IT WAS a full house but the cards failed to fall in a Norwood man's favour when police came and busted up his illegal poker game.
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David Desmond Bowen, 32, pleaded guilty in the Launceston Magistrates Court yesterday to using his home to conduct gaming.
The ABC reported that Bowen organised a $150 buy-in poker tournament via Facebook with 25 of his friends attending.
Bowen incorrectly believed that what he was doing was legal because he wasn't taking a commission, the report said.
Under the state's 2003 Gaming Control Act, a licence is needed to run a gaming operation.
The maximum penalty for a first offence is $78,000.
A second offence carries a maximum $130,000 fine and two years in jail.
Magistrate Tim Hill chose not to convict Bowen on the condition that he be of good behaviour for two years.
Bowen declined to comment when contacted by The Examiner.
