Is it Legal?
Most
state statues define gambling as having three distinct characteristics:
prize, chance, and consideration. If any of these three characteristics
are missing, the contract is within the law. Poker, by law, is
considered to be a game of “chance.” However, by removing the
“consideration” aspects of the law, or the commercial or financial
advantage to the promoter or the disadvantage to any participant, we
remove the main element of the statue.
What this means is that we
cannot charge a fee for players to be a part of the IHPL. There is no
“buy-in.” Furthermore, we cannot require players to make a purchase
from any of our host locations. There is no cash value to the chips
used in the IHPL sessions.
The
IHPL has established our league in such a manner that it removes any
question of legality. What we have developed is an in-house league of
players that are committed to developing their skill set while
participating in a competitive bracket style tournament. Many players
simply enjoy the social interaction that the game provides.
There
is absolutely no gambling permitted at any IHPL event. Any IHPL member
caught wagering any type of bet on any of the games associated with
IHPL will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law within that
jurisdiction.
IHPL is committed to legal obedience.
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