Gambling in bars in CO

[Circuits]

Gambling is not illegal in colorado - running a casino without a license is.

But, most bars will restrict or forbid gambling on their premises, to avoid the appearance of impropriety, which might cost them their liquor license.

[ChadAmberg]

Wasn't there a big deal in Palmer Lake several years back where they were doing this in a bar, and they called in the SWAT team or something?

Yeah.. here we go: http://www.strike-the-root.com/51/langr/langr2.html

Palmer Lake, Colorado, April 26, 2005--Local law enforcement agents burst into Guadala Jarra restaurant in Palmer Lake, training their already-drawn guns onto the heads of the sea of criminals seated at the tables. Laser sighting allowed them to train red dots on the points at which their bullets would penetrate the skulls of the dangerous occupants of the restaurant. Police officials barked out orders to the restaurant, and managed to keep the crowd at bay by threatening to splatter brains all over the poker cards and chips on the tables.

Yeah, I know that's a bit dramatic, but the story is there.

[Mtn.man]

Little old ladies gamble and drink at community centers every weekend.

[bjl913]

Wasn't there a big deal in Palmer Lake several years back where they were doing this in a bar, and they called in the SWAT team or something?


Yeah.. here we go: http://www.strike-the-root.com/51/langr/langr2.html

Wow! Crazy stuff! It looks like the reason they ended up doing something about it was the fact that the owner seemed to be "sponsering" it. Although he wasnt taking a cut from the games, he was using cash gambling as his gimmick to get people in his bar, and make the bar more money.

Looks like I have found out the info I needed from everybody here. Thanks again guys. I just needed the confirmation that my research was accurate!

~Ben

[Circuits]

The other interesting tidbit about the palmer lake raid is that all charges were eventually dropped. Some folks copped a plea, early, but anyone who said "screw you" to the state and held out got null-prosecuted in the end.

A bar allowing legal gambling on its premises may lose its liquor license for violating community standards or some such crap, but no crime has occurred if the gamblers know each other socially, outside of the gambling activity.

When/if the house starts taking a cut, or using the (money) gambling as a draw, then it becomes illegal for the house.

[bjl913]

The other interesting tidbit about the palmer lake raid is that all charges were eventually dropped. Some folks copped a plea, early, but anyone who said "screw you" to the state and held out got null-prosecuted in the end.

A bar allowing legal gambling on its premises may lose its liquor license for violating community standards or some such crap, but no crime has occurred if the gamblers know each other socially, outside of the gambling activity.

When/if the house starts taking a cut, or using the (money) gambling as a draw, then it becomes illegal for the house.

Thats kinda how I saw it. My take on the whole palmer lake thing is the local PD did some shitty investigative work, and didnt do their research on the problem before involving another jursidiction to make the raid. They saw that the owner was possibly promoting it, or getting the word out that his buddies play poker there, and instead of waiting until the case built so they could prove disprove any reasonable doubt in court, they jumped the gun and made a bust before anybody really did anything wrong! Now if they had waited 6 weeks or 6 months, who knows? The owner may have been passing out flyers and buying new poker tables to have these events, then the PD would have built alot better case when it went to court once they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was using the gambling to increase profits for his business.

[Irving]

When/if the house starts taking a cut, or using the (money) gambling as a draw, then it becomes illegal for the house.

I don't think this is necessarily true. Well, the part about the house taking a cut is true. But using the gambling as a draw can't be true or there wouldn't be hundreds of different free role games at any given bar in the state every single night.