An Act Regarding Licensing of Cribbage Tournaments
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0975
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: LUCHINI, LANGLEY, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 17 MRSA §1833-A

Legislative Document
No. 975
H.P. 688
House of Representatives, March 9, 2017
An Act Regarding Licensing of Cribbage Tournaments
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth.
Cosponsored by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock and
Representative: DAUGHTRY of Brunswick.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  17 MRSA §1833-A is enacted to read: 
§1833-A.  License exception 
Notwithstanding section 1832, a license to conduct a game of chance is not required 
for a cribbage tournament if the conditions listed in this section are met.  For the purposes 
of this section, "cribbage" means a card game that uses a board and pegs to keep score 
and of which the characteristic feature is a crib into which players discard cards from 
their dealt hand to create a crib of 4 cards unseen by other players that will be ultimately 
part of the dealer's hand.  In a cribbage tournament, winners are determined by a process 
of elimination.  A cribbage tournament may extend beyond a calendar day.  A person 
may operate a cribbage tournament without a license if the operator: 
1.  Licensed to sell liquor for on-premises consumption.  Is a person licensed to 
sell liquor for consumption on the premises under Title 28-A, chapter 43 as a restaurant 
or Class A restaurant or is licensed as a manufacturer under Title 28-A, section 1355-A 
and provides samples as authorized under Title 28-A, section 1355-A, subsection 2, 
paragraph A, B or F.  An employee of a licensee listed in this subsection is authorized to 
operate a cribbage tournament on behalf of the licensee; 
2.  Games to be played by patrons on the licensed premises 21 years of age or 
older.  Limits play to the location of the licensed establishment and to patrons of the 
licensed establishment who are 21 years of age or older; and 
3.  Operator may not profit.  Charges an entry fee not to exceed $25 per person for 
participation in the cribbage tournament.  All entry fees must be awarded as prizes to 
winners of the tournament for which the entry fees were paid, except that the operator 
may donate all or a portion of the entry fees to a charitable organization.  An operator 
may not receive anything of value from patrons for their participation in a cribbage 
tournament. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides that a license to conduct games of chance is not required for a 
cribbage tournament operated on the premises of a restaurant or Class A restaurant 
licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption or at a manufacturing 
facility where samples are provided or sold, commonly known as a tasting room.  The 
operator must limit participation to patrons of the establishment who are 21 years of age 
or older.  The operator of a game may not profit and all entry fees must be paid to players 
in the form of winnings or donated to a charitable organization.  Entry fees may not 
exceed $25 per person.