Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007

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Wyoming may allow 'social' poker games in bars

By Sarah Polson

The Wyoming Senate Travel Committee voted unanimously Thursday to support a bill that would change state policy to allow friendly poker games in public. The change would allow social poker games to take place in bars.

People are allowed to gather in public places such as bars and restaurants in the state to play other games such as cribbage. However, a 2004 opinion from Attorney General Pat Crank said that friendly games of poker in public were against the law.

The attorney general believes that businesses could indirectly profit from the games by selling more beer or coffee, which would violate Wyoming's gambling laws.

Committee chairman Sen. Bruce Burns told local media that the attorney general's opinion went against what had been common practice in the state for the past 100 years. The change in the law would just help return things to how they'd been before.

Under the new bill, friends will be able to gather in public establishments to play poker if they want to. But the law will not allow establishments to sponsor tournaments between strangers.

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