Israeli businessman Tony Bargig, known in the gambling world for running casinos, was murdered early Thursday morning in Prague, Czech Republic. Local authorities have not yet released official details about the circumstances of the incident or the identity of any suspects, and the investigation is in its early stages.
Bargig, 54, had operated primarily in Prague in recent years, where he owned and ran businesses in the gambling and casino sector. In Israel he was known mainly around Rishon LeZion, Be’er Ya’akov and the surrounding area, and earned the nickname “king of the slot machines” over the years due to his extensive involvement in the gambling industry.
Bargig’s name made headlines in the past as part of one of the largest gambling scandals uncovered in Israel. According to the indictment filed against him, he ran a network of about 15 gambling clubs in central Israel between 2008 and 2014, where slot machines operated. The criminal proceedings included hundreds of prosecution witnesses and ended in a plea deal.
In 2020 he was sentenced to 15 months in prison, along with forfeiture of one million shekels and a fine of 350,000 shekels. He later waged a legal battle with the Tax Authority following demands for tax payments on income attributed to the gambling operations he ran.
Alongside his business activities, Bargig was also known for his family connection to Israeli soccer. He was the son of veteran soccer coach Nino Bargig, who passed in 2023 and was considered one of the prominent figures in Israeli soccer for decades.
The murder in Prague is drawing significant interest in both Israel and the Czech Republic, in part due to Bargig’s well-known status in the gambling world. As of now, local authorities have not provided additional details about the circumstances of the case, and the investigation continues.