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An Act Regarding Licensing of Cribbage Tournaments
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  17 MRSA §1833-A  is enacted to read:
§ 1833-A. License exception
Notwithstanding section 1832, a license to conduct a game of chance is not required for a cribbage tournament if the conditions listed in this section are met. For the purposes of this section, "cribbage" means a card game that uses a board and pegs to keep score and of which the characteristic feature is a crib into which players discard cards from their dealt hand to create a crib of 4 cards unseen by other players that will be ultimately part of the dealer's hand. In a cribbage tournament, winners are determined by a process of elimination. A cribbage tournament may extend beyond a calendar day. A person may operate a cribbage tournament without a license if the operator:
 
1.  Licensed to sell liquor for on-premises consumption.     Is a person licensed to sell liquor for consumption on the premises under Title 28-A, chapter 43 as a restaurant or Class A restaurant or is licensed as a manufacturer under Title 28-A, section 1355-A and provides samples as authorized under Title 28-A, section 1355-A, subsection 2, paragraph A, B or F. An employee of a licensee listed in this subsection is authorized to operate a cribbage tournament on behalf of the licensee;
 
2.  Games to be played by patrons on the licensed premises 21 years of age or older.     Limits play to the location of the licensed establishment and to patrons of the licensed establishment who are 21 years of age or older; and
 
3.  Operator may not profit.     Charges an entry fee not to exceed $25 per person for participation in the cribbage tournament. All entry fees must be awarded as prizes to winners of the tournament for which the entry fees were paid, except that the operator may donate all or a portion of the entry fees to a charitable organization. An operator may not receive anything of value from patrons for their participation in a cribbage tournament.
 
SUMMARY
This bill provides that a license to conduct games of chance is not required for a cribbage tournament operated on the premises of a restaurant or Class A restaurant licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption or at a manufacturing facility where samples are provided or sold, commonly known as a tasting room. The operator must limit participation to patrons of the establishment who are 21 years of age or older. The operator of a game may not profit and all entry fees must be paid to players in the form of winnings or donated to a charitable organization. Entry fees may not exceed $25 per person.