Commissioners loosen rules on charity games

Fewer organization members needed for poker

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

The county's Gambling Permit and Review Committee drafted an amendment to the Calvert County Rules and Regulations after concluding that the previous requirement of 10 dealers at all charitable card games was unreasonable. The committee met in early September to discuss allowing self-dealing at charity games.

Under the amendment, which passed 4-1 with Commissioner Linda Kelley (R) dissenting, only two members of the permitted organization must be present as supervisors during Texas Hold'Em games while players will be allowed to rotate shuffling and dealing responsibilities. The amendment does not allow self-dealing at cash tables or tables where a tournament's final contestants are competing.

Surrounding counties have similar rules, according to a memo written to the commissioners by Sheriff and committee Chairman Mike Evans.

"Given that these are charitable organizations, the regulations place an undue burden on their time commitment for raising funds, when in fact much of that time should be devoted towards the actual charitable organization activities," Evans said in the memo.

Organizations must be permitted to host charitable gambling events.

The Huntingtown Volunteer Fire Department did not hold such an event last year due to its inability to get 10 dealers, who must be 21 years or older, to commit the requisite time, according to the memo. The committee expects the amendment to allow organizations to hold more charity events per quarter.

Kelley said the 10-dealer requirement was instituted to ensure thorough participation by organizations permitted to hold charitable gambling events and was against the amendment, which she thought would increase gambling in the county.

jnewman@somdnews.com