Author Topic: The Garage under scrutiny  (Read 2922 times)

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mrmacacan

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The Garage under scrutiny
« on: October 01, 2010, 17:39:34 PM »
As you all know me and Mrs mac are banned from the G casino, long storey but there it is.
As part of there procedure they complained about the Garage to the gambling commission.
I have no problem with this as I have said before.

So today I had a visit.

Actually not from the gambling commission but some guy from the council and a police officer with a knowledge of the gambling law.
They are to report back to the gambling commission.

First thing they said they just want to see what it was all about, no problem.

Showed them the Garage, it was set up for my 10 seater tomorrow.
The first thing they was interested in was the fruit machine (play money), I told them it was only for fun, they accepted this but
stated it"s only a matter of pressing a button and it"s real money (they are correct).
So we discussed several ways for me to run it on real money legally, they said licence the house as a pub and pay the
fee and you have no problem with the poker either, wrong the poker would then have a weekly limit.
I told them the machine only takes room up so it will be on eBay next week.

I was then asked about the rake I take (knew this might be a problem), I said this is to cover my expense of tea,coffee, supper and other
stuff.
They said it is illegal to charge this, I told them no problem I will stop charging it but I know the players are still going to pay it.
To that he shrugged his shoulders.
The biggest problem was how it was all laid out on my web site, (it states the rake on here).
No problem I will change the web site to suit no rake.
I was then asked how much we play for, I said that was irrelevant we could play for any stake we wanted but I told him.

One of them said it"s got a bit bigger than a home game here, I said no it"s a home game once a week with friends and acquaintances.
They said they had not come to charge me with any offences but I must bear in mind that a few people in the London area have
had some big fines for doing what I am doing.
I have not heard of any home games being busted.

Any way at the end I said OK I will lose the fruit machine, change the web site and stop the rake, will that be OK.
They did not really answer all they said was they would report back to the gambling commission.

So my game tomorrow is still on.

I will implement the three changes then see what happens next.
Cheers

mrmacacan.

Possibly the best Home Games in the UK: 

http://www.chorleypokerleague.com/

AMRN

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Re: The Garage under scrutiny
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2010, 18:02:32 PM »
ridiculous

jbworldwide

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Re: The Garage under scrutiny
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2010, 18:36:10 PM »
call it a VSD, voluntary service donation and the rake problem is solved
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Paulie_D

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Re: The Garage under scrutiny
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2010, 18:46:53 PM »

ridiculous


Nope....standard..the facts are that he was in breach of the Gambling Act (based on his comments).

It"s wasn"t a home game based on the allowed criteria....something that is easily established by a quick skim of the legislation.

Hate the law by all means...but obvious breaches will guarantee you a visit...and now he"s on the list.
“Thor has Mjolnir but I have a banhammer. I think I win”

SirPercival

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Re: The Garage under scrutiny
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2010, 18:53:31 PM »
I tried looking at the website in your sig.

Got this message:

Harmful web site blocked:
http://www.chorleypokerleague.com/

??? ???

mrmacacan

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Re: The Garage under scrutiny
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2010, 19:51:54 PM »

I tried looking at the website in your sig.

Got this message:

Harmful web site blocked:
http://www.chorleypokerleague.com/

??? ???




works for everyone else ????????????????


8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Cheers

mrmacacan.

Possibly the best Home Games in the UK: 

http://www.chorleypokerleague.com/

mrmacacan

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Re: The Garage under scrutiny
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2010, 19:53:01 PM »

call it a VSD, voluntary service donation and the rake problem is solved



Thought about this, not sure if it will pass the test though.


8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Cheers

mrmacacan.

Possibly the best Home Games in the UK: 

http://www.chorleypokerleague.com/

furnesspoker

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Re: The Garage under scrutiny
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2010, 09:42:10 AM »
Having been under the eyes of the law, a few years ago when the laws started to come in I ran several games in the Furness Area, I find that "under Investigation" is their way of giving you a gentle nudge in the right direction, I believe nowadays the main points of the law are

Protect the vulnerable (this is where total prize pools and what a person can spend are restricted)
Eliminate Illegal Activity (Basically keep the criminals out of scamming people)
Profiteering from Gambling (Yes this is where they will restrict you rake and I have actually seen some CRAZY games go on, such as people running games where all the rebuys are kept by the organisers!)

The way forward I think is to keep your prizepool within the limits and rather than rake, their is nothing illegal about having an honesty box and I am sure that players attending your events would have no problem at all in throwing some dosh in the box.

Hope everything works out for you