Bars to challenge Attorney General’s ruling on barroom poker tournaments
Tuesday 24th August 2004
Several Connecticut bar owners are challenging a ruling by Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, that bans poker tournaments from their premises. At least one Stanford bar is known to be taking action against the ruling after receiving warning letters from Blumenthal to desist staging the tournaments or face the consequences.
Blumenthal has argued that gambling is banned in the state unless the players involved have a ‘bona fide social relationship’, adding that a barroom poker game involving up to 100 players ‘does not satisfy the law'.
Three bars that were forced to cease their activities last July argue, however, that they sought advice, and received approval, from the state Liquor Control Division, and did not take a rake from the competitions.
State Rep. Peter Panaroni Jr came out on the side of the bar owners saying that, since players were betting points not money, it is questionable whether there was any gambling involved.
Several Connecticut bar owners are challenging a ruling by Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, that bans poker tournaments from their premises. At least one Stanford bar is known to be taking action against the ruling after receiving warning letters from Blumenthal to desist staging the tournaments or face the consequences.