Poker Pro Sued for $87K Over Excessive Marijuana Smoke in Luxury Condo

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Beus Zsoldos
Beus ZsoldosSenior Copywriter & Player Stories Editor
Reviewed by Gyöngyi P. Tóth
Poker Pro Sued Over Excessive Marijuana Smoke
Chau Shing Lam Sued Over Excessive Marijuana Smoke in His Condo

A high-stakes New York card player is discovering that owning a multi-million dollar property does not grant immunity from community rules. Neighbors residing in a luxury residential building are fed up with what they claim is a constant, disruptive marijuana habit, but it seems a headline like “Poker Pro Sued” doesn’t really help more than the notices of violation.

If you follow the latest gambling and player news, you might have heard the rumblings of this unusual legal battle. A well-known poker pro sued by his own building managers is currently making headlines across the community. Let’s look into what happened, why the angry neighbors finally took legal action, and how much this costly habit might set the player back.

Why Was This Poker Pro Sued?

The center of this story is Chau Shing Lam , a highly successful tournament player with over $300,000 in live cashes on his official poker resume, according to The Hendon Mob. Right now, Lam is facing a massive $87,000 lawsuit. The formal complaint was filed on July 17, 2026.

The plaintiff is the Board of Managers at 368 Third Avenue, an exclusive and upscale building. In this Manhattan condo lawsuit, neighbors allege that Lam smokes both marijuana and tobacco in his $4 million unit “on a near-daily basis and at all hours of the day and night.”

This constant smoking creates noxious fumes that reportedly drift directly into common areas and neighboring units. According to the court documents, the permeating odors are not the only problem. The community also claims that Lam creates excessive noise late at night, including loud banging, running, and yelling inside his unit.

The Dangerous Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke

For many residential homeowners, the smell of marijuana is merely a frustrating nuisance. However, in this Manhattan condo lawsuit, there are serious, documented health concerns at play. The building managers argue that the air quality has become completely unsafe for the building’s occupants.

Air quality monitors were recently placed in an adjacent unit to measure the true impact of the fumes. The recorded results showed dramatic and repeated spikes in fine particulate matter (PM2.5). These spikes perfectly match the heavy infiltration of secondhand smoke coming from Lam’s apartment.

A major turning point in the legal complaint involves a 12-year-old child who is preparing to move in next door. The child suffers from reactive airway dysfunction syndrome, a severe respiratory condition. The child’s pediatrician submitted an exhibit to the court, stating that any exposure to secondhand smoke is extremely dangerous. The doctor strongly recommended eliminating the fumes from the child’s home environment immediately to prevent a medical emergency.

Penalties, Fines, and Lost Amenities

Because the poker pro reportedly refused to stop his habits, the penalties have piled up significantly. Over a two-year period, the condo board issued more than a dozen formal violations.

Here is a quick look at the consequences Lam is currently facing:

  • Over $87,000 in accumulated financial penalties and fees.
  • A complete loss of access to certain luxury building amenities.
  • A formal court injunction requesting that he stop smoking excessively.

The building management is now asking the court system to enforce the collection of these heavy fines. They simply want the daily disturbances and hazardous air quality issues to end permanently.

Quick Facts: The Lawsuit at a Glance

DetailInformation
DefendantChau Shing Lam (Professional Poker Player)
Building Location368 Third Avenue, New York City
Lawsuit AmountOver $87,000 in unpaid penalties
Filing DateJuly 17, 2026
Primary IssueExcessive marijuana & tobacco fumes

Chau Shing Lam and His Recent Poker Success

Despite the heavy legal drama waiting for him back home, Chau Shing Lam has continued to grind successfully on the poker circuit. He is no stranger to high-pressure situations, having competed in both the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and WSOP Europe over the years.

Most recently, Lam spent part of the summer of 2026 traveling to Jeju, South Korea. There, he performed incredibly well, cashing in seven different events at the Red Dragon Poker Tour’s summer series . Before that, in May 2026, he also secured four impressive cashes at the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) in Monte Carlo .

While his professional poker career remains active and highly profitable, his luxury living situation is quite the opposite. It remains to be seen if the court will side entirely with the condo board’s demands. For now, the poker pro sued for getting high must decide whether to fight the charges in court or fold his hand and pay the massive fines.

About the Editor
Beus Zsoldos
Beus Zsoldos

Beus Zsoldos is SoMuchPoker's Senior Copywriter and Player Stories Editor, covering WSOP color moments, player profiles and poker personalities for the site's Stories section. She has spent more than 20 years around the game, first as a player, then as a live tournament director and localization manager for a major online poker room, before moving into full time poker writing.