2015 -- H 5244

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LC000803

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GAMBLING AND LOTTERIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Amore, Lombardi, O'Brien, McKiernan, and Craven

     Date Introduced: January 29, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 11-19-1 and 11-19-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-19

entitled "Gambling and Lotteries" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     11-19-1. Forms of gambling prohibited. -- Every person who shall, directly or

indirectly, set up, put forth, carry on, promote, or draw, publicly or privately, any lottery, chance,

game, or device of any nature or kind whatsoever, or by whatsoever name it may be called, for

the purpose of exposing, setting for sale or disposing of any money, houses, lands, merchandise,

or articles of value, or shall sell or expose to sale lottery policies, purporting to be governed by

the drawing of any public or private lottery, or shall sign or endorse any book, document, or paper

whatsoever, for the purpose of enabling others to sell, or expose to sale, lottery policies, except as

authorized in this chapter inclusive of §§ 11-19-46 and 11-19-47 and in title 41 and chapters 61

and 61.2 of title 42, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned not exceeding two

(2) years or be fined not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000).

     11-19-19. Revocation of license of gambling place. -- If a person in violation of § 11-

19-18 or 11-19-47 is a tavernkeeper, innholder, retailer, or keeper of any other house or place of

public resort which is licensed, that license shall in addition be declared null and void by the court

in which he or she shall be convicted.

     SECTION 2. Chapter 11-19 of the General Laws entitled "Gambling and Lotteries" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

     11-19-46. Social gaming permitted. – (a) Social gaming defined as a game other than a

lottery, between players where gambling is incidental to a bona fide social relationship between

participants and where no person other than the players participating in the social game are

entitled to receive anything of value and provided that none of the participants are involved with

professional gambling shall be permitted under this chapter.

     (b) No host of a social game under this chapter shall be guilty of promoting a form of

illegal gambling when the host, in a private residence, offers gaming allowable under subsection

(a) of this section, provided that the participants are invitees of the owner/tenant, and the

owner/tenant derives no monetary benefit from and does not intend to derive a profit from aiding

or inducing another to gamble by hosting the event.

     11-19-47. Places social gambling permitted. – (a) Notwithstanding any general law to

the contrary, it shall not be illegal for any private business, private club or place of public

accommodation to allow on its premises social gaming allowed under § 11-19-46. Provided that

the owner or operator of the premises derives no monetary benefit from and does not intend to

derive a profit from aiding or inducing another to gamble by allowing the gaming to occur on the

premises; or

     (b) The running of "office pools" based on the result or occurrence of a social or sporting

event:

     (1) Provided that no money is withheld from the amount paid by the participants by the

operator or the promoter of the pool;

     (2) That all monies paid by the participants, as an entry fee or otherwise, are paid out to

the winner based on the result of the pool;

     (3) That prior to participation each entrant has an equal chance to win the pool;

     (4) Participants must be of legal age to gamble as provided for in this title;

     (5) That holders of liquor licenses who desire to are required to apply for a permit to

conduct such activities as part of the liquor license. Pay a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) to the

department of business regulation and display the permit prominently along with their liquor

license.

     (c) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, a nonprofit organization may petition

the state police to run a pool, in the same manner as proscribed in § 11-19-31, and withhold an

amount of the money in the pool for its charitable purposes, as long as the percentage of the

money to be withheld from the total amount of the pool does not exceed twenty-five percent

(25%) and is clearly spelled out prior to the entrants' participation, no outside agent or

professional fundraisers derive a profit from the activity, and that the disbursement of proceeds is

limited to the pool winner, de minimis expense incurred in running the pool and the charity itself.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GAMBLING AND LOTTERIES

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     This act would permit social gaming at certain locations where gambling is incidental to a

bona fide friendship and only players of the game would receive anything of value.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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