawa West.
"I've been thrown in jail twice now -- the very concept of being
arrested for playing games is odious," he said, promoting his
platform for legalized gambling. "Gamblers aren't hurting anyone."
He's determined not to be merely a one-issue candidate. Not only
gambling, but prostitution and smoking marijuana should be
decriminalized as well, he said.
"I've got to protect the people that don't have any protection -- the
hookers, the dope-smokers and the gamblers," he said.
"I got mugged two months ago -- the guy was out on the street the next
day because the courts were so slow. If they didn't have so many
gamblers, hookers and dopers in the courts, he would have gone to
trial right away.
Campaign fund raising won't be a problem for Turmel. He hopes to raise
money by charging a small admissions fee to the blackjack games he
stages.
Those paying the fee can use it as political contribution to gain an
income tax deduction, he said.
790401
April Fools night raid.
THE GAMBLER'S LAMENT
Here I sit broken hearted,
Came to play but was soon parted,
From my friends that I do know,
Enjoy this game as I do so.
Now I languish here in jail,
Puzzled by my need of bail.
I don't know why they oppose,
My wish to gamble, no one knows.
I don't hurt them, why bust me?
It isn't their game, now I see.
They allow bingos and tickets bought,
But never, never, a game of thought.
Bingos bore me, lotteries too,
I like Poker, Blackjack, Backgammon, few.
I prefer thought, exercise my brain.
Playing lotteries would drive me insane.
I choose to make use of my mind,
And pity those who won't in kind.
So I'm in here and they're out there,
Yet still I choose to think, to dare.
790402Mo
Ottawa Citizen
Gambler to reopen game after city police charges
Gambler John Turmel, arrested at one of his bi-monthly blackjack games
Sunday night, said today he will hold another game Sunday at the
Nepean Sportsplex.
Ottawa morality officers raided a 20th-floor penthouse apartment at
1405 Prince of Wales Dr. Sunday night and arrested the 28-year-old
engineer-turned-gambling-crusader.
Turmel, who recently announced his intention to run in the federal
election as an independent candidate in Ottawa West was charged with
having control of gambling devices. He appeared in provincial court
today and was remanded to April 9 for plea. Five of Turmel's employees
were also arrested and remanded to the same date.
Turmel said his next game would be held in Nepean this weekend and
that he would not be having any more games in Ottawa until after this
case has been settled. "I've spoken to police departments all around
Ottawa and they agree as long as we keep moving, it's okay."
Nepean Police Chief Gus Wersch said his force was aware of Turmel's
activities and monitors games when they are held in the municipality.
"We are taking a close look at each operation and as long as the
loopholes are there (in the law), we won't do anything. There is no
use going into an exercise in futility or an exercise to inconvenience
someone without the laws behind you."
Turmel said after his arrest Sunday that he had openly invited Ottawa
police to come to his game, but he never expected to be arrested.
Ottawa Citizen
Gambler loses bet
Professional gambler John Turmel has lost his bet with police that his
floating casinos were immune to legal prosecution.
He claims his arrest is unjustified; the charge of having control of
gambling devices would "make a gin or bridge player guilty because he
is using a deck of cards," he said.
Turmel said he plans to make his case an issue in the coming federal
election.
790407Sa
Ottawa Citizen
Casino shuffled out of Nepean
John Turmel, Ottawa's engineer-turned-gambling-crusader, won't be
allowed to operate a casino out of the Nepean Sportsplex.
Nepean mayor Ben Franklin said Friday the city won't allow Turmel to
hold casino night because it involves "hard gambling."
Turmel had been allowed to book and pay for the a room in the
Sportsplex several weeks ago because city officials believed the
affair was a charitable event using only "funny money." However, after
Turmel's game was raided by Ottawa police Sunday night, Nepean
realized the planned event involved cash and cancelled the booking.
"The Sportsplex does hold casino nights for charitable causes but
there is no hard gambling -- only funny money is used."
790410Tu
Ottawa Journal
Card ballot -- he's gambling on the gamblers' vote
picture Turmel with his store-bought "gambling devices" today
John Turmel, Ottawa's floating blackjack entrepreneur, had been
ordered to stand trial later this year for his gambling escapades.
Turmel, who is running as an independent in Ottawa West on a legalized
gambling platform, was back at police headquarters this morning after
a brief court appearance, this time to kick off his campaign for
gambling rights. And he brought with him an armful of "gambling
devices" bought at local department stores.
Turmel, who claims he is the only gambler "legally incorporated in
Canada" was arrested in a morality raid. He runs his casino nights on
an invitation-only basis and sets no cover charge or "rake" to play.
Sunday, he planned a campaign casino night at the Nepean Sportsplex
but city officials got wind of it before hand and cancelled his
permit.
Nepean Police Chief Gus Wersch says as long as Turmel's activities are
legal, his force will not be bothering him. Turmel is basing his case
on a Supreme Court ruling last fall that as long as you don't hold a
game in any one spot you can not be charged with keeping a common
gaming house. Ottawa police, however, broke up his game and charged
him with having gambling devices in his possession., a section of the
Code which Turmel claims has only been invoked once before and against
a gambler who was caught with 10 packs of marked cards.
He brought his gambling paraphenalia to the police department today to
show newsmen just how accessible the "devices" are to the general
public.
790411We
Ottawa Journal, Duart Snow
Gambler betting on a private hall
Roving blackjack entrepreneur John Turmel, whose attempt to hold one
of his floating casino nights in the Nepean Sportsplex was refused by
city council Tuesday night, says he's now looking for a privately
owned hall. He'd hoped to hold a game to raise funds for his campaign
in the Sportsplex. But mayor Ben Franklin and city officials cancelled
his booking when they learned one of his games had been raided by
Ottawa police. They said city policy was to allow casinos only if they
used "play money" or were organized for charitable purposes.
And despite Turmel's determined plea Tuesday night that his "clean
legitimate and decent game" be permitted, council stood by that
decision. Although aldermen Al Loney and Al Brown agreed with Turmel's
arguments in favour of government regulated gambling, they insisted
the decision was up to the federal and provincial governments -- not
municipalities.
Other aldermen said they believed gambling with cash didn't belong in
public facilities like the Sportsplex.
Turmel operates his games under a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that
a person cannot be convicted of keeping a common gaming house as long
as the game is held only once in any single location. As a result of
the April 1 raid, Ottawa police charged Turmel with "keeping in a
place under his control devices for gambling." He still faces this
charge.
But Franklin told council Tuesday that Nepean Police Chief Gus Wersch
has said police would not lay such a charge, and councillors said
Turmel was welcome to rent a private hall in the city.
Ottawa Citizen, Hugh Adami
Gambler thwarted again
John Turmel, Ottawa's engineer-turned-gambling-crusader, couldn't
convince Nepean council Tuesday to allow him to operate a casino out
of the Nepean Sportsplex. He took the matter to council after being
refused the Sportsplex facilities last week. Ben Franklin had advised
Turmel to seek council's approval if he wanted to pursue the matter
further.
Franklin and five of six aldermen all rejected Turmel's pleas on the
basis that the Sportsplex is a public facility. Although none of the
councillors disputed Turmel's claims that "everything would be
legitimate and honest," Al Loney said "gambling should be regulated by
higher government before municipal facilities could be rented out.
Franklin said he couldn't see Turmel operating a casino in the
Sportsplex because it involves "hard gambling."
Following the meeting, Turmel said he would look for private
facilities in Nepean to rent for future casinos. He said he wants to
impress on everyone, especially legal authorities, that gambling can
be legitimate, honest and fun.
Turmel had planned to hold a casino in the Sportsplex last Sunday.
Unsuspecting officials allowed him to book and pay for a room in the
facility several weeks ago because they thought Turmel was holding a
charitable event using only bogus money. However, after one of
Turmel's blackjack games was raided by Ottawa police, Nepean realized
the planned event involved hard cash and cancelled the booking.
790531Th
Ottawa Citizen, Tony Cote
All cards played in gamblers' row
Two well-known Ottawa gamblers player all their cards in an assault
trial Thursday and a provincial court judge will decide later this
month which one has the winning hand.
JRT, a player, was charged with assaulting 27-year-old John Turmel
during a gambling evening at the Skyline Hotel on Jan. 20. Turmel,
organizer of that evening and numerous others during the past year,
told the court he had been handling a blackjack game and a dice game
that night when JRT came into the room. "He was surly and repeatedly
claimed we were cheating him," Turmel testified under the Canada
Evidence Act. "I think he was losing faster than he could steal it
back."
The operator said the evening continued at the blackjack table until
about 4a.m. when it switched to the "crap" table. "I told him the game
was over about 4:30 but he wanted to continue to play. I sensed a
movement behind me, flinched and got smashed on the back of the head,"
Turmel said. He told Judge Jack Nadelle that he didn't actually see
his assailant but was hit twice more before going to the Civic
Hospital where he received seven stitches to close a head wound and a
cast on his right had to treat a broken finger.
Turmel said that he like to receive publicity "if it is good" and
admitted calling the Citizen following the beating he took. A story on
the incident appeared in the paper on Jan. 22.
Two of Turmel's employees testified that they witnessed the argument
between Turmel and JRT and that they had seen blows thrown by JRT.
One of the employees said JRT hit Turmel with a 10-inch club before
his boss could flee from the room.
JRT told a different version of the evening. He told the court he was
known all over the area for gambling and had played at all of the big
games and had played against Turmel on two occasions. The first time,
he said he lost $4,000 and the second, the night in question, he lost
about $1,800.
He said the argument started because Turmel wouldn't pay off a double
win on the crap table. "I had played $400 and he owed me $800 but only
paid out $300," JRT said. "I was infuriated because he cheated me. I
reached out at him and he fell down and ran out the door, I don't know
if he fell down the stairs of what."
JRT, 270 pounds and six-feet, three inches, said he didn't need a
stick to take care of himself and said that there was no way he would
start trouble because he "wouldn't be allowed in any other games."
790609Sa
Ottawa Citizen, Neil MacDonald
Gamblers aweigh. Beans and bread, Blackjack tables hot in floating
casino
It was a great evening -- a cruise down the Ottawa River on a muggy
moonlit night, music coming out of hidden speakers and a gentle sea
breeze playing over the main deck.
In fact, the only sour face in the whole crowd by the end of the night
was professional gambler John Turmel's as he watched couple after
couple walk off counting their winnings. "I guess I lost some this
time," he sighed, cashing yet another pile of chips. "But it's still a
great idea, isn't it? I'm going to do it again."
Turmel, after having been arrested twice for running his mobile card
game around Ottawa, has decided a floating disco-type casino is the
answer to his problems. Friday evening, he rented a boat at a cost of
more than $600, and charged all passengers $10 apiece to take their
chances. The evening included a meal of bread and beans, music, a
dance floor, and, of course, access to the tables.
"If they won't let me do it on land, then I'll damned well do it on
the water," he said Friday night, as the 20-year-old wooden craft
sailed past the prime minister's residence. "This idea really has
potential." But the dancing under the moonlight was the farthest thing
from the minds of the 40 or so nouveau riche types who showed up for
the cruise. Turmel was running four blackjack tables, and the only
movement of the evening was from them to the bar and washroom. The
customers had a good reason for remaining at the tables and playing
with such intensity -- they were winning. "Ah, it's not going to be
such a good evening," sighed Turmel.
Turmel said he intended on running the casino until the last customer
left -- all night if necessary. He claimed he didn't need a liquor
licensee to sell drinks, and said he will make the cruise a thrice-
weekly event.
Area police forces weren't sure of the legalities involved. Ottawa
police said it was a matter for the RCMP since the Ottawa river
divides two provinces. A duty officer at the OPP station in Bell's
Corners said they onlyt patrol the Ottawa side of the river, but
doubted Turmel was within the law. Hull police said the matter was in
the hands of the Quebec Police Force, and a spokesman there said he
hadn't heard about the casino but would look into it. "I'm pretty sure
he has to have a liquor license, and I don't know about the gambling,"
mused the desk corporal. "Well, we just might have a look..."
790629Fr
Ottawa Citizen
JRT wins acquittal
JRT, charged with assaulting well-known gambling organizer John
Turmel, was acquitted in provincial court Tuesday. Judge Jack Nadelle
said he felt the testimony of two witnesses in the case, both
employees of Turmel, was contradictory.
The two men testified that they'd witnesses an argument between their
employer and JRT during a gambling tournament. They claimed JRT, a
player, had allegedly struck Turmel with a club following a dispute
over game winnings. Turmel, the evening's organizer, later required
seven stitches to close a head wound, as well as a cast for a broken
finger.
790824Fr
Ottawa Citizen, Rick Laiken
House has big edge
WHEELS OF FORTUNE
P.T. Barnum was slightly off the mark when he said there's a sucker
born every minute -- at the Ottawa Ex, it's more like every 12
seconds. That's how long it takes to spin the wheels of fortune that
are separating hundreds of midway patrons from their cash.
With the help of professional gambler and mathematics whiz John
Turmel, The Citizen found you'd be better off investing in a snowball
concession in Hell than trying to strike it rich on "crown and anchor"
style games. In fact, if you can break even after an hour of play,
you'd be beating astronomical odds, the 28-year-old engineer-turned-
casino-operator estimated after we turned him loose on the midway
Thursday with $50. He lost it all within an hour.
It's not that the wheels are maachanically fixed by the operators,
explains Turmel. There is simply a built-in mathematical advantage for
the house. Here's how it works:
The typical crown and anchor game has six symbols -- crowns, anchors,
hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs. Suppose each of six players put
$1, the maximum bet at the Ex, on each symbol. With each spin of the
wheel, thee are three basic possibilities. If the wheel comes to rest
on a slot with three dissimlar symbols, there will be three winners
and three losers. If the the wheel points to a double symbol, say two
hears and a club, the player with a bet on hears wins $2 and the club
better wins $1. The house pockets the other four players' money. If
the wheel stops on a triple symbol, one gamblers wins $3, the other
five pay the house.
Turmel says the house's precise advantage varies with the madeup of
the wheel, but as a general rule, the operators have a whopping 28 per
cent edge of the players. "That means for every dollar bet you put
down, on average, you can kiss 28 cents goodbye. What happens is the
house robs Peter to pay Paul and rakes in a chunk almost every time
the wheel spins."
A gambler in a Las Vegas casino playing craps would only be up against
a 1.36 per cent house advantage, according to the pro. And the long
the players bet at crown and anchor, the more likely they're going to
lose, he added. "A guy just betting 25 cents a time could easily lose
$18 an hour," Turmel said plotting the figures on a hastily-sketched
graph. "If you bet 100 times, the odds of winning or breaking even are
665 to one," he calculated. "If they played 170 times, only one out of
35,000 people (10,000 more than the Ex attendance Thursday) would
break even.
A variation of the crown and anchor theme using a wheel depicting a
horse race, gave the house an even higher edge -- 37.5 per cent, said
Turmel. "The house collects $3 for every $8 bet -- that's the kind of
odds that would set any casino operator's heart aflutter," he laughed.
"They can't lose."
Turmel has been fighting court battles for years to prove his floating
blackjack games are games of skill, not illegal games of chance. "How
can they let something like this go on and then bust me for playing
blackjack?"
By the time he started testing his calculations Thursday, Turmel was
so certain he was going to lose he was fuguring out how fast the money
would go. Choosing the horse race game first, he decided to bet $1 on
each of two numbers on each spin of the wheel, figuring he would lose
$20 in 26 spins. He got lucky -- it took 32 spins before a smiling
carnie pulled in all of the money. In 32 spins, he had won only 10
times. Had he quit after his eleventh bet, Turmel would have made $6,
but after that it was downhill almost all the way. "That's the way
they hook you -- there's just enough wins involved to keep you in the
game and sooner or later you're going to lose."
790921
RYAN TRIAL
PROVINCIAL COURT OF ONTARIO
Crown VS John Turmel
Judge Ryan
Dear Regina:
I've been charged with section 186.1b in that I kept and used gambling
devices. I'd like to point out every friendly poker game in the
country keeps and uses gambling devices and could become target for
any clown attorneys who feel like pressing the charge.
The chairman of the Law Reform Commission of Canada, Mr. Justice
Antonio Lamer, best sums it up when he says "thousands of laws in
Canada are systematically being ignored because to prosecute offenders
would be counter productive to what the criminal law should be doing.
It is difficult to find anyone involved in the cases, often including
the police and the judge, who feel that they are dealing with
criminals in any rational sense of that very significant word. The
existence of tough laws that are not obeyed inhibits the search for
more realistic control. I do not think that most people in this
country feel what it is morally wrong for a few friends to
occasionally play poker for money when the amounts at stake are within
reason. Yet, citizens doing so are branded by the Parliament of Canada
as having committed an indictable offense and are liable to be sent to
the penitentiary for two years. The gap between the act and its
prescribed penalty is a staggering indictment of our final concept of
the aims and purposes of the criminal law. There has been insufficient
effort to seek judicial solution in the area where the administration
of the state begins to lap over the essential core of civil liberties
and areas for individual self assertion."
This is one of those laws that would enable the clown attorneys to
waste our money while resources are scarce elsewhere. They might be
closing down pool halls and golf courses next. Bingos, lotteries even
Monopoly games come with gambling devices. I remembered gambling with
marbles when I was a youngster. Even bridge and gin are often played
for a stake and use gambling devices. And how about games of the
future like backgammon with the doubling cube. It seems illogical to
suppress games that allow the player to use his intellect and promote
games that don't. And gambling devices are everywhere. The nature of
the gambling device is of utmost importance. I contend that the only
gambling device was the deck of cards. Cards are the only devices
needed to operate a blackjack casino. All other types of equipment
have a non-essential nature. There is no fundamental difference
between blackjack played with dollars on a kitchen table with the
cards dealt from the hand and blackjack played with chips on a felt
covered table and cards dealt from a shoe. Any apparent difference is
simply a matter of luxury. The only gambling device is the deck of
cards.
Since under the same section that the Crown is trying to use on me it
is illegal to buy, sell or import gambling devices, I immediately
restocked my casino with gambling devices of a nature and sufficiency
to continue casino operations as before. The stores supplying such
devices seem to be in flagrant violation of section 186.1b as I would
seem to be in that I did buy the devices from them. (see A2)
I attempted to lay charges against Sears, Wilsons, the Bay and Leisure
World with a justice of the peace, Mrs. Miller. She refused to charge
the stores and sent me to the crown attorney. (see A3).
I approached the crown with the information about the stores. he
refused to consider my argument that the sale of 'professional
gambling cards' poker chips and books on gambling implied that the
devices used as advertised had to be in violation of the same section
that he had charged me with.
Even the Chiefs of Police of Canada, at their annual convention in
1978 concluded that: "police across Canada are powerless to fight
illegal gambling because of a recent Supreme Court decision. Organized
crime is doing a flourishing business thanks to the Court's ruling
that a one night illegal card game does not constitute a common gaming
house because habitual use of the premises must be proven to establish
that the place was kept or used as a common gaming house. This ruling
has made the gaming house section of the criminal code unenforceable
and the police are powerless to act on floating high stakes games
which change location nightly. Organized crime can now expand their
gambling operations with new-found impunity. (see A4)
If organized crime could do it, I had hoped that they would let me too
when I offered to declare taxes on casino earnings and assured them of
the integrity of my game. I incorporated a casino under the name 'JCT
CASINOS INC.' (see A5) I instructed my attorney, Mr. Allen O,Brien,
that in the future I would operate my games on a one night floating
basis. He initiated a correspondence with the crown attorney's office,
(see A6) informing them that my game would conform to the law as
defined by the Supreme Court of Canada and bemoaned by the Chiefs. The
Crown responded with a "no comment", an answer they tend to use quite
often. (see A7)
Even in view of the statement of the chiefs, on April 1, 1979, twenty
gentlemen, eight ladies and myself were raided. None of the gamblers
was charged since gaming house laws couldn't be used. Of the gambling
devices charge, the mayor of Nepean, Ben Franklin, told city council
on April 4, 1979 that Chief Gus Wersch had indicated that police would
not lay such a charge against me and that I was welcome to rent any
private hall in the city. (see 8A). Earlier, chief Wersch had told the
mayor and the press that his force "was aware of Turmel's activities
and monitors games when they are being held in the municipality. We
are taking a close look at each operation and as long as the loopholes
are there in the law, we won't do anything. There is no use going into
an exercise in futility or to inconvenience someone without the laws
behind you." (see A8 b)
Why inconvenience me?
Consider that in 1974, I learned that Las Vegas style blackjack was a
fair test of skills as is the game of poker. To understand why, we
must do a mathematical analysis of the games and what makes them
similar.
Mathematics distinguishes between two classes of games; fair ones and
unfair ones.
Fair games include all those games of skill where the good gambler can
win in the long run or those games of luck where he has a fair chance
of winning.
Unfair games include all those where there exists an unfair
mathematical bias inherent in the rules of the game or where there is
a rake-off taken. Roulette, craps, baccarat, crown and anchor, bingo
and lotteries all have the mathematical bias in the rules. Examples of
rake-off are dollars raked by a house in poker and interest raked by
the banks in real life.
Let's examine how the law treated gambling games in the past by using
the example of raked and non-raked poker. Police have always taken
great pains to prove that in the course of a poker game, someone was
taking a rake-off or had an unfair advantage. For the game of poker to
be considered illegal, this unfair mathematical bias had to exist. So
the law clearly distinguishes between legal and illegal gambling
activity and this distinction resides in the notion of fairness as
defined by the lack of mathematical bias in the rules. It is this
unfair advantage that the code clearly attempts to suppress and some
day may rid us of interest which causes inflation, unemployment and
misery.
In the past, blackjack was thought to be unfair because there was no
known winning strategy. With the advent of computers and advanced game
theory, now there are lots. Logically it should be accorded the same
legal status as non-raked poker, bridge and gin rummy. The law accepts
the last three as legal but has failed to keep abreast of developments
in gambling technology that have no drastically changed Canada's
gambling environment.
Once blackjack has been accorded proper legal status, the casino
industry will be economically feasible. The problem with running a
poker casino is that a rake-off is necessary to pay for the cards,
chips and employee time. But a rake-off violates the gaming house laws
and without the rake, the industry couldn't survive. The beauty of
blackjack is that while it is a game of skill, some study and practice
are necessary to attain a true advantage. Fortunately for the
industry, the majority of the players at the table are not likely to
be skilled enough to consistently beat the house because they are not
likely to have studied hard enough to beat the house. Since blackjack,
unlike poker does not need a rake, employees can now be hired to
provide a service and the industry should still succeed. Blackjack
seems to be breaking no laws unless the use of the cards is judged to
be a still valid crime. Only, I ask why poker is treated any
differently?
So back in 1975, I realized that the casino industry was here to stay
unless they made up new laws. Before playing though, I consulted with
several attorneys who agreed that I was breaking no laws when I played
in my home. I then wrote to the Ottawa crown attorney, Mr. John
Cassells and inspector Zukow of the Ottawa police morality squad
informing them of my lawyers' opinions and asking them theirs. (see
A9) I received no reply from the police and the usual "no comment"
from the crown's office. (see A10) Since neither the police nor the
crown seemed to have any objection, I trusted my lawyers' opinions and
my mathematics and we played in my home for a year and a half until
Jan. 22, 1977. That night, the Ottawa police raided my home and
confiscated all of my money and my gambling equipment. They charged me
with keeping a common gaming house.
In court, on June 10, 1977, before Judge Livius Sherwood, the Crown's
attorney managed to prove everything that I had written them in my
letter. Mr. Jones, a crown witness testified that "in other games
there was a rake-off and there was no rake-off in Turmel's game." Oct.
7, 1979, I presented mathematical evidence that showed that the rules
of the game of blackjack were identical for all the gamblers playing
the game and that their level of skill determined who would win or
lose.
Judgement was rendered on Oct. 20, 1977. Notwithstanding the judges'
statement "a poor player has a probable loss rate; a good player using
sound computer based approach has a possible win rate". he concluded
that since only a few players other than myself chose to take the bank
and that since there were few skilled players other than myself, I
stood to gain from a definite advantage over them and was found guilty
under three sections where this gain was a factor and the last which
said that the chances of winning were not even for all
Note that if one sits in a poker game with old pros, the chances of
winning are not equal. Yet that fact doesn't convict a poker game. The
judge made no distinction between fair advantage derived through skill
and un unfair one derived from a mathematical bias.
I appealed and was heard on Sept. 8, 1978, in the Supreme Court of
Ontario before Justice Jessup, Martin and Blair. That court quashed
the clauses that dealt with any gain but again upheld the conviction
on the grounds that "the chances of winning were not equal for all."
Again, I point out that this is true of all games of skill so why do
they treat poker, bridge and gin differently?
They were kind enough to mention that there had never been any hint of
impropriety in my operation and they did order the return of my money
and equipment. Why return it to me if the mere possession of the said
equipment was a violation of my probation by being the crime that I'm
now accused of?
Unfortunately, the crown had instructed the Ottawa police to dispose
of my equipment before I had launched the appeal.
I've had to sue in order to have the Order of the Supreme Court obeyed
and have my equity returned. I thought that those orders had more
clout. (see A11)
At this time, the Rockert decision came down and I felt that with the
statement of the Canadian Chiefs, I didn't have to pursue the issue
any longer. I thought that I was finally rid of the old gambling laws
that were shackling the industry. Just like in Alberta, thousands
would get jobs that would last the next century.
Even though government hasn't yet regulated the industry, I feel
confident that after four years of post-graduate study as the teaching
assistant of Carleton University's gambling course, I can set an
example for the industry as a whole.
There are people making their living all across Canada with gambling
devices and my only defense is that if the law is abrogated for
everyone else, then I hope that it's abrogated for me too.
Sincerely yours, John C. Turmel
790922Sa
Ottawa Citizen, Tony Cote
Decision reserved in gambling case
A Provincial Court judge has reserved decision until Oct. 17 on
whether a self-admitted Ottawa gambler should be convicted on a charge
of having gambling devices in his possession and control.
During his trial Friday, the proceedings at times turned into what can
only be described as the next best thing to a three-ring circus.
Throughout the day, spectators in the packed court room commented
loudly on the evidence, often laughing out loud. Just prior to the
noon hour break, Judge Bernard Ryan evicted a woman described as
Turmel's secretary after a remark was made within his hearing on the
kind of justice available.
Turmel was conducting his own defence and on numerous occasions he
strayed from legal questioning to make statements of his own and had
to be cautioned by Ryan.
George Dzioba started his case by tendering as exhibits four blackjack
tables, decks of cards, chips and numerous other gambling devices
seized by police during the raid.
The trial became bogged down at that point in the definitions of
gambling, skill and what constituted gaming devices. Turmel admitted
to gambling, saying he was incorporated in the Province of Ontario as
JCT Casino Inc. The purpose of the company was to play games such as
blackjack, he told the court. He also readily agreed that the devices
police had taken were used for gambling. Turmel admitted he had
operated the game on a number of occasions in Ottawa and the area.
"Have game, will travel," was his comment. Those admissions and the
wrangling took the morning and before adjourning for lunch, Ryan told
the spectators, many of them standing, that no one would be admitted
for the afternoon session unless they had a seat.
The proceedings became more orderly in the afternoon when Dr. Walter
Schneider, a gambling professor at Carleton University, took the stand
as an expert witness. When asked if blackjack was a game of skill or
chance, the doctor said "what has been known is that there are
computerized strategies in which a human being can learn with a great
deal of effort ... to give him a considerable edge over the dealer.
Schneider said that games such as craps, a dice game, are strictly
games of chance. he said that on a curve, a craps player could expect
to lose 1.4 cents on every dollar. "A top player in blackjack would be
just the opposite," he said. "Of course, his best gamble is not to
play." (at craps) He said that for a blackjack player to learn the
systems, it would require a lot of self discipline and that it would
take about six weeks working at least two hours a day to learn them.
In his closing speech, Turmel alluded to the fact that he had gone
through a previous gambling trial in which his devices had been seized
and that the Supreme Court of Ontario had ordered them returned to
him. He also mentioned that similar items could be purchased at almost
any store in the city.
The Crown pointed out that the gambling laws were primarily intended
to stop gambling from being run as a business, "egven though blackjack
may be a game of skill."
The judge replied that by using the dictionary definitions of the
Criminal Code, it made "anyone who played a simple game at his home
guilty."
Ottawa Journal, Dave Evans
Gambler says he believed crap game legal
Lessons in gambling odds, felt blackjack tables and complaints about
Ontario gambling laws dominated the trial of Ottawa gambling
entrepreneur John Turmel in provincial court Friday.
Acting in his own defence, Turmel argued he was no more guilty of the
charge of possessing gambling equipment than anyone who brings a deck
of cards to a poker game.
Assistant Crown attorney George Dzioba argued before judge B.T. Ryan
that the important distinction between Turmel's itinerant blackjack
operation and a pick-up card game among friends is that it is a
business. The intent of the Criminal Code provisions against gaming is
to prevent such activity, Dzioba argued, pointing to Turmel's tables,
dealing boxes and locked cash boxes as evidence of the business nature
of his games.
Ryan reserved judgment in the case until Oct. 17.
Turmel was in charge of a four-table by-invitation-only blackjack game
on April 1, 1979, Ottawa police witnesses told the court. Turmel
admitted he has run several blackjack games, that he has a company
incorporated to run casinos, and that he hopes to build up a casino
business when gambling is legal. He said he believed his game was
legal, that it had no "rake-off" to the banker, and that he had sent
invitations to the police department.
City police Sgt. Mike Seed, who attended the game as a player to
observe the proceedings, said about 30 persons were playing at the
tables when other officers arrived with a warrant. He said he obtained
his ticket by answering a newspaper advertisement, and telling Turmel
he worked for an insurance company. `
In cross-examination, Turmel tried to ask Seed and other police
witnesses who had ordered the raid why a move had been made against
him but not against others providing cards to a gambling game.
However, on several occasions, Ryan ruled his questions irrelevant to
the case.
When he questioned the fairness of the law itself, the judge told him
he would have to "take that up with the legislature" of Ontario.
Ryan told the court the heart of the case was whether blackjack is a
game of skill or chance, since it is the latter that falls into the
definition of gambling.
Turmel called Carleton University mathematics professor Walter
Schneider, who testified that strategies can be learned which put a
player in a better position to win in the long run that the "house."
Schneider admitted, however, the house, or banker, often comes out
ahead because many players are not equipped with a good strategy. He
said that with six week's hard work of two hours a day many people
could learn the strategy.
Turmel argued that his rules are fair because, unlike Las Vegas, his
games give anyone the chance to be banker or dealer, if they wish.
Five dealers have also been charged in connection with the case.
790924Mo
Ottawa Journal
Correction
A headline error in Saturday's Journal had Ottawa gambling
entrepreneur John Turmel saying he believed crap games were legal. In
fact, Turmel, acting in his own defence, argued blackjack was legal.
791018Th
Ottawa Citizen, Tony Cote
Gambling crusader sentenced
Self-proclaimed gambler John Turmel was convicted in provincial court
today of possessing gambling devices, and was sentenced to a $200 fine
or 14 days in jail. Judge Bernard Ryan told the 28-year-old Turmel
while handing out the sentence that there was no doubt Turmel's
activities were above-board. "This is a victimless crime. No one seems
to have been hurt. I must reluctantly indicate that the elements of
this offence have been proved," Ryan told Turmel before advising him
not to hold any more games before appealing the conviction.
Turmel has been running a one-man campaign to have gambling legalized
and has held several gambling events in the Ottaw area. He indicated
he would appeal the conviction.
791019Fr
Ottawa Citizen, Greg Bannister
Gambler loses in courtroom Blackjack test
John Turmel was found guilty of keeping a common gaming house
yesterday in a test court case which considered whether blackjack is a
game of skill or a game of chance. He was fined $200 by Judge Bernard
Ryan and invited to appeal the decision "if you feel this court is
wrong."
Turmel, an advocate of legalized gambling, indicated he would appeal
the decision of the provincial court judge. Judge Ryan told court he
was satisfied the material found at the game was professional Las
Vegas style blackjack equipment. Turmel argued he was no more guilty
of the charge against him than anyone who brings a deck of cards to a
poker game. He also argued that blackjack was not a game of chance but
a game of skill and therefore not illegal. He did not dispute any
facts concerning the equipment. Turmel also admitted running the game.
Judge Ryan told Turmel he felt blackjack as he played it, was probably
a game of skill. The Judge said he had been very impressed with
Turmel's knowledge of the game and the mathematical theories behind
the game. He said he thought Turmel, with his knowledge, would
probably be barred from Las Vegas casinos because of his skill at the
game. He termed Turmel's arguments "very persuasive" but concluded in
the end that blackjack to the average individual is a game of chance
and therefore against the law.
He also said the community was not yet prepared to accept legalized
gambling and until that changed he had to enforce legislation which
forbids gambling. Judge Ryan said he would not consider a jail term or
a heavy fine in the case because the blackjack game was conducted
fairly with no effort to cheat anyone. He called it a victimless
crime. He also said he realized Turmel "feels strongly about his right
to conduct a blackjack game and he is testing the law on the point."
Five other persons were remanded to appear in court on Nov. 1 on
charges of aiding the running of a commong gaming house.
Ottawa Citizen, Tony Cote
Convicted gambler may go underground
An Ottawa man convicted of possessing gambling devices claims the only
thing left for him to do is take his games underground. John Turmel
was reacting to a decision in provincial court that resulted in a $200
fine or 14 days in jail.
At his trial, Turmel tried to prove that because blackjack was a game
of skill it didn't fall under the definition of gambling. Judge
Bernard Ryan disagreed and registered the conviction.
Outside the court Turmel vowed he would appeal the decision within two
weeks, "all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada if I have to."
If Turmel had been found innocent, it would have made it almost
impossible for police to make arrests on gambling charges and get
convictions. An earlier decision ruled that for someone to be
convicted of keeping a common gaming house, the operator had to hold
the games at the same location a number of times. The decision tied
the hands of police in laying charges because gamblers began holding
their games at different locations each time.
Turmel has operated numerous floating blackjack games over the past
year, including one in a boat in the middle of the Ottawa River. He
has proclaimed often that gambling should be legalized in Canada and
made this view part of his platform during the May 22 federal election
when he ran as an independent candidate in Ottawa West.
Before passing sentence, Ryan said he wasn't considering jail or a
heavy fine as requested by the Crown. "There was evidence he feels
very strongly about his right to gamble and there is a long-standing
feud between him and the authorities. He is testing the law. This is a
victimless crime. No one seems to have been hurt." Ryan said Turmel
could appeal the sentence and should do so before considering any more
games.
800523
Ottawa Citizen, Bob Marleau
Brothers crap out in local hotel raid
Police said that about twenty five women and men were in the room at
the time of the raid. Turmel was charged with possession of illegal
gambling equipment, inducing people to play with dice, and keeping a
common gaming house. Both were scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
800719Sa
Ottawa Journal Magazine
Ottawa's gambling crusader
Ottawa's John Casimir Turmel has a list of gambling charges against
him, but he's not deterred and you can bet he's dedicated to legalized
gaming. By Paula McLaughlin
When John Casimir Turmel looks you in the eye and tells you he's going
all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada to fight the latest batch
of gambling charges against him, you tend to believe you can bet on
it.
Turmel, a professional gambler who runs roving "gaming parties" in
the Ottawa area, vows he's going to beat the rap and just might bring
down a sacred cow (the banking system) in the process.
The 29 year old, Carleton University graduate in engineering says he
hasn't been deterred by the four police raids, three robberies and six
trials he's endured in connection with his gambling activities over
the past year.
I'm still going strong," he grinned, referring to the bi-monthly
"gaming parties" he operates in various hotels, community halls and
restaurant basements in the national capital area. (A gambling session
at a disco-casino-boatride are on the recent agenda).
His latest run-in with the law and the episode which may send him to
the Supreme Court occurred May 24 when he was arrested at a game he
was operating in the Talisman Hotel. He was charged with keeping a
common gaming house and possession of gaming devices (cards, card
tables, dice, poker chips).
I'm going to fight this every way I can, and if I bring the banks down
with me, all the better."
WILL FIGHT RULING
Turmel, who thinks he's the only incorporated professional gambler in
Canada, maintains that banks are much like casinos except "they charge
interest on their chips." In a poker game, he maintains the chips are
issued "simply and strictly limited to the wealth that is brought into
the game."
On the other hand, interest charged by the banks fuels inflation which
leads to all kinds of economic woes, he insists.
Turmel, who has conducted his personal crusade for legalized gambling
and against the banking system for several years, advocates an
interest free, cashless society. To back his beliefs and to ward
against thieves, no cash changes hands at his parties.
Before the game, players-by invitation only-make deposits in a bank
account in Turmel's name. The deposit slip is used to "buy into" the
game and winners' cheques are paid out at the end of the night.
He says he plans to fight the gaming house charges on the basis of a
Supreme Court ruling that a person can't be convicted of keeping a
common gaming house as long as the game is held only once in any
location. "The banks are involved in gambling games much the same as
mine, only they're stationary, so why weren't they charged?" he asks.
BARRED FROM CASINOS
He also says that if he can be charged with possession of playing
cards and dice, the department stores, drug stores and variety shops
which sell the items should be charged too. He's fought-and lost-
similar charges on three previous occasions.
Turmel is up front about his gambling abilities. "I'm good, he
concedes. "It's tough to beat the game, but I'm a professional and can
do it." The key to winning is counting the cards and knowing the
probability of winning every time you bet. The size of your bets are
crucial, too" he adds.
He claims he has been barred by several Las Vegas casinos because of
his winning ways.
LIST OF GAMBLERS
"Gaming parties" go on in Ottawa all the time, he maintains. Besides
his own gambling sessions- where few patrons take him up on an offer
to become the "bank" and let him play against them- he plays two or
three times a week at various locations in the area.
He says the Nepean and Gloucester police monitor his games, but don't
lay charges. It's another story with the Ottawa Police, however.
He has a list of about 170 "local members of the gambling fraternity"
whom he invites to his games to play blackjack, poker, backgammon and
"a few dice games." He's selective about who can play and says he runs
an "open, honest game."
He once won $39,000 over a 24 hour period in an Ottawa game and lost
most of it a while later when "I naively played a couple of guys with
crooked dice."
The players who are invited to his games "come from all sorts of
backgrounds," he says. "There are people who run their own businesses,
housewives, clerks, even a couple of millionaires."
There are a few players in town who "can win or lose tens of thousands
of dollars in a night and it barely phases them," he adds.
Most non-professional players lose a unit an hour on the average, he
says. "For example, if a person is placing $1 wagers, on the average
he'll lose $1 an hour. If a person is betting $100, he'll lose about
$100 an hour. Obviously, I try to play the $100 player more often than
the $1 shooter."
He also says the reverse formula is true for him. "On the average, I
would win a unit an hour."
STARTED YOUNG
He does have his bad nights, however, and there are occasions when he
comes out the loser. "That's obviously the exception rather than the
rule," he says.
Turmel took up gambling as a teen-ager. "A couple of my school mates
were playing poker and I sat in on a game. I've been playing ever
since."
He says gambling paid for all "my excess spending money" at Carleton
University. He decided to switch goals from becoming an electrical
engineer to a "money systems engineer" (professional gambler) when he
started making $20 to $50 an hour at the gaming tables.
He enjoys playing poker, blackjack and backgammon (for money) but the
most exciting game at the moment is "trying to fix the banking
system."
RAN FOR OFFICE
To press his stand, Turmel has made several bids for public office.
Although Lady Luck has never come his way in the political game, he
claims to have set a record for being a candidate in three federal
elections in the course of one year.
He entered the May 22, 1979 election in Ottawa Centre riding as a
independent candidate. Nine months later, he was back on the campaign
trail under the Libertarian banner.
He even threw his hat in the ring in the federal by-election in the
Quebec county of Frontenac called after the untimely death of one of
the original candidates in the riding.
Turmel admits he's a more successful gambler than a political warrior,
and still jokes about how he garnered more votes in Frontenac than on
his home turf of Ottawa centre.
I'm going to cash in my political chips yet," he's willing to bet.
800930
Ottawa Citizen, Lewis Seale
Gambler asks court to ban loan interest
John Turmel had his day in court Monday and came equipped with a
blackboard, a felt covered table with sunken chamber for poker chips,
a plastic ship and a tomato. Turmel was there to ask for a restraining
order forbidding the BoC to charge interest on loans. Justice T.P.
Callon listened quietly to Turmel's 50 minute presentation on how to
end unemployment and inflation by banning interest and then reserved
judgment.
Turmel used to tomato to illustrate production and the blackboard for
the charts and formulas to show how he believes interest makes the
rich become richer and the poor become poorer. The chips were to
dramatize his point that anything can be used as a medium of exchange
but they were also a reminder of his claim that bank Governor Gerald
Bouey is keeping a common gaming house.
His arguments followed Social Credit lines and he said later he would
seek that party's leadership at its November convention in Calgary. He
also plans to run for mayor of Ottawa.
801002
Ottawa Citizen
Gambler loses bid to outlaw interest
John Turmel said Thursday the SCO has turned down his bid for an order
forbidding the Bank of Canada to charge interest. Citing the gambling
provisions in the Criminal Code, Turmel likens interest to a fee
charged for the use of chips (money) in a game (industrial activity)
and charges that it leads to "genocidal inflation and unemployment.
Mr. Justice T.P. Callon ruled he did not have jurisdiction in the
case, Mr. Turmel reported.
Turmel describes himself as a professional gambler but he is also a
perennial candidate for political office as he preaches his Social
Credit views on money. He said Thursday that he has not given up on
the courts and would consult a lawyer about further moves he could
make.
810724
Ottawa Citizen, Bob Marleau
Crown rests case in gambling trial
Gambler John Turmel became John Turmel the lawyer defending himself at
his trial for operating a common gaming house. Turmel and his brother
Ray are charged with two counts each of operating a poker and
blackjack parlor in the basement of Tomorrow's restaurant which was
raided June 2 and June 8 by Ottawa police. Turmel faces minimum 3
month jail term if convicted.
The Crown closed its case with testimony from two witnesses during the
start of the trial which will continue on Aug. 31 with Turmel
presenting his arguments. In testimony, Ottawa Police Sgt. Mike Seed
told the court he had received a written invitation from Turmel to
attend the JCT Casinos at 8p.m. June 2. Seed said he attended the
event and watched for 2 hours as 42 guests mingled and played
blackjack and poker. Turmel introduced him to the gathering as a
policeman. The event was raided shortly after 10p.m. and Turmel and
his brother were charged. A similar event was raided on June 8 and the
Turmels were charged again.
In cross-examination, Turmel asked the officer if he had at any time
witnesses more than 10 playing at a single table. "No," said Seed who
had told the court earlier that though 32 persons actually
participated in the card games, no more than 7 players were at any one
table. During cross-examination of O.P.P. Cpl. Peter Thompson, Turmel
had to withdraw his question when he asked whether, under the Criminal
Code, a game with under 10 people is legal. Judge Patrick White said
the question was for the court to decide.
It doesn't make sense that the knowledge of Cpl. Thompson should not
be relevant. He is the guy who must decide if he is to bust a game and
he must decide if he thinks it is criminal or not.
811006Tu
Ottawa Citizen, Bob Marleau
Gambler to appeal sentence
Professional gambler John Turmel has been released from jail pending
the outcome of an appeal against his sentence last week for operating
a gaming house. Judge Patrick White offered Turmel the choice of 3
years probation during which time he had to abstain from any "illegal
gambling" or 21 days in jail with a $500 fine. Turmel chose prison and
filed an appeal from his jail cell. "The Crown was very helpful in
forwarding appeal papers to the Ontario Court of Appeal in Toronto,"
Turmel said Monday. He was released Friday after spending 4 days in
jail. Turmel, who has become something of a legal gadfly in his
brushes with the law, acts as his own lawyer. No date has been set for
the appeal hearing for the 30 year old man's third conviction on a
gambling charge. The charges against Ray Turmel were dismissed. The
gaming devices trial will be held in February.
820109Sa
Ottawa Citizen, Dave Brown
Brown's Beat
To John Turmel, the professional gambler and perpetual candidate. He
also plays good accordion. He spent a large part of Christmas Day at
St. Vincent's Hospital, entertaining on all five floors. Nurse A.B.
Armstrong was on duty and says his visit was appreciated by all.
820127We
Ottawa Citizen, CP Tom Van Alphin
Turmel won't bet on appeal
Professional gambler John Turmel won't take bets on his chances of
winning an appeal on a 3 week jail sentence for operating a gaming
house. "The courts don't have a scientific system like poker," the
Ottawa man said Tuesday outside Toronto's Don Jail. Turmel, 30, was to
appear today in the Ontario Court of Appeal, but he said he would have
to wait until next week for the case to be heard because the Crown
Attorney need more time to prepare.
He was released from jail after serving 4 days of a 3 week sentence
last year. Police charged him following raids June 2 and June 8 in the
basement of Tomorrow's restaurant on Bank St. Turmel's defence after
both raids was that his operation was safeguarded by Section 188 of
the Criminal Code, which exempts the sections Turmel was charged under
-- 185 and 186 -- when the winner of any bets is playing with 10
players or less. Police said they saw 42 guests mingling, playing
poker and blackjack in one of the incidents. Turmel was sentenced to
21 days in jail with a $500 fine or 3 years probation during which he
had to abstain from any illegal gambling. He chose to serve the
sentence.
820209Tu
Ottawa Citizen, Bob Marleau
Gambler will wax musical
Local gambler John Turmel won't have to serve any more time in jail,
an appeal court ruled last week. Instead, he'll probably be playing
his accordion. Turmel was convicted in September of keeping a common
gaming house and given the choice of 3 years probation with no
gambling or 21 days in jail with a $500 fine. He chose the fine and
jail but appealed the conviction and sentence to the Ontario Court of
Appeal. Last week, the higher court upheld the conviction but changed
the sentence to time served, 1 year's probation and 100 hours
community service. In an interview Monday night, Turmel said he told
the appeal judges he wants to use his musical talent with the
accordion to entertain people, rather than waste his time in jail. The
Crown did not object. "I will be talking to my probation officer about
the possibility of entertaining prisoners," Turmel said.
860330Su
Ottawa Herald , Dandyman
Turmels hope to have hands full at poker tourney
On the subject of time flying, it's been a year already since John C.
Turmel launched the initial Ottawa Regional Hold'Em Poker Tournament.
This year's championship will be held at 11:30 April 26. Except for
The Sunday Herald, the media coverage was the only disappointment as
everything else went off smoothly" Turmel said. They're hoping for 40
entrants. "If we get 40 players at least, we will have a prize of
$16,000 and a chance to send the Ottawa champion off to test his or
her skill in Las Vegas in the $1 million World Series of Poker." Last
year's runner-up, Denis Cardinal, is expected to be back also. The
Turmel brothers, it should be noted, receive nothing for their
efforts. Said Turmel: "I do it because I love the game, nothing else."
To enter, send a cheque for $400. Mmmmmmmmmm, only $400 to enter and a
shot at $1 million American. I wonder if `Ol Red Suspenders' Marky
Parky, our beloved publisher, is interested in backing a good horse?
860504Su
Ottawa Herald, Dandyman
Liston crowned Hold'Em champ
"I think it would be only proper if you gave special thanks to the
Ottawa Police Force." Unlikely words, when you consider the source:
one John Turmel, organizer of the second annual Ottawa Regional
Hold'Em Poker Tournament as he spoke about Sergeant Allen, one of
Ottawa finest who kept a close eye on the get-together. The winner of
last Saturday's tournament was 49-year-old Bill Liston. Liston
outlasted a field of 13 competitors on his way to the first prize of
$2,500. The amazing circumstances that surrounded Liston's victory
included the fact that he was down to his last $175 in chips.
His two opponents in the final round were Dixon Warren (the eventual
runner-up) and Pierre Drouin, who ultimately finished in third place.
Neither of them could cope with the determined challenge of Liston.
Among the finalists who received cash winnings was an unheralded long
shot by the name of Harry Coenraad, who finished a surprising fourth
and with any luck could have advanced further. The rest of the field
that finished in the money were Irvin Hoffman (5th), Malcolm MacVicar
(6th), Roger Latour (7th), Mike Pitcher (8th), and Brian Dodsworth
(9th).
860817Su
Ottawa Herald, Dandyman
Ex's wheels of fortune often stop on bankrupt
It's impossible to be a skilled gambler in Canada because the only
games of chance upon which our government allows us to gamble have the
odds stacked highly against winning. Take the Central Canada Ex which
houses one blackjack casino and numerous wheels of fortune. Anyone
entertaining any ambition of winning should take another look at the
tremendous odds they face. Wheels of fortune have a house advantage of
anywhere from 28% to 38% which as any sharp gambler will tell you is a
losing proposition. Despite the fact that a blackjack casino is also a
high-risk gamble, it's still your best bet on the midway. Bear in mind
the blackjack casino has a house advantage of a minimum of 8% in its
favor. The reason the blackjack casino enjoys such an advantage as
opposed to Las Vegas casinos is the dealer wins all ties.
Mathematically, it's reasonable to presume that 8 ties will occur in
every hundred hands.
According to this city's "Wizard of Odds," John Turmel, a normal good
blackjack player in any casino would shift the percentage to his favor
and enjoy a 1% advantage over the house. An average player would shift
the advantage to 1% in favor of the house. A bad player, Turmel
pointed out, would push the house percentage to 3 or 4%. As for the
exhibition casino, simply add the 8% to the house advantage for the
regular blackjack player. In my case, although I normally enjoy a 1%
advantage, I would be facing a house advantage of 7%. Without
question, that's a losing proposition. Consider that in legalized
gambling casinos, a roulette wheel gives the house a 5.26% in their
favor and then ask how many people you know make a living on a
roulette wheel. Yet the odds of winning at a roulette wheel are
considerably less than the monumental odds at the exhibition. "The one
positive thing about the Exhibition casino," Turmel continued tongue-
in-cheek, " is you can practice your skills. However, you can't win
being skillful." No wonder our government preaches gambling is no good
for us. And they're right. After all, they're encouraging losing and
offer no chance to the skilled gambler. Be that as it may, despite the
losing odds facing the player, the blackjack casino is the best game
on the entire midway. You will lose, but you will go broke more
slowly.
870503Su
Ottawa Citizen, Dandyman
The third annual regional Hold'Em Poker tournament will be held at
high noon on May 9, 1987 at the Aristocrat Hotel. "This year's winner
will definitely be going to Las Vegas in one of the World Championship
events." Turmel expects more entrants this year than in previous
years. Last year's winner, Bill (Last Card) Liston, one of the
tournament co-favorites, will be returning to defend his title.
880225Th
Ottawa Citizen, Ian MacLeod
Six men face gambling charges
Six men have been charged with gambling-related offences following a
raid at 10p.m. Tuesday by police at a room at the Bayshore Hotel.
Police say six men were found inside a room, where a blackjack card
game was being played. Charged with keeping a common gaming house
890404Tu
Ottawa Citizen
Judge dismissed gambling charges
A blackjack card game held by local gambler John Turmel last year was
not illegal because everyone had an even chance of winning, a
provincial court judge ruled Monday. Provincial court Judge James
Fontana dismissed charges of being "found-ins" in a common gaming
house against four men. Fontana also dismissed charges of being
"found-ins" in a common betting house against the four.
890408Sa
Ottawa Citizen
Judge dismissed gambling charges
A provincial court judge dismissed gambling charges against local
gambler John Turmel because a blackjack card game he staged last year
had given all players an even chance of winning. In dismissing the
charges Friday against Turmel and his brother Ray, judge Brian Lennox
accepted the ruling of a fellow judge earlier this week in dismissing
charges against four men charged as "found-ins." The game, set up by
Turmel, was held Feb. 23, 1988 in a room at the Bayshore Hotel.
Fontana ruled the Crown had not proven a gaming house existed under
the conditions in which the game was held. Turmel had given all the
players the option of being the dealer, thereby giving them an even
chance of winning, the judge ruled.
JCT: Then came the era where I had this acquittal in hand was twice
again convicted despite double jeopardy. For my last and biggest case,
see: http://turmelpress.com/gambler.htm
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