Dave in Minnesota sends along a plea for help … Apparently, even though poker was made \”more legal\” in his state in recent years, the Minnesota Gambling Commission doesn\’t want any sorta poker for a good cause — especially when there\’s no money and no prize involved!
A Mn state gambling \’forfeiture\’ agent told the Eagles if they held the benefit and tournament they would lose their gambling license, Travis would be jailed and fined! The officer said there can be no poker tournament when donations are received of any kind, including free will donation for the meal. No argument would be acceptable.
Dude, yuck. Without knowing the details of the situation or revised Minnesota statutes, all I can say is that law and politics have nothing to do with what makes sense or what is right … it\’s mostly about who gets a cut of any and all related monies. Sucks, I know … but hey, that\’s poker.
You want my (non-binding) advice? Tell that \”forfeiture agent\” to go fuck violently pleasure himself. Like seriously … here\’s a stick I just dipped into honey and then an ant pile … now please insert into your anus and enjoy. Yeah, that should do the trick.
But if no one is willing to go face-to-face with the threat of jail and make their point in the press, then you guys got nothin\’.
(\”Seven, eight, nine, ten … NOTHIN\’!\”)
Not trying to equate poker rights with civil rights … but it took people like Martin Luther King going to jail and raising a real stink to get some nonsensical laws changed.
With that in mind, however, it\’s a long process. We\’ve had multiple cases in Texas over the past few years where little kids in need have been denied help and funds because of bad-stupid-terrible \”gambling\” laws. No one has gone to jail over it … but we did have a potential bill that would have authorized charity events. it never made it out of committee last session. We have some similar legislation being written right now … so fingers crossed … we may experience a little government by-the-people/for-the-people by 2008.
It seems to me like the Minnesota law just needs a little tweaking, so that is easier than undoing a bad, prohibitive law or creating a whole brand-new law (and regulatory commission). But nothing will happen until you guys find a way to make it matter to people who could care less about poker. And a jilted charity happening ain\’t a bad way to start. It really becomes a matter of strategy … do you play nice with the enforcement agent in an effort to find your way in … or do you come over the top of his raise and try to make his life difficult, politically and otherwise?