Illegal Tournaments

[Sephiroths Masamune]

I swear I've seen a topic like this before.

Utah has a ban on gambling, so technically Video game tourneys are illegal there too.

 

[Oracle]

Technically smash tournaments aren't decided randomly so it's not gambling. It's still a contest of skill, regardless of the medium.

Spoiler

Good luck arguing that in court though lol

 

[Sephiroths Masamune]

I feel the same way, but that still doesn't change the fact that it's illegal here.

 

[Rockin]

so i guess the moral of the story is, no one enforces laws like this. thanks to ampharos for digging up that info.

this one time at a rhode island tournament, the URI campus shut down the whole event after low tier because they saw money exchanging hands and said the tournament could only continue without cash prizes. so kdj and cort went to wendy's to get their money and the rest of the tournament had to be free. so even though it wasn't state law, URI considered the tournament as 'gambling'. stupid

(but since kdj/cort/darc all ended up leaving i got 2nd and a huge silver medal on AiB so i guess it worked out..lmfao)


and poyo, that's why only brawl tournaments are illegal JUST KIDDING

Same issue got tossed in my face for this

In janurary I held a tournament at my university (FIU, Miami, FL. last august was 61 entrants, this time was 45) and I ran it as normal... Then when I tried holding another one, I was told I can't run another one cuz it was considered gambling..

I was given the notice about the FL law and it states

Whoever by herself or himself, her or his servant, clerk or agent, or in any other manner has, keeps, exercises or maintains a gaming table or room, or gaming implements or apparatus, or house, booth, tent, shelter or other place for the purpose of gaming or gambling or in any place of which she or he may directly or indirectly have charge, control or management, either exclusively or with others, procures, suffers or permits any person to play for money or other valuable thing at any game whatever, whether heretofore prohibited or not, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

Now I called BS on that because there are more rules of the law on that. Now in order for me to even get it running again (Regardless I'm not running anymore brawl tournaments at my school since i'm graduating). I had to go through the higher-ups of the university!

http://www.gambling-law-us.com/State-Laws/Florida/ (My reference)

now I read through everything on that site and words involving skill apply to amusement machines (coin operated, a la Arcade). Barely any mention whatsoever about console games! Most of the law mentions cards and games of luck... so wtf

But, the law states that one can't bet on the outcome of a game (Lets say, I bet $500 for such and such to win the tournament

A lot of campus/colleges are pretty sensitive towards any type of video game tournament, to which most would see it as 'gambling,' so it's no surprise that they shut it down so quickly. Colledges/campuses like to keep a good image on them you know.

 

[DtJ SmithZzz]

Wow what a bump.

A tournament in NC got busted at UNCG and the host got in a lot of trouble.

 

[Jonas]

I swear I've seen a topic like this before.

It's because it's the same old topic that got bumped because someone wanted to hate on Brawl.

 

[-Ran]

Though an old topic, I'll shed some light from the Louisiana perspective. I actually talked to a lawyer about it due to being a tournament organizer in my state.

A. (1)(a) Gambling is the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit.

Comma splices ruin most things, also statements that cover would even cover a person having a job, or anything. I'll talk to my friend that's a lawyer, and I'll let you know. Most states have a skillful competition rule.

Alright, here's the copy and paste from my lawyer friend:

My reading of the gambling provisions would cause me to say that a tournament would likely be fine. The code itself only speaks against gambling as a business. If the organizers are taking no money from this then they are making no profit and hence likely cannot be said to be a business.

Section 14.90 also requires 5 or more people in its organization and operation, along with 30 days continual usage, or if less than gross revenue of 2,000.

All that I've written at the moment assumes that any tournament is being held on private property, if in public than another part of the section would apply. At this point you would likely have to look into a permit for this matter and then tax considerations would be taken into account. Since poker is not considered a "skillful competition" by the courts I doubt video games will be either.

From what I understand though, skillful competition matters mostly for tax purposes, not gambling. Fantasy sports is considered gambling, but usually it has an attached amount it must be over for it to matter.

Again, the LA sections I've seen on gambling only refer to it being conducted as a business, friends putting together a tournament in which the organizers get no profit does not seem applicable. I'll look around some more and see what I think but that is my initial assessment.

So there you have it, in Louisiana as long as you're not making a profit as an organizer, you're in the clear.

 

[LLDL]

if we're lucky, maybe we can get brawl tournaments eradicated from existence via random tripping interpreted as chance.

Brb supreme court.

x D

 

[Deleted member]

Lol. I didn't realize I bumped this old thread.... Somebody linked it from the Melee forum and I posted w/o looking at the date.

Also, I got infracted for my post in this thread, not for bumping an old thread unnecessarily but for trolling.... that Mod must have no sense of humor at all.

Because I seriously brought this issue up to the Supreme Court of the United States right?

 

[TP]

Lol. I didn't realize I bumped this old thread.... Somebody linked it from the Melee forum and I posted w/o looking at the date.

Also, I got infracted for my post in this thread, not for bumping an old thread unnecessarily but for trolling.... that Mod must have no sense of humor at all.

Because I seriously brought this issue up to the Supreme Court of the United States right?

Melee vs Brawl is universally trolling. Everyone knows that.

 

[DtJ Hilt]

I won't say the joke wasn't funny, lol.