01/31/2008
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Staff photo by Andy Molloy
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Staff photo by Andy Molloyfrom the Kennebec Journal
FAIRPOINT PLAN TARGETS DEBT
Wind project off Mass. meets strong resistance
Three bills seek tougher rules for petitioners
New rules for special education debated
Happy apples
AUGUSTA: Cuts to French curriculum run into opposition
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL: Hall-Dale drops MVC title game to Mountain Valley
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY NOTEBOOK: Different stakes in Gardiner-Winslow rivalry
All of today's:
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from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
'At the time ... he was psychotic'
Man answers door, is attacked with Mace and then robbed
FairPoint reorganization plan aims to slash company's debt
Concerns over special-education changes aired
FAIRFIELD: Clinton man, 21, arrested on rape, assault charges
Stun gun, arrest of suspect end high-speed, 2-town chase
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY NOTEBOOK: Gardiner, Winslow take to ice again
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Skowhegan wins KVAC A title game
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
Residents of Gardiner, Portland, Wells and Woolwich testified before a legislative committee on a bill that was designed to help them comply with state law regarding low-stakes games.
But instead of testifying in favor of the bill, they asked the committee not to regulate cribbage at all, arguing that it should be considered a game of skill, not a game of chance.
"You can be dealt a gosh-awful hand and if you play it right, you can advance up the board," said avid cribbage player Paul Rice of Wells.
The difference is important because while state law regulates games of chance, it does not regulate games of skill, such as darts, said Maine State Police Lt. David Bowler.
Rice and others told members of the Legislature's Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee that cribbage games held at legion halls or those sponsored by other charitable organizations don't need government oversight. They testified against a bill sponsored by Sen. Peter Mills, R-Cornville, who sought to lower the fees the groups are expected to pay for a license to hold the games.
Mills, who had to convince legislative leaders that his bill needed to be considered this year because it's an emergency, said cribbage is a critical part of the fabric of life in rural Maine.
"Up in Somerset County, we appreciate these small social amenities," he said. "Some of you more sophisticated people in southern Maine may have other forms of amusement, but we're very easily satisfied."
The issue came to the fore last fall, when a state gaming inspector told the American Legion Post 4 in Gardiner that they could no longer host cribbage games without buying a license. That incident caused many local clubs -- including those in Gardiner, Augusta and Winthrop -- to cancel their games due to the cost and the confusion surrounding state gaming laws.
Current law states that a license can cost anywhere from $7.50 per board per day to $700 per board per year, Bowler said.
Mills' bill, which is one of three cribbage-related bills that will come forward this year, proposes to set lower fees for charitable and fraternal organizations. Those groups would be able to operate cribbage games for up to 60 players at a time as long as they don't charge more than a $5 per person entry fee, prizes are awarded from entry fees only, and no additional gambling is allowed.
If they meet those requirements, they would be able to get a license for $30 a year.
Two other bills -- one sponsored by Rep. Stephen Hanley, D-Gardiner, and one submitted by Gov. John Baldacci -- also will attempt to address the issue. Neither has been printed yet, and the committee will consider them at a later date.
Much of the discussion at Wednesday's hearing focused on whether cribbage is a game of chance or a game of skill. House Chairman Rep. John Patrick, D-Rumford, questioned Rice at length about whether a game that involves a deck of cards can be considered a game of skill.
"What percentage of the game of cribbage do you consider skill?" Patrick asked.
Rice said "75 percent or more" depends on the skill of the player.
"In cribbage, every card you play and every card your opponent plays, you're trying to throw a curveball in there," Rice said.
But Bowler said as long as a deck of cards is involved, the state police considers it a game of chance.
"Such a random method of distributing something, like cards, it's going to be a game of chance," he said.
Mills agreed, saying that he didn't know how a law could be written to better define a game of skill versus a game of chance.
Others said the state police have better things to do than monitor cribbage games.
Jim Keenan, who's from Post 4 in Gardiner, said the legion raises money for their charitable mission by selling food and beverages to cribbage players who use their facility. The post maintains a fund to help needy children get clothing, he said.
"Nonprofit and fraternal organizations do an awful lot for communities," he said. "The state police has more than enough to do than go around to clubs."
And Rice, who plays in national tournaments, said cribbage should just be left alone.
"It's worked out great for hundreds of years without state oversight, and I would prefer it not begin now," Rice said.
Susan Cover -- 623-1056
scover@centralmaine.com
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