As reported by: Laramie Boomerang Online
When Mike Hopkins agreed to host poker tournaments at his bar last year, he never guessed his liquor license might be at stake.

Now, Hopkins is hoping he hasn't inadvertently gambled away much more than that.

“That liquor license is my livelihood,” said Hopkins, who owns the Cowboy Saloon and Buckhorn Bar in Laramie. “We're not going to allow these tournaments anymore - I don't want to take that risk.”

For now, Hopkins is waiting to see how his hand will unfold. The city attorney's office is contemplating whether to press criminal and civil charges against Hopkins and other bar owners who've hosted poker tournaments in recent months.

Even the players themselves could face fines of up to $750.

“I'm really surprised by all of this,” Hopkins said. “To me, (poker) seemed like it was no different than pool and dart leagues, where you take winnings at the end.”

Hopkins started hosting poker tourneys at the Cowboy and Buckhorn six months ago, at the urging of a customer who was a fan of “Texas Hold ‘Em” tournaments. At the time, bars in Casper and Cheyenne also were hosting the games.

Contestants paid $10 to enter the tournament and were given a set number of chips with no monetary value. The player who ended up with the most chips was considered the winner. At the end of the night, the $500 pot was divided between the top three players.

Last November, Laramie police shut down a poker game at the Cowboy. Hopkins complied and no tickets were issued.

“We didn't decide to crack down on this,” Interim Police Chief Jim Kyritsis said. “The officers were working on underage drinking and came upon the games. It was their opinion that it was illegal.”

Hopkins continued hosting tournaments at the Buckhorn until Feb. 3, when police again asked him to stop. At the time, he said there was some uncertainty about the legality of poker, so he decided to continue the games, awaiting the city attorney's ruling.

State law makes it clear that professional gambling is illegal in Wyoming. However, City Attorney Peggy Trent said what is not so clear is whether Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments are professional gambling.

According to statutes, there are several exceptions to what constitutes gambling.

For instance, the legal definition of gambling doesn't include “any game, wager or transaction which is incidental to a bona fide social relationship, is participated in by natural persons only, and in which no person is participating, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling.”

Professional gambling involves making a profit by aiding or inducing someone to gamble. Winners are determined by chance, not skill.

Hopkins said he didn't consider the tourneys a form of professional gambling because he didn't make a profit, either directly or indirectly. In fact, he lost money.

“Players are there more for the game than for drinking,” Hopkins said. “I'd say half of them didn't drink. I don't see how I gained money at all, because I always had to pay an employee to run the games.”


Article By: Laramie Boomerang Online