Poker nights organisers last night argued they are breaking no laws, days after games were suspended following concerns from Police.

Jack Thomas, who runs Poker in Bermuda, one of two poker contests boasting hundreds of players across the Island, said he had been discussing the legalities of the game with officers.

Angry players have said the Island is plagued by hypocrisy after poker was halted last week while other games such as Crown and Anchor and bingo remain legal. A meeting was held last night for poker players. Spokesman Scott Barnett said they were disappointed with the Police’s stance but hoped to work within the confines of the laws.

Meanwhile, Bermuda’s Seventh Day Adventist Church yesterday backed the postponement of poker. The Church’s President Dr. Jeffrey Brown said gambling erodes family values, creates false hope for people, is addictive and clearly incompatible with a Christian lifestyle.

Poker was stopped after Police warned competition organisers venues could face being raided if they continued to operate.

Officers have said they believe poker nights contradict the Liquor Licence Act, but Mr. Thomas told The Royal Gazette he disagreed.

Under the wording of the act, he said, poker nights should be permitted because players do not play against a bank; the chances are equally favourable to all players; 100 percent of stakes are paid out to players; and no mechanical slot machine is involved. “We believe poker is excluded from being an unlawful game because it meets the exclusion requirements set out in the Liquor Licensing Act,” said Mr. Thomas.

Dr. Brown argued poker nights could “open the door to more detrimental forms of gambling”.

“We would support the curtailing of poker or any gambling activities. We consider it to be an erosion of family values,” he said.

“We can see the style of gambling in Las Vegas and we don’t have that here.

“Sometimes you can lose a few pennies, but others you can lose a lot. Those times can potentially affect your family life. Oftentimes monies have to be used that should have gone on another area out of the family budget. Sometimes people indulge in other activities such as stealing.”

The Seventh Day Adventist Church opposes all kinds of gambling, even including raffles at church fairs. Regarding the Island’s gambling laws, Dr. Brown said: “It could be viewed as inconsistent. I can certainly see how a Government struggles between protecting society and protecting rights.”

Currently, all poker games have been cancelled across the Island until organisers have explored their options.