Maine § 17 §1835 Conduct card games

Maine Statutes

§ 17 §1835 — Conduct card games

Maine § 17 §1835

Title 17CRIMES

Ch. 62GAMES OF CHANCE

This text of Maine § 17 §1835 (Conduct card games) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17, § 17 §1835 (2026).

Text

1.Wagers or entry fees for card games; exceptions. The following limits apply to a card game.

2.Games conducted by members and bartenders of licensee only. A card game licensed pursuant to this chapter must be operated and conducted for the exclusive benefit of the licensee and must be operated and conducted only by duly authorized members of the licensee or by persons employed by the licensee as bartenders, except that nonmembers employed by the licensee as bartenders may not operate or conduct any card game permitted under subsection 5, paragraph B. The requirements of this subsection do not apply to any agricultural society licensed to operate a card game.

3.Games conducted at agricultural fair by members of the agricultural society or a bona fide nonprofit. Card games operated and c

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1.
Wagers or entry fees for card games; exceptions.
The following limits apply to a card game.
2.
Games conducted by members and bartenders of licensee only.
A card game licensed pursuant to this chapter must be operated and conducted for the exclusive benefit of the licensee and must be operated and conducted only by duly authorized members of the licensee or by persons employed by the licensee as bartenders, except that nonmembers employed by the licensee as bartenders may not operate or conduct any card game permitted under subsection 5, paragraph B. The requirements of this subsection do not apply to any agricultural society licensed to operate a card game.
3.
Games conducted at agricultural fair by members of the agricultural society or a bona fide nonprofit.
Card games operated and conducted solely by members of an agricultural society or card games operated and conducted by members of bona fide nonprofit organizations on the grounds of the agricultural society and during the annual fair of the agricultural society may use cash, tickets, tokens or other devices approved by the Gambling Control Unit by rule.
4.
Persons under 18 years of age.
A licensee, game owner or operator may not permit a person under 18 years of age to take part in a card game.
5.
Location.
A license issued pursuant to this section must specify the location where the organization may operate the licensed card game. A licensee may not operate card games in more than one location at the same time.
6.
Door prizes.
Distribution of tickets to an event upon which appear details concerning any prize to be given away as a result of a drawing is a game of chance within the meaning of this chapter; a distribution of tickets containing only the words "Door Prize," without further description, is excluded from the provisions of this chapter, as long as no promotional materials or presentations, written or oral, describe the door prize.
7.
"Donation" not to provide an exclusion.
The word "donation" printed on a ticket does not exclude the sponsoring organization from complying with this chapter.
8.
Wager limit exception.
Notwithstanding subsection 1, an organization that is licensed to conduct games of chance in accordance with this chapter is permitted to accept wagers up to $50 per hand for a poker run. The organization must inform the Gambling Control Unit 30 days in advance of the date when the organization intends to conduct a poker run with an increased wager limit. An organization is limited to 2 poker run events per calendar year in which wagers up to $50 per hand are permitted. For the purposes of this subsection, "poker run" means a game of chance using playing cards that requires a player to travel from one geographic location to another in order to play the game.

Legislative History

PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW). PL 2009, c. 652, Pt. C, §3 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 652, Pt. C, §4 (AFF). PL 2013, c. 149, §1 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 218, §2 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 117, §§2, 3 (AMD).