An Act To Authorize Nonprofit Organizations To Conduct Tournament Games
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0892
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: PATRICK, BRYANT, BLANCHARD, BROWNE, CROCKETT, HOGAN, MOORE, PINKHAM, THERIAULT, STRIMLING
Amends: 17 MRSA §333-A

Legislative Document 
No. 892 
H.P.677 
House of Representatives, February 28, 2007 
An Act To Authorize Nonprofit Organizations To Conduct 
Tournament Games 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative PATRICK of Rumford. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRYANT of Oxford and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BLANCHARD of Old Town, BROWNE of Vassalboro, CROCKETT of 
Augusta, HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, MOORE of Standish, PINKHAM of Lexington 
Township, THERIAULT of Madawaska, Senator: STRIMLING of Cumberland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 17 MRSA §333-A is enacted to read: 
§333-A. Tournament games 
The Chief of the State Police may issue a license to conduct tournament games as 
provided in this section to an organization eligible to conduct beano games under chapter 
13-A and games of chance under this chapter. For purposes of this section, "tournament 
game" means a game of chance played using a deck of cards with rules similar to poker 
or other card games. The Chief of the State Police may not issue a tournament game 
license to an organization more than once per month. 
1. Municipal approval. An organization that intends to apply for a tournament 
game license must first receive approval by the local governing authority where the 
games are to be conducted. Proof of municipal approval must be provided to the Chief of 
the State Police upon application for a tournament game license. 
2. License application. An organization must submit a license application to the 
Chief of the State Police on a form provided by the Chief of the State Police. The license 
application must specify one or more charitable organizations that the proceeds of the 
tournament are intended to benefit. 
For the purposes of this section, "charitable 
organization" means any person or entity, including any person or entity in a foreign 
state, that is or purports to be organized or operated for any charitable purpose or that 
solicits, accepts or obtains contributions from the public for any charitable, educational, 
humane or patriotic purpose. 
3. License. The license fee for a tournament game license is $5 per tournament 
player. 
4. Tournament. The organization licensed to conduct a tournament game under this 
section shall display the rules of the game and the license issued to conduct the 
tournament. The maximum number of players allowed is 100. Winners are determined 
by a process of elimination. The use of currency is prohibited as part of tournament play. 
The maximum entry fee to play in the tournament is $100, except the organization may 
add $5 to the entry fee to defray the cost of the license application. Only one entry fee is 
permitted per person. A tournament must be completed within 48 hours. Other games of 
chance are prohibited, except for lucky seven or similar sealed tickets. 
5. Proceeds. Seventy-five percent of the entry fees under subsection 4 must be paid 
as prizes to the winners of the tournament. Of the money remaining after the payment of 
prizes, 75% must be distributed to the charitable organization or organizations listed on 
the license application pursuant to this section. 
6. Cost of administration; surplus. The Chief of the State Police may retain, from 
license fees collected in accordance with subsection 3, only an amount necessary to 
defray the costs of administering this section. All fees collected in excess of the amount 
necessary to defray the costs of administration must be allocated as follows: 
A. Twenty percent to the River Valley Technology Center; 
B. Forty percent to the Fractionation Development Center; and 
C. Forty percent to the General Fund. 
SUMMARY 
This bill authorizes the Chief of the State Police to issue a tournament game license 
to organizations that are eligible to conduct beano games and games of chance and that 
have received municipal approval. 
Seventy-five percent of the proceeds after the 
payment of prizes would be required to go to a charity designated in the license 
application submitted to the Chief of the State Police. An organization would be limited 
to one license per month. The maximum entry fee would be $100 and the maximum 
number of players would be 100. The license fee would be $5 per person. The bill 
provides that the Chief of the State Police may only retain revenue from license fees in an 
amount to cover administration of tournament games. License fees collected in excess of 
those used to defray administrative costs are divided between the River Valley 
Technology Center, the Fractionation Development Center and the General Fund.