Hand of the Day
We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The Bicycle Hotel and Casino is Bell Gardens' largest employer and brings in tons of tax money to the local economy. We rarely see casinos as anything other than Vegas-style getaways, but. Connect with family and friends with the world's finest playing cards, games, and accessories, from the leading authority on game night, connecting card enthusiasts everywhere through design and play.
- As a player on Live at the Bike, I feel as though your commentators have become my personal poker coaches! They have allowed me to understand the game at a whole new level, understand my opponent's and my own weaknesses, and use all that information to my advantage.
- If you can take your ego out of it, and truly watch the show you played on and really listen to what the commentators are saying about how you played a hand, you can advance your game in a hurry.
- Your site has a higher +EV in terms of time and cost than any other form of poker training that I have ever had. Keep up the good work.
- Though not a professional by any stretch, as a recreational player, you guys give me one more tool to use in my poker arsenal. Thanks for that.
- I love the poker strategy and entertainment that I get each week with my subscription. But even better is the great people I have met through your chat/community. I seriously can't recommend you guys enough!
WATCH live casino poker cash games...
Watch real cash poker, LIVE. Unedited, unscripted, the way it was meant to be played. Also featuring poker training videos that are educational and enjoyable to watch.
PLAY at our table...
Anyone can play! That's the beauty of 'Live at the Bike!'. Not only can you watch and learn from other players, but even more powerfully, you can learn by playing yourself.
LEARN from our pros...
Our commentators on 'Live at the Bike!' have a combined 40+ years of playing live cash poker professionally. With that experience comes the ability to easily teach all the intricate strategies of the game. But even more than that, our commentators provide poker training in a way that is not only +EV to your game, but also entertaining. Poker here is fun, for everyone.
BE a part of the community...
Join the amazing poker community at 'Live at the Bike!' and forge poker friendships for years to come. Utilizing our livestream chat experience, or participating in our forum, and even social media, are just some of the ways that our community members interact and share their support of each other's game.
The raid and subsequent shutting down of the Bicycle Casino by the Los Angeles High Intensity Financial Crime Area Task Force (comprising several federal agencies) was one of the biggest news stories last week.
The popular California card room just outside of Los Angeles remained closed for about 20 hours. Agents from the IRS, Homeland Security and ICE seized thousands of financial records in what appears to be an ongoing money laundering investigation. Officials have refused to comment about the exact nature of the investigation.
Upon reopening, 'The Bike' issued the following statement:
'We are serving our customers and resuming normal operations immediately. Our priority is to provide a safe and fun environment for our guests.'
According to Bicycle Casino spokeswoman Becky Warren, the casino is fully cooperating with authorities.
Despite social media concerns, chips in play and players' money on deposit were never in jeopardy.
Ongoing investigations into money laundering
Several California card rooms have been targets of money laundering probes. That follows stronger Bank Secrecy Act enforcement procedures put in place by FinCEN in November 2007.
Since the stricter policies came into existence, several card rooms have run afoul of these new procedures:
- In 2015, Oaks Card Club was the first California card room to come under FinCEN's scrutiny. The club paid $650,000 for violating the reporting and program requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act.
- Also in 2015, Normandie Casino (now owned by Larry Flynt and known as Lady Luck Casino) was dealing with its own money laundering investigation. In 2016, the casino and its owners paid a total of $2.3 million to FinCEN. The also had their gaming licenses revoked. That is how Flynt came to purchase the property.
- In 2016, Gardens Casino (formerly Hawaiian Gardens Casino) reached a settlement agreement with FinCEN. That stemmed from a money laundering investigation dating back to 2009. The $2.8 million settlement is the largest of its kind. It has put the venerable casino's gaming license in jeopardy.
The Bike has seen raid, seizure before
As odd as the government raiding and shutting down a licensed casino may seem, this is the second time The Bike has gone through a major investigation conducted by a joint federal task force.
In 1990, an investigation by the DEA and IRS discovered a significant portion of the money used in the casino's construction was laundered drug money. A year later, a jury determined more than half of the $22 million used to build the casino was from ill-gotten means. The result: Awarding partial ownership of the casino to the federal government. The government sold its ownership to Ladbrokes in 1996.
Impact on California online poker efforts
Bicycle Casino Tournament Blog
There is some chatter that the raid could add a new layer of complexity to the ongoing fight over the suitability of PokerStars in California.
The Bicycle Casino is one of PokerStars' announced partners in the state. So we could potentially see the fracturing of the PokerStars coalition. Another possible result: The Bicycle Casino (and Gardens Casino) being deemed ill-suited to be licensed with or without PokerStars.
Bicycle Casino Blog
'They're part of the PokerStars relationship,' Steve Stallings, the chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Associationtold Card Player. 'When a card room gets raided by federal law enforcement, it only adds to the problems of PokerStars and some of its partners, not all of them, and this whole kind of suitability issue that will affect everyone.'
Ultimately though, the situation at The Bike seems to be more about tribal gaming versus commercial card rooms than PokerStars' suitability.
Bicycle Casino Tournament Blog
Hand of the Day
We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The Bicycle Hotel and Casino is Bell Gardens' largest employer and brings in tons of tax money to the local economy. We rarely see casinos as anything other than Vegas-style getaways, but. Connect with family and friends with the world's finest playing cards, games, and accessories, from the leading authority on game night, connecting card enthusiasts everywhere through design and play.
- As a player on Live at the Bike, I feel as though your commentators have become my personal poker coaches! They have allowed me to understand the game at a whole new level, understand my opponent's and my own weaknesses, and use all that information to my advantage.
- If you can take your ego out of it, and truly watch the show you played on and really listen to what the commentators are saying about how you played a hand, you can advance your game in a hurry.
- Your site has a higher +EV in terms of time and cost than any other form of poker training that I have ever had. Keep up the good work.
- Though not a professional by any stretch, as a recreational player, you guys give me one more tool to use in my poker arsenal. Thanks for that.
- I love the poker strategy and entertainment that I get each week with my subscription. But even better is the great people I have met through your chat/community. I seriously can't recommend you guys enough!
WATCH live casino poker cash games...
Watch real cash poker, LIVE. Unedited, unscripted, the way it was meant to be played. Also featuring poker training videos that are educational and enjoyable to watch.
PLAY at our table...
Anyone can play! That's the beauty of 'Live at the Bike!'. Not only can you watch and learn from other players, but even more powerfully, you can learn by playing yourself.
LEARN from our pros...
Our commentators on 'Live at the Bike!' have a combined 40+ years of playing live cash poker professionally. With that experience comes the ability to easily teach all the intricate strategies of the game. But even more than that, our commentators provide poker training in a way that is not only +EV to your game, but also entertaining. Poker here is fun, for everyone.
BE a part of the community...
Join the amazing poker community at 'Live at the Bike!' and forge poker friendships for years to come. Utilizing our livestream chat experience, or participating in our forum, and even social media, are just some of the ways that our community members interact and share their support of each other's game.
The raid and subsequent shutting down of the Bicycle Casino by the Los Angeles High Intensity Financial Crime Area Task Force (comprising several federal agencies) was one of the biggest news stories last week.
The popular California card room just outside of Los Angeles remained closed for about 20 hours. Agents from the IRS, Homeland Security and ICE seized thousands of financial records in what appears to be an ongoing money laundering investigation. Officials have refused to comment about the exact nature of the investigation.
Upon reopening, 'The Bike' issued the following statement:
'We are serving our customers and resuming normal operations immediately. Our priority is to provide a safe and fun environment for our guests.'
According to Bicycle Casino spokeswoman Becky Warren, the casino is fully cooperating with authorities.
Despite social media concerns, chips in play and players' money on deposit were never in jeopardy.
Ongoing investigations into money laundering
Several California card rooms have been targets of money laundering probes. That follows stronger Bank Secrecy Act enforcement procedures put in place by FinCEN in November 2007.
Since the stricter policies came into existence, several card rooms have run afoul of these new procedures:
- In 2015, Oaks Card Club was the first California card room to come under FinCEN's scrutiny. The club paid $650,000 for violating the reporting and program requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act.
- Also in 2015, Normandie Casino (now owned by Larry Flynt and known as Lady Luck Casino) was dealing with its own money laundering investigation. In 2016, the casino and its owners paid a total of $2.3 million to FinCEN. The also had their gaming licenses revoked. That is how Flynt came to purchase the property.
- In 2016, Gardens Casino (formerly Hawaiian Gardens Casino) reached a settlement agreement with FinCEN. That stemmed from a money laundering investigation dating back to 2009. The $2.8 million settlement is the largest of its kind. It has put the venerable casino's gaming license in jeopardy.
The Bike has seen raid, seizure before
As odd as the government raiding and shutting down a licensed casino may seem, this is the second time The Bike has gone through a major investigation conducted by a joint federal task force.
In 1990, an investigation by the DEA and IRS discovered a significant portion of the money used in the casino's construction was laundered drug money. A year later, a jury determined more than half of the $22 million used to build the casino was from ill-gotten means. The result: Awarding partial ownership of the casino to the federal government. The government sold its ownership to Ladbrokes in 1996.
Impact on California online poker efforts
Bicycle Casino Tournament Blog
There is some chatter that the raid could add a new layer of complexity to the ongoing fight over the suitability of PokerStars in California.
The Bicycle Casino is one of PokerStars' announced partners in the state. So we could potentially see the fracturing of the PokerStars coalition. Another possible result: The Bicycle Casino (and Gardens Casino) being deemed ill-suited to be licensed with or without PokerStars.
Bicycle Casino Blog
'They're part of the PokerStars relationship,' Steve Stallings, the chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Associationtold Card Player. 'When a card room gets raided by federal law enforcement, it only adds to the problems of PokerStars and some of its partners, not all of them, and this whole kind of suitability issue that will affect everyone.'
Ultimately though, the situation at The Bike seems to be more about tribal gaming versus commercial card rooms than PokerStars' suitability.
Bicycle Casino Tournament Blog
