HP0718, LD 974, item 1, 125th Maine State Legislature
An Act To Revise the Laws on Tournament Games

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An Act To Revise the Laws on Tournament Games
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 17 MRSA §1836, first ¶, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2, is amended to read:
The Chief of the State Police may issue a license ~~to conduct a tournament game as provided in~~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 5 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. ~~The Chief of the State Police may not issue a tournament game license to an organization more than once per month.~~
Sec. 2. 17 MRSA §1836, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 3.  17 MRSA §1836, sub-§3-A  is enacted to read:
 
3-A.  License.     The fee for a tournament game license is $100 per tournament game, $300 per month or $1,200 per year.
Sec. 4. 17 MRSA §1836, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2, is amended to read:
 
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 ~~$200~~the cost of the license fee. 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 50/50 raffles with a prize value up to $1,000. This section does not prohibit a licensee from conducting one winner-take-all hand per tournament game with a bet limit of $5.
Sec. 5. 17 MRSA §1836, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2, is amended to read:
 
6. Cost of administration; surplus.   The Chief of the State Police may retain, from license fees collected in accordance with subsection ~~3~~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
 
B. Sixty percent to the General Fund.
 
SUMMARY
This bill revises the laws concerning tournament games of chance involving playing cards by allowing up to 5 tournament games per month and by replacing the graduated license fee that is determined by the number of players with a flat fee of $100 per tournament game, $300 per month or $1,200 per year.

HP0718, LR 489, item 1,First Regular Session - 125th Maine Legislature, page