2015 Maine Revised Statutes
TITLE 17: CRIMES
Chapter 62: GAMES OF CHANCE
§1836. Tournament games

§1836. Tournament games

(CONTAINS TEXT WITH VARYING EFFECTIVE DATES)

The Chief of the State Police may issue a license under this section to an organization eligible to conduct beano games under chapter 13-A and games of chance under this chapter to conduct up to 2 tournament games per month. For purposes of this section, "tournament game" means a game of chance played using a deck of cards with rules similar to poker or other card games. [2011, c. 325, §1 (AMD).]

1. Local governing authority approval. An organization applying for a tournament game license must first receive approval by the local governing authority where the game is to be conducted. Proof of approval from the local governing authority must be provided to the Chief of the State Police upon application for a tournament game license.

[ 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW) .]

2. License application. An organization must submit a license application to the Chief of the State Police on a form provided by the Chief of the State Police. The license application must specify one or more charitable organizations that the proceeds of the tournament game are intended to benefit. For the purposes of this section, "charitable organization" means a person or entity, including a person or entity in a foreign state as defined in Title 14, section 8502, that is or purports to be organized or operated for any charitable purpose or that solicits, accepts or obtains contributions from the public for any charitable, educational, humane or patriotic purpose.

[ 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW) .]

3. License.

[ 2011, c. 325, §2 (RP) .]

3-A. License. The license fees for tournament game licenses are as follows:

A. For tournament games that do not exceed 100 players:

(1) Seventy-five dollars per tournament license;

(2) Two hundred dollars for a monthly license; and

(3) Fifteen hundred dollars for an annual license; and [2013, c. 306, §1 (AMD).]

B. For tournament games that exceed 100 players:

(1) Three hundred dollars for a tournament game with 101 to 150 players;

(2) Four hundred dollars for a tournament game with 151 to 200 players;

(3) Five hundred dollars for a tournament game with 201 to 250 players; and

(4) Six hundred dollars for a tournament game with 251 to 300 players. [2011, c. 325, §3 (NEW).]

[ 2013, c. 306, §1 (AMD) .]

4. Tournament. The organization licensed to conduct a tournament game under this section shall display the rules of the tournament game and the license issued. The maximum number of players allowed is 100 unless the tournament game is held on premises owned by the licensee, in which case the maximum number of players allowed is 300. Winners are determined by a process of elimination. The use of currency is prohibited as part of tournament game play. The maximum entry fee to play in the tournament game is $100, except the organization may add to the player entry fee to defray the cost of the license fee, as long as the total additional amount collected from all players does not exceed $125. Only one entry fee is permitted per person. A tournament game must be completed within 48 hours. Other games of chance on the premises are prohibited during a tournament game, except for lucky seven or similar sealed tickets and no more than one 50/50 raffle per tournament with a prize value up to $1,000. This subsection does not prohibit a licensee from conducting one winner-take-all hand per tournament game with a bet limit of $5. The total number of bets received in a winner-take-all round must be awarded to the winner or in the case of multiple winners divided among them as evenly as possible. All prizes awarded in accordance with this subsection must be paid in cash.

[ 2013, c. 306, §2 (AMD) .]

4-A. (TEXT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 9/30/17) (TEXT REPEALED 9/30/17) Exception for super cribbage tournament. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the Chief of the State Police may issue up to 3 licenses per year for the conduct of a super cribbage tournament. For the purposes of this subsection, "cribbage" means a card game that uses a board and pegs to keep score and of which the characteristic feature is a crib into which players discard cards from their dealt hand to create a crib of 4 cards unseen by other players that will be ultimately part of the dealer's hand. The license fee for a super cribbage tournament is $75. A super cribbage tournament must be conducted in the same manner as prescribed for a tournament game by this section except as follows.

A. The super cribbage tournament may be conducted by a nationally chartered organization that organizes tournament-style cribbage games and that is exempt from taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)(3) so long as the principal organizer has been a member of that organization for a period of not less than 3 years. [2015, c. 163, §1 (NEW).]

B. The minimum number of players required is 50. [2015, c. 163, §1 (NEW).]

C. The maximum entry fee allowed is $100 per player. [2015, c. 163, §1 (NEW).]

D. The super cribbage tournament need not be held on premises owned by the licensee. [2015, c. 163, §1 (NEW).]

E. The super cribbage tournament may be conducted over a period of up to 72 hours. [2015, c. 163, §1 (NEW).]

F. Notwithstanding subsection 2, 50% of the proceeds of the super cribbage tournament after prizes are paid must be paid to a bona fide charitable organization, other than the licensee, listed on the tournament application submitted to the Chief of the State Police. [2015, c. 163, §1 (NEW).]

This subsection is repealed September 30, 2017.

[ 2015, c. 163, §1 (NEW) .]

5. Proceeds. No less than 75% of the entry fees under subsection 4 must be paid as prizes to the winners of the tournament game.

[ 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW) .]

6. Cost of administration; surplus. The Chief of the State Police may retain, from license fees collected in accordance with subsection 3-A, only an amount necessary to defray the costs of administering this section. All fees collected in excess of the amount necessary to defray the costs of administration must be allocated as follows:

A. Forty percent to the Fractionation Development Center; and [2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]

B. Sixty percent to the General Fund. [2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]

[ 2011, c. 325, §5 (AMD) .]

SECTION HISTORY

2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW). 2011, c. 325, §§1-5 (AMD). 2013, c. 306, §§1, 2 (AMD). 2015, c. 163, §1 (AMD).