Deaf Poker Tournaments Illegal?

Alex

Alex

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I'm talking about a deaf club / place with no liquor license but they still serve alcohol. On top of that, they also host poker tournaments. Players are required to pay an admission fee in order to play in the tournament. In the end, the deaf club / place makes a profit no matter who wins or loses.

I know of a few so-called non-profit deaf organizations that do that in New York and was wondering how they get away with it, unless I'm mistaken and it is not illegal. :ugh3:

Discuss!
 
I know a few people who participate in those tourneys. Never did it cross my mind that it could be illegal. Good question u brought up here.
 
If it comes with winning hard cold cash, in most areas it is illegal. Whats even worse is that without license, host can be liable for any accident, death cause by drunk driver. It is NOT worth it!
 
No insurane and no license then forget it. I will find out more from a friend of mine who happened to work with deaf ppl with their living arrangement. Maybe she know something. I will talk to her tmw nite.
 
Hmm... that's news to me. I've never thought of that. :dunno:
 
No license then its illegal! I am sure most deaf people dont care cuz they need some money for some reasons
 
State liquor licenses are required wherever alcohol is served. I know the St. Louis Deaf club has an extremely well built bar and maintains their liquor license meticulously, because it's something that's very noticable. As for poker tourneys, yeah, there are certain rules out there that I'm not all that familiar with, but most deaf tourneys I've seen have been kept on the down low, which is bad -- the minute word gets to the wrong ears, the gov't will shut down and fine those deaf orgs.
 
Never thought about that aspect though theres alot of those deaf poker events around here in Chicago.

In my opinion- when it comes to fundraising and non-profit organization I think its pretty much exempt with card games...however when booze comes into play I've no clue how those organizations get the permit/licenses and so on.
 
Alex said:
I'm talking about a deaf club / place with no liquor license but they still serve alcohol. On top of that, they also host poker tournaments. Players are required to pay an admission fee in order to play in the tournament. In the end, the deaf club / place makes a profit no matter who wins or loses.

I know of a few so-called non-profit deaf organizations that do that in New York and was wondering how they get away with it, unless I'm mistaken and it is not illegal. :ugh3:

Discuss!
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Nope, not illegal as long as it is a private club. And they can serve liquor, as long as the patron brings and stores the bottle there, and they are not charging for the drinks, but can charge membership dues to cover the storage costs and the cost of a bartender. As far as the poker game--it isn't any more illegal than playing poker at my kitchen table with a buy in. (God, I hope I don't get raided!)
 
Ok I just spoke with a friend of mine. She says she doesnt know. Rats but that ok. But her opion is that if no legal paper then it is illegal.
 
So basically is this equating to me inviting you guys over to my place (that for the story has a well stocked bar) to play a few rounds of poker over a few beers and a couple of shots of tequila am I right or wrong?? Would I be charged with running an illegal club without a proper liquor license? What if everyone agreed to put down a certain amount of money for the 'pot' for the poker game and it just so happens that part of the money goes to the 'house' to purchase more liquor for next weeks game, would that be like running an illegal gambling institution??

If it is, then cuff me up and haul me to the nearest Federal Court House because, badda-bing, badda-boom, it happens all over America. People gather at other peoples houses to play cards and have a few drinks, and maybe even do a little more.

I have had poker games run out of my dorm room in college, everyone agreed to put down x-amount of dollars for the pot and everyone also agreed to chip in on bringing soda pop and pizza and there was the occassional vodka bottle being passed around at times. Whoever won the poker game at the end of the night got to keep all the cash, tax free. One night a girl walked away with 100 bucks in cold hard cash, for a college kid thats alot of money. Everyone chipped in $20 bucks that night for the pot. We *could* have gotten in trouble for 'gambling' underage, but because it was all agreed upon by a group of 5-6 18-20 year olds, there was not alot you could do. As far as the RA was concerned, it was a weekly get-together for a group of friends to have fun and occassionally the RA from the opposite wing would join in.


To me a Private CLub is just that - a private house where a bunch of friends get invited to hang out. Most private clubs require a 'membership fee' that covers the costs of all parties, it is the same as chipping in for the cokes and pizza.

It is when people start getting stupid IE - driving drunk, start blackmailing others for gambling cash, and mafia type behavior does it start to become a problem.

If the Deaf Organization is a Non-Profit Organization, they can raise money for the charity through the poker game meaning whomever has the most money at the end of the game the charity gets that much for their funds. Think Celebrity Games where the money they win is donated to a charity of the Celebrity's choice. but the Deaf Organization cannot sell liquor unless they have a proper liqour license. If they are serving liquour under the Organization name, then they are illegal and because of that there is a chance that there can be a raid.
 
Each state's laws are different, and then there are also local laws that you have to deal with.

I know that poker games and alcohol are not allowed at our local Deaf center.

Also, poker games played for money, even for charity, are not allowed in South Carolina.

Charity Hold 'em on hold
Worry is tourney might be illegal
Published on 04/20/07
BY SCHUYLER KROPF
The Post and Courier

Ticket sales for a local radio station's charity poker tournament have been put on hold amid concerns over the event's legality.

WTMA-AM's second annual Holy City Charity Poker Challenge is scheduled May 5 at the Charleston Area Convention Center.

The radio station suspended sales after the State Law Enforcement Division said the tournament could jeopardize the convention center's liquor license and trigger criminal gambling charges against players and organizers.

Morning radio host Richard Todd said he's awaiting a state

Attorney General's Office opinion before proceeding. "All the money goes to charity," he said. "We're just playing cards."

Rep. Wallace Scarborough, R-James Island, requested the opinion.

Todd said Thursday he's "not expecting a positive result." Previous opinions from the Attorney General have declared such events illegal, even in the name of charity.

"Games such as poker played at a 'Monte Carlo night' violate the various gambling statutes," a recent Attorney General's Office opinion said. "South Carolina's gambling statutes expressly recognize ... card games, such as poker, are generally games of chance. Thus, as can be seen, such poker tournaments" would be prohibited.

The station's game is billed as an open Texas Hold 'em poker tournament with proceeds going to charity. The station's Web site has advertised advance reservations for a $20 "donation." The city of North Charleston has sanctioned the event, which collected thousands of dollars last year.

About 300 people have signed up so far, Todd said. About 500 took part in last year's game.

SLED Maj. Stacy Drakeford said one of the division's agents saw a flier promoting the event, prompting law enforcement to respond.

Drakeford said that SLED can't shut down the event ahead of time but that organizers could be ticketed if the tournament goes ahead.

Even if it's for a good cause, he said, "it is a violation of the law."
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Card games of any kind no dice in S.C.
Published on 04/28/07
BY BRIAN HICKS
The Post and Courier

...The same state law that has forced a local radio station to cancel its charity poker tournament scheduled for next week also makes it illegal for anyone in South Carolina to play a game — any game — that uses cards or dice.

...This little-known law came to light in response to an opinion from the attorney general's office requested by state Rep. Wallace Scarborough, R-Charleston. Scarborough has unsuccessfully tried to pass legislation to exempt charity poker events like the WTMA Holy City Charity Poker Challenge from the current law.

But now the May 5 tournament has been shut down, and Scarborough's bill is languishing in the legislative equivalent of Baltic Avenue.

...The immediate losers in all of this are the 800 or so who were expected to play in WTMA's Texas Hold 'Em tournament and the ASCEND Foundation, a local cancer charity. ASCEND stood to make about $10,000.


Last year, the first Holy City Charity Poker Challenge passed under the radar of state law enforcement. About 500 people played in the event...

Todd says the State Law Enforcement Division threatened to shut down the tournament this year, revoke the liquor license of vendors who sold beer there, and possibly even arrest everyone in the tournament...So, they just canceled....
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in my state, GA, poker for money is illegal. even poker for 5 or 10 cents is still illegal. the state can keeps your property(house) if hosting the poker game at your house, you get arrested.

there is legal poker tourney for non profit organization like if u win the poker game, you get gift certficated card to any place like restaurants or target.

too bad i know nothing about poker. i rather go rock climbing or mountain biking. WAY too much fun ! :)
 
deafclimber said:
in my state, GA, poker for money is illegal. even poker for 5 or 10 cents is still illegal. the state can keeps your property(house) if hosting the poker game at your house, you get arrested.

there is legal poker tourney for non profit organization like if u win the poker game, you get gift certficated card to any place like restaurants or target.

too bad i know nothing about poker. i rather go rock climbing or mountain biking. WAY too much fun ! :)
Click to expand...

someone did a worst to doing money...
http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_324171616.html

yike! $43k :eek3:
 
I think for most places most LEOs (Law Enforcement Officers) don't mind a small poker game among friends. I think when some serious money starts getting involved does it start to get suspicious. I do know that it is illegal to walk around with 10,000+ in cash - for one it could be drug money, you could have robbed a bank. If you were to withdraw 10,000 from your own bank account you would have to fill out special FEDERAL paperwork saying where you got this money, how you got the money, and how you plan on using the money. If you ever deposit 10,000 or more in your bank account you have to fill out FEDERAL paperwork.

I dont think it is so much the game itself, I think it is the amount of money that is involved in the larger underground gambling rings that is a problem. Alot of the players dont mean harm, they just want to play in hopes of going home a bit richer. It the ones who are running these large underground gambling rings and using extortion against those who are in debt are what LEOs are most concerned about.
 
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