AUTHOR: Jerry "Jet" Whittaker
TITLE: BRIT COPS SUED BY POKER LEAGUE
DATE: 5:06 AM
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BODY:
English police officials who advised local public houses (bars) in West<br>Mercia that hosting poker games could cost their license may have some<br>explaining to do following litigation launched by a poker league this week.<br>The trade publication The Publican reports that the Nuts Poker League, which<br>organises poker games in UK pubs is suing the West Mercia police on grounds<br>that the cops misled pubs on the issue of whether the league games were<br>legal. The case stems from a letter the West Mercia Police sent to licensees<br>last December warning them that hosting poker games could result in licenses<br>being pulled. The League claims the letters were misleading and caused some<br>pubs to cancel their league events, unfairly costing both the pubs and the<br>League revenue. &quot;We have seen substantial growth [in poker] in many areas of<br>the country, but there has been a downturn in the West Mercia region,&quot; Steve<br>Bellis, Nuts Poker League managing director said to The Publican. He added<br>that though the League has launched proceedings, it still hopes that the<br>police may settle out of court. The Publican says that under the U.K. 1968<br>Gaming Act, it is currently illegal for pubs to host poker without a gaming<br>license except under certain conditions. But because the league plays for<br>points and not money, and there is no monetary rake or public access to the<br>games, the UK Gaming Commission has opined that it is technically in a grey<br>legal area under the Gaming Act.
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