Lenient Arizona Poker Laws
The United States has taken a controversial tough stance against forms of online
casino gambling – including internet poker, but some state governments are
having a difficult time truly enforcing some land poker laws. The latest issue
comes from Arizona, where a retired Judge is giving the police a run for their
money with his just-barely-legal poker gambling club. Various state governments
have grappled with the issue of enforcing legislation against private poker
games and tourneys, but retired judge Harold Lee is one of the first poker
gamblers to successfully operate a private poker club – and it’s land-based too
since online casinos in the U.S. are banned at this point.
The land and online casino poker industry news is just full of land poker
players arrested for private poker gambling activities from Colorado to North
Carolina, U.S. poker gamblers have been forced to contend with police raids and
arrests. Many supporters of legalizing the poker online casinos protest the
arrests, gamblers are just looking for a fun way to play poker and stay close to
home.
But other private poker gambling operations came into conflict with the police
because of the structure of the poker games. But it took a retired judge to
perfect private poker gambling club that the police have no authority to stop.
Lee’s land poker games have been referred to the police department on several
occasions, but there the Arizona government has yet prosecute – mainly because
they know they wont win the case.
Lee’s operation does not go near the controversial online casino gambling
industry, but instead he runs Texas Hold’m poker games for club members. The
trick around facing arrest – his poker club does not take a percent of the prize
pool during any of the poker games. Instead, players are encouraged to tip their
dealers, who are voluntarily working the poker rooms. In this unique structure,
the Arizona restrictions on land poker gambling is effectively circumvented. |