Why wouldn't this make NY card rooms legal?

DesertCat · #1 11-02-2005, 02:41 PM

As I understand it, it's legal to have a card room (club) in NY, but it's illegal for the club to take rake from the pot.

So why not charge an hourly fee for a buffet and free drinks (pop). For example if a typical time charge is $10 per half hour, instead charge $20 per hour for some cheap food and drink?

This is such an obvious idea I'm sure it would have been tried if it would work. Does anyone know why it won't?

StevieG · #2 11-02-2005, 02:50 PM

The New York state law not only prohibits profiting from and advancing gambling. Merely providing the equipment and space to play could count as advancing.

This has been discussed here in the last week or so.

Edit: here's a link to a recent thread

BillsChips · #3 11-02-2005, 02:58 PM

It has been recently ruled in the New York courts that even charitable organizations cannot run Poker Tournaments. They can however offer Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, etc. because those games pit the players against the house and not each other. Absolute craziness!

Charging money for food or drink only does not circumvent the laws, nor does charging an entrance fee or time charge...all still illegal.

New York State seems very intent on sending millions, maybe billions of dollars of New Yorker's money to Foxwoods and Atlantic City.

#4 11-02-2005, 03:04 PM

I used to work at a country club in westchester, which is about 20 miles north of manhattan. At this club they had card tables, chips, and even hired a dealer towards the end of my time caddying there. Has anyone looked into the idea of establishing a private club with membership fees? The club would not necessarily be set up for poker. The police have never even stepped onto the country club property unless to play a round of golf paid for by the TOWN. If a private club were established, then the fees paid would go to club events and, therefore, profits would not be able to be traced. This is my optimist viewpoint on the situation. This idea might have been thought of, but I think it would be worth it to check with the city about setting up a social club.

BottlesOf · #5 11-02-2005, 03:14 PM

Sure, they'd just need the money and land to build a golf course next to the poker room.

playersare · #6 11-02-2005, 03:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Sure, they'd just need the money and land to build a golf course next to the poker room.

[/ QUOTE ]
how about miniature? lol

Luv2DriveTT · #7 11-02-2005, 03:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Has anyone looked into the idea of establishing a private club with membership fees? The club would not necessarily be set up for poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Its still illegal unfortunately. So is a members only not for profit, and social clubs where the members are owners of a cooperative. Each concept has been explored by owners in the past... all have failed to pass the test.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

#8 11-02-2005, 04:17 PM

This is the same concept that ticket scalpers use to sell tickets above the legal resale value - they sell you a baseball card for $400 and toss the tickets in as a gift. Unfortunatly, this is not a loophole that actually works since the effect is the same. All it does is inspire the customer to feel better about being part of a less than legal transaction.

Voltron87 · #9 11-02-2005, 04:46 PM

even if they were legal under the letter of the law the club would still get harassed by the cops if they wanted it closed and it would involve an extensive expensive legal case. not fun.

undathesea · #10 11-02-2005, 04:58 PM

Hmmm... I know I've seen this in another thread... but it still begs the question. I have been to Japan where gambling is illegal (althought it most likely has something to do with organized crime), yet they have a system in place that allows for it. Why can't something like the Japanese style be setup over here?

And, for those who are not familiar with the Japanese way of doing things. You receive your token or pachinko balls from a machine. When you are finished playing, you take the to the rear of the casino where they count your tokens or balls and then they give you "trinkets" that amount to certain denominations equal to what you have brought to the back. Then you take the "trinkets" across the street to a "trinket" buyer and he buys them from you for exactly what they're worth.

I think this could be a template for something interesting to solve the NYC problem. Albeit you'd probably have some tax issues there... I'm sure that most of those could be passed on to the player somehow. Charge for play time could be for the level of service you receive at that table... or something.

Meh, it's still probably never gonna happen. I just wish they could fix things up there.