"It is illegal in North Carolina, I understand that. In every state, whether it's legal or not, people are playing poker."

The quote above in an AOL story, is from "Michael" Gracz, World Series of Poker bracelet winner and World Poker Tour titlist when he took down a million dollars in the PartyPoker.com Cruise. But, the law held Aces this time as Gracz was busted in a North Carolina underground poker room raid. Unlike my home state of Minnesota, poker is illegal everywhere in North Carolina but this room went a little above and beyond.

They had other games such as Craps and Roulette, which favor the house, thus creating a casino-like business versus slinging cards among friends or even taking a little rake for the house (illegal everywhere to take a rake except in licensed casinos). Generally a blind eye is turned on smaller home games, but with the gaming tables plus sizable tourneys being played it was a target for the police to show their distain for gambling enthusiasts.

Gambling enthusiasts of course is the PC term for degenerate desperate enough to need to throw dice for money at a basement club... then again Harrah's could always try to break the state legislator and put up a replica Caesars Palace near tobacco road.

For the story hit up Wicked Chops and UpForPoker for links to latest poker busto story.