Five social clubs in the city of Boston have been hit with multiple counts of permitting illegal gambling on their premises.
According to the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC), American Legion Post 331, the Italian Community Club, the Beverly/Salem Elks Club, Union Club and the Franco-American Club have all been charged with violations of state gambling laws. Separate hearings in Boston before the commission are scheduled for four of the clubs on March 1. The clubs could potentially lose their licenses or could receive a warning. The upcoming hearings were confirmed by Ralph Sacramone, executive director of the ABCC, according to The Salem News.
Notices received by the city’s Licensing Board indicate that all five clubs were visited by investigators from the ABCC on November 30. By allowing gaming devices used for gambling to be operated, the ABCC has charged all five organizations with “permitting an illegality on the licensed premises.”
The Union Club, at 141 Cabot St., also faces a charge of failing to comply with an ABCC issued suspension previously handed out. According to commission records, the club’s liquor license was suspended for five days in 2012, but the commission held off on enforcing it with the provision that no further violations were committed. In the 2012 case, the following items were found by ABCC investigators: five gambling devices inside a locked room, hundreds of $1 pull tabs, a slip of paper marked “poker tracking sheet,” an NCAA basketball pool, and a cigar box containing $550 in cash was found in a blue safe.
On March 1, The American Legion, at 3 Judson St, the Elks Club, at 39 Bow St, Union Club and Italian Community Club, located at 302 Rantoul St, are scheduled to have their cases heard. The hearing for The Franco-American Club is scheduled for March 29, postponed from an earlier date. The commission tries to issue a decision with 30 days, Sacramone said. In addition, The Franco-American Club is facing financial issues. On February 25, the building at 44 Park St. was slated to be sold at a foreclosure, but that has since been postponed.