Legality of home games in your country (1 Viewer)

[KristanG]

I understand most of the members on this forum are from the USA. And finding each state's poker legislation isn't too hard. I even think I've seen a site where all the different state laws on poker have been posted. But what about the countries that is not English speaking? As for myself, I'll post the short but strict laws from Norway regarding poker.

The game must take place in a private home. It is therefore not allowed to play this type of poker in, for example, workplaces, restaurants and pubs, clubs and hotel rooms.

The game must not have a professional feel. This condition prohibits the establishment of gambling clubs, major tournaments and events in private homes, and the organization of poker with events and the like.

The maximum number of participants is 20 people. This applies to all persons who participate with a deposit in the game. It will not be possible to supplement with new players, for example when individual players withdraw from a tournament.

The maximum deposit per participant is NOK 1,000 per game night (gathering). Each participant can bet up to NOK 1,000 (USD $100)on a gaming night. If the seal lasts until past midnight, it is still a matter of one game night. The limit is personal and cannot be transferred to other players.

There is also an age limit of 18 years, a ban on playing on credit and a ban on the execution of the poker game being outsourced to an assistant against payment (for example a card dealer).

These rule were effective from January 1. 2015 and the only revision made, as far as I know, was raising the cap from 10 to 20 players.
Do you think this is strict or does it seem liberal?

Organized poker is strictly forbidden if there is an entry fee or any prizes, with the exception of the Norwegian National Championship. This event can have 5 qualifying tournaments and the main event it self. One cannot lose more than 20 000NOK (USD $2000) in this tournament and the buy in for the Main Event is 5000NOK.

 

[Colquhoun]

"The game must not have a professional feel."

Wow, that's vague. I'd hate to be up against the prosecution on that one.

 

[SteveEH]

That rules seem pretty strict, but I don't mind it as I don't like the idea of my friends losing more than $100 in a session.

 

[Colquhoun]

And the National Tournament is comprised of players that have been forbidden to play in tournaments with more than 20 players and no more than $100?

Where do I sign up?

 

[Eriks]

In Sweden one needs a license to arrange a poker game/tournament.

However, official sources say:

”No license is required to play poker with friends as long as it is not organized or takes place online and the game is played with low amounts”.

No further information/guidelines/limits is provided, so I guess it’s up for interpretation. Never heard of any private game ever getting in trouble though.

 

[allforcharity]

"As long as it is not organized" rofl

 

[jr8719]

"The game must not have a professional feel."

Wow, that's vague. I'd hate to be up against the prosecution on that one.

"Judge, I ASSURE you that Paulson chips do NOT have a professional feel to them."

 

[surfik]

Fully prohibited.
You may play tournament in few selected casinos however all winings are taxed by 25%.
There are few clubs that have been licesed but only for tournament play and your wins are not monetary.
Polish Poker Cup is being played in Czech Republic....Funny world

 

[jr8719]

Fully prohibited.
You may play tournament in few selected casinos however all winings are taxed by 25%.
There are few clubs that have been licesed but only for tournament play and your wins are not monetary.
Polish Poker Cup is being played in Czech Republic....Funny world

Not even home games?!

 

[surfik]

Not even home games?!

Well, they are illigal but we still play
most of people start at 10 pm because after that hour you can refuse police to enter your premises, they need court order

 

[slowplay]

Well, they are illigal but we still play
most of people start at 10 pm because after that hour you can refuse police to enter your premises, they need court order

Agreed they are illegal, however we always start before 10 pm
You can always refuse police entry to your home, unless they have a search warrant or you willingly open the doors and they enter (that means even if a policeman puts his leg in the door, technically he's in)

 

[surfik]

Agreed they are illegal, however we always start before 10 pm
You can always refuse police entry to your home, unless they have a search warrant or you willingly open the doors and they enter (that means even if a policeman puts his leg in the door, technically he's in)

I did play in Warsaw outskirts, private home, always after 10... Host rules

 

[Tonysquander]

So you guys basically say, I’m good copper, it’s after 10, buzz off? Lol. Love it.

 

[Taghkanic]

"Judge, I ASSURE you that Paulson chips do NOT have a professional feel to them."

“I mean, Judge, just feel how much more professional these 15g slugged injection molds feel. Real casino weight there.”

 

[bergs]

"As long as it is not organized" rofl

I hosted home games for 12 years back East and I can guarantee none of them seem organized. GuinnessNH just drunkenly walked into my screen door, OneRand is passed out with his head on a pole, Matt has no fucking clue what game we’re playing, JoseRijo is eating an entire apple whole, core and stem, quietly and weirdly; I’m loudly arguing with Silverspoon Mike over a golf prop bet from like 5 year ago, Chicken is talking about the fact he can’t see a fucking thing unless he’s basically on top of the cards, and we’re all trying to find a song GrumpyCat doesn’t know but we haven’t stumped him in 15 months. This is all on the turn.

Oh yeah, there is like 9K on the table. We’ve been playing 4 hours. And I keep slipping in DMX after Mile Cyrus on the playlist and the only one noticing is IBetOnEverything and he’s already judging me in our group chat.

 

[Eriks]

"As long as it is not organized" rofl

I know, it’s funny, ”organized” [sic!]. I haven’t held many unorganized poker events so I guess I’d be toast if the police came knocking.

Perhaps the word-for-word translation doesn’t really work in that instance. I think basically it can’t be commercial and it has to be a closed circuit/private party. No idea how they define small amounts of money.

Not really an issue though. There are several well known (by police) poker clubs that operate and spread both tournaments and cash without getting raided so I think home games are safe.

 

[cpac54]

Here in Switzerland, the laws pertaining to gambling, specifically poker, are fairly strict. Cash games are only allowed in casinos. The rules for tournaments were eased somewhat a few years ago, with tournaments being allowed outside casinos with a permit and with restrictions on wagers per person and total cash in play. That said, there are a large number of private poker clubs where you pay a "membership fee" and can trade cash for "plaques." These plaques can then be exchanged for chips at the poker tables, and vice versa to cash out. I've always found the whole charade involved rather funny.

Gambling in a private setting (poker, blackjack, roulette, or other forms of gambling) is however excluded from these restrictions, albeit with some conditions.

For the purpose of the law, "private" is understood as:
- not carried out in a commercial setting (ie. a poker club)
- no official advertising or marketing of the game to the public (ie. posters, advertising...)
- small number of players, who have either a connection through work another similar connection to each other.
- very small number of player, who have no connection to each other outside of the game
- no participation fees or other costs allowed for participating.
- the sum of wagering/betting is low.
- 100% of money wagered is paid out to players (ie. no rake or other fees). The organizer/host is not allowed to profit from the event.

Some of the definitions are vague/leave themselves open to interpretation (ie. "small number" or "very small number" "low amount of money"). Next to "clear cases" (ie. card night with your family) there exist borderline activities. In the event of uncertainty, it's recommended to contact the appropriate governing body to clarify.

 

[Easylife]

Organised commercial poker games are illegal in Northern Ireland, there's not even any casinos and we have completely different laws on gambling from the rest of the UK. As far as I know this would also extend to home games for money. Tonnes of games have been shut down in Northern Ireland over the years and any large organised games are usually raided by the police and all prize money confiscated.

 

[Mr Winberg]

In Sweden one needs a license to arrange a poker game/tournament.

However, official sources say:

”No license is required to play poker with friends as long as it is not organized or takes place online and the game is played with low amounts”.

No further information/guidelines/limits is provided, so I guess it’s up for interpretation. Never heard of any private game ever getting in trouble though.

Can you send me a link to the official source, please?

 

[Eriks]

Can you send me a link to the official source, please?

https://www.spelinspektionen.se/fragor--svar/poker/

 

[Mr Winberg]

https://www.spelinspektionen.se/fragor--svar/poker/

Thanks. I've been wondering if what I do is legal or not.

 

[ThrowBack]

Professional feel is such a wild gray area. I’ve played in card rooms with worn out tables and just overall crappy vibes, and we playing garages with custom built tables, hot, barbecue buffet, complementary whiskey, and cigars, nice chips and cards with a shuffle machine, but at the end of the day we’re playing $.25 50 Cent games inside of Pete’s garage

 

[AuburnSeth]

Well, they are illigal but we still play
most of people start at 10 pm because after that hour you can refuse police to enter your premises, they need court order

That is crazy. In America we have the freedom to never allow the police in our homes without court order or reasonable articulable suspicion of a crime. Love the freedom here

 

[KristanG]

Thanks. I've been wondering if what I do is legal or not.

Interesting that the laws are so vague with compared to ours. What do you reckon "low amounts" to be? And who's to decide if it's low or not; the one spending the money or someone from spelinspektionen.se?

 

[MeridianFC]

In the District of Columbia home poker games are not specifically prohibited. The keeping of a gaming table is, however. That said, in the enumerated list I’ve seen what we consider a poker table would not count (most of what is listed is for typical casino table games; roulette, black Jack, etc).

In the ABRA (our alcoholic beverage and cannabis control board) for profit games are strictly prohibited though that applies to licensed establishments. When this has been asked, in the past, it has been said that this would cover a home game too. So as long as you’re not paying a dealer or taking a rake it’s considered to be in the clear.

Given the state of crime in the District, it is a thing that I am not worried about it all.

I am not a lawyer though. YMMV.

 

[bergs]

That is crazy. In America we have the freedom to never allow the police in our homes without court order or reasonable articulable suspicion of a crime. Love the freedom here

Until they kick in your door with a no knock warrant and shoot you when you try to defend yourself against their unannounced intrusion into your home. Right up until then though freedom is fucking AWESOME!

 

[Mr Winberg]

Interesting that the laws are so vague with compared to ours. What do you reckon "low amounts" to be? And who's to decide if it's low or not; the one spending the money or someone from spelinspektionen.se?

It's pretty common in Sweden to have vague laws. It's up to the courts to decide and set precedence.

 

[ThrowBack]

In the District of Columbia home poker games are not specifically prohibited. The keeping of a gaming table is, however. That said, in the enumerated list I’ve seen what we consider a poker table would not count (most of what is listed is for typical casino table games; roulette, black Jack, etc).

In the ABRA (our alcoholic beverage and cannabis control board) for profit games are strictly prohibited though that applies to licensed establishments. When this has been asked, in the past, it has been said that this would cover a home game too. So as long as you’re not paying a dealer or taking a rake it’s considered to be in the clear.

Given the state of crime in the District, it is a thing that I am not worried about it all.

I am not a lawyer though. YMMV.

Obviously need to look into laws home, but I always wondered about for profit

What if I’m charging the operating out of overall net loss?

 

[AuburnSeth]

Until they kick in your door with a no knock warrant and shoot you when you try to defend yourself against their unannounced intrusion into your home. Right up until then though freedom is fucking AWESOME!

you are more likely to be struck by lightning than for this to happen. Literally, not hyperbole. It is a statistical anomaly.

 

[bergs]

you are more likely to be struck by lightning than for this to happen. Literally, not hyperbole. It is a statistical anomaly.

Should be an absolute impossibility, but no, I don’t stay up at night thinking about it.