Maine Revised Statutes
Chapter 62: GAMES OF CHANCE
17 §1835. Conduct card games

§1835. Conduct card games
1. Wagers or entry fees for card games; exceptions. The following limits apply to a card game.
A. The maximum bet for a licensed card game in which bets are placed per hand or per deal is $5, inclusive of any raises made during the hand or deal. [PL 2019, c. 117, §2 (AMD).]
B. Licensed card games that award part or all of the entry fees paid to participate in the game as prize money and in which no money or thing of value is wagered except for the entry fee are limited to a $10 daily entry fee and no more than 60 players at any one time at any one location. [PL 2013, c. 218, §2 (AMD).]
C. Notwithstanding paragraph A, if the licensee operates card games for less than 3 total days in a calendar year and contributes 100% of the gross revenue from those games to charity, the amount wagered must be limited to:
(1) A $1 daily entry fee;
(2) Fifty cents per game; or
(3) Twenty-five cents per card received.
Prior to play of the game, the licensee shall determine which of the limits in subparagraphs (1), (2) and (3) is to be used and shall post the limit where the game is conducted. [PL 2019, c. 117, §2 (AMD).]
[PL 2019, c. 117, §2 (AMD).]
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.
[PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (AMD).]
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.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the tickets, tokens or other devices approved by the Gambling Control Unit must be unique to the agricultural society and may be in denominations of 25¢, 50¢, $1 or $5. The tickets, tokens or devices approved by the Gambling Control Unit may be sold and redeemed only by a person who has been a member or active volunteer of the agricultural society for at least 2 fair seasons. The agricultural society has the burden of proof for demonstrating the qualification of members or active volunteers.
An agricultural society that uses tokens shall provide records and reports as required by section 1839.
[PL 2019, c. 117, §2 (AMD).]
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.
A. [PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (RP).]
B. [PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (RP).]

[PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (AMD).]
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.
A. An agricultural society or a bona fide nonprofit organization may operate a card game on the grounds of an agricultural society and during the annual fair of the agricultural society. [PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (AMD).]
B. No more than one licensee may operate a card game at a time on the same premises. In any room where a licensed card game is being conducted, there must be at least one member of the licensee present in that room for every 2 nonmembers who are present. That member must have been a member of the licensee for at least one year. A member of the licensee, either directly or through another member or guest, may not stake or risk something of value in the licensee's card game unless the member has been a member of the licensee for at least 14 days not including the day of admission into membership. [PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (AMD).]
A bona fide nonprofit organization may operate a licensed card game to which the general public has access no more than 4 times in a calendar year for a period not to exceed 4 consecutive days. The licensed card game may be operated at any location described in the license and may be conducted only by members of the licensee.
[PL 2019, c. 117, §3 (AMD).]
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.
[PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
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.
[PL 2009, c. 487, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
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.
[PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. KKKKK, §17 (AMD).]
SECTION 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).