Legalities of Hosting a Poker Tournament for your Non-profit Organization
Charity poker games are starting to inch toward the top of the list when it comes to generating money for a cause. In the past, charities used bingo games, bake sales, and raffles to bring in donations for their cause. But since the televised explosion of Texas Hold’em Poker, more and more charities have decided to replace the bingo and baked goods with the wildly popular card game.
Poker is something that many more people have taken an interest in because players have some control over whether they win, and of course, it’s a fun game. If more people are interested, this will equal more money going toward their charity. When you play bingo, all you do is wait for a person to call out a random number. When you participate in a raffle, it’s all based on chance. Poker allows you to sit around a table and socialize while also giving you a chance to win a tournament.
So, it makes sense that it’s quite popular among non profit organizations. But you should be wary when playing in a charity tournament. The next time you are sitting down at a poker table thinking that you are doing something good, you may be breaking the law without even realizing it.
Depending on which state you live in, the laws on gaming will differ. Here are a few examples of current gaming laws:
Massachusetts, which is a hot bed for charity poker games, has quite a few rules to follow in order to ensure that the event is legit. Only select groups can apply for a bazaar or raffle permit. This has to be done in the town or city that the event will be held in. The organization must also belong to any number of groups: a veterans’ organization chartered by the Congress of the United States, a church or religious organization, a charitable organization, or other organization that is operated specifically not for profit. Another state that holds legalities regarding gaming is Virginia. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor if you are caught either running an event or participating in an event without proper licensing. Also, if the charity poker game is part of a multi-day event and you are caught on the second or third day, you get a separate misdemeanor for every day you were either running or participating in the tournament. Very few of these misdemeanors are publicized, so it is difficult to track the number of gaming related events that have been broken up, but these laws are indeed on the books.
In the birthplace of Texas Hold’em, Texas, it is illegal to participate in any kind of charity event where more than $25 has been spent. The Texas legislature believes that there are many more ways to raise money for charity than playing poker, and that you shouldn’t be promoting gambling while you are trying to raise money.
A simple Google search for state charity laws and regulations will present you with more than enough resources to decide if the charity event is a legal one. If you are still not sure about your community, you could contact the city halls of the location where the event is scheduled. The person you contact should be able to put you in touch with someone who can explain the legalities of charity poker games.
Poker is something that many more people have taken an interest in because players have some control over whether they win, and of course, it’s a fun game. If more people are interested, this will equal more money going toward their charity. When you play bingo, all you do is wait for a person to call out a random number. When you participate in a raffle, it’s all based on chance. Poker allows you to sit around a table and socialize while also giving you a chance to win a tournament.
So, it makes sense that it’s quite popular among non profit organizations. But you should be wary when playing in a charity tournament. The next time you are sitting down at a poker table thinking that you are doing something good, you may be breaking the law without even realizing it.
Depending on which state you live in, the laws on gaming will differ. Here are a few examples of current gaming laws:
Massachusetts, which is a hot bed for charity poker games, has quite a few rules to follow in order to ensure that the event is legit. Only select groups can apply for a bazaar or raffle permit. This has to be done in the town or city that the event will be held in. The organization must also belong to any number of groups: a veterans’ organization chartered by the Congress of the United States, a church or religious organization, a charitable organization, or other organization that is operated specifically not for profit. Another state that holds legalities regarding gaming is Virginia. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor if you are caught either running an event or participating in an event without proper licensing. Also, if the charity poker game is part of a multi-day event and you are caught on the second or third day, you get a separate misdemeanor for every day you were either running or participating in the tournament. Very few of these misdemeanors are publicized, so it is difficult to track the number of gaming related events that have been broken up, but these laws are indeed on the books.
In the birthplace of Texas Hold’em, Texas, it is illegal to participate in any kind of charity event where more than $25 has been spent. The Texas legislature believes that there are many more ways to raise money for charity than playing poker, and that you shouldn’t be promoting gambling while you are trying to raise money.
A simple Google search for state charity laws and regulations will present you with more than enough resources to decide if the charity event is a legal one. If you are still not sure about your community, you could contact the city halls of the location where the event is scheduled. The person you contact should be able to put you in touch with someone who can explain the legalities of charity poker games.
Comments