What started off as a whirlwind adventure has now hit stormy seas as the Nuts Poker League have announced that they are taking legal action against West Mercia Police.

Founder Steve Bellis from the North Wales town of Wrexham featured on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den TV show and walked away with more money than he had initially sought.

The 44 year old’s business plan attracted the attention of the multi-millionaire investors on the panel and he was given £65,000 to start his business.

The poker league organizes poker events in pubs and clubs across the UK. Starting in Wrexham, Cheshire and Deeside, the Nuts Poker League can now be found in Shropshire, Watford, Manchester, Cardiff, and London.  The Dragon’s Den investment equates to a 40 percent stake in the poker league.

The League ran afoul of the West Mercia Police when the law enforcers shut down games at a few pubs, causing the League to lose money. As Nuts Poker League games don’t involve cash on the side of the players, they believe they are exempt from the 1968 Gaming Act, which the West Mercia Police citied in a letter to pubs last December.

Nuts League claims that the letters were misleading and caused some pubs to cancel their league events, unfairly costing both the pubs and the League revenue. “We have seen substantial growth (in poker) in many areas of the country but there has been a downturn in the West Mercia region” said Mr. Bellis.

He added that though the League had launched legal proceedings it’s still hoped that the police may settle out of court.

Publicans now fear their operating licences will be revoked if they continue to allow the League to operate.