Back to Basics: Pub poker

Poker is the new karaoke. Walk down any high street, even before tournaments were officially legalised on September 1, and you'll see that pubs have embraced the game as a great way of pulling in trade on a quiet night.

It might have a hard-core gambling image, but poker in pubs is an altogether different animal to the game played in seedy backrooms at dodgy clubs, an entertainment rather than a fork in the road to the gutter or the stars.

Thankfully, the government has recognised this in the new Gambling Act, which came into force last week. Subject to certain rules, chieflyconcerned with limiting the amount of money played for, you can stagea poker tournament in your pub without breaking the law.

The Publican is linking up with gaming giant Ladbrokes to help promote poker in pubs and the ladbrokespoker.com Online Pub Poker Championship, which will see one publican win a poker cruise in the Caribbean.

Here, Ladbrokes partnerships manager for poker events Richard Packman answers questions about the new laws, and offers his top tips for running a poker tournament at your pub.

Why has the law changed?

The Gambling Commission recognises the popularity of poker and accepts that some people just want to play friendly, low-stakes social poker - it makes sense that your local pub is the ideal venue in which to play it.

What is the Gambling Commission?

The Gambling Commission regulates gambling in the public interest. It does so by keeping crime out of gambling, by ensuring that gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and by protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

The commission also provides independent advice to the government on gambling in Britain.

Can I now stage poker in my pub without a licence?

You do not need any kind of special gaming permit to host a poker tournament in your pub, but there are strict rules you must follow, otherwise you could lose your premises licence. Don't worry, they are pretty straightforward - but you must follow them.

Do the same rules apply to other venues, such as hotels and restaurants?

Yes, essentially all alcohol-licensed premises must adhere to these rules, although they are slightly different for private members' clubs.

What rules am I subject to?

If you wish to offer poker in your pub you should consult the 2005 Gambling Act and get your own independent legal advice first - the penalties for non-compliant gaming can be as severe as, for example, serving minors with alcohol.

However, the main rules for pubs to look out for are:

• players can only stake a maximum of £5 each per day
• total stakes cannot amount to more than £100 per day
• no participation fee, administrative fee, cover charge or membership subscription can be charged
• all money staked must make up 100 per cent of the prize pool. That is, no money can be deducted or levied from amounts staked or won
• all gaming equipment must be provided by the pub.

Licensees are also obliged to ensure everyone taking part in the game is made aware of the limits on stakes and prizes, and must keep a record of the amounts staked and won.

What is the maximum payout I can make?

You must pay out 100 per cent of the stakes, up to a maximum of £100 per day, and players cannot stake more than £5 each per day. So, for example, you could have a 20-person tournament with everyone paying £5 each, or a 100-person tournament with everyone paying £1 each.

Either way, no-one will be paying more than £5 each, and the total stakes/prize pool will not exceed the maximum limit of £100.

Who will be policing the new laws?

The Gambling Commission has recruited more than 200 inspectors to police and audit the new gaming laws.

If you are caught running non-compliant gaming activity on your premises you could lose your licence.

What about playing poker with chips - can players play with an unlimited amount?

The format of the tournament itself and how many chips each player starts with is up to you, as long as all the gaming laws are adhered to. So, theoretically, players could pay their £5 and get a million chips to play with!

Top tips for staging poker in pubs

• Make sure you have someone who is confident and knows what they are doing running a tournament. A keen poker player is a good start, but playing poker and running a poker tournament are two different things. As your licence is at risk you need to be confident that whoever you instruct to look after the tournament upholds the gaming laws and can confidently run a poker tournament.
• Decide how much space you want to set aside in your pub for a tournament and make sure you have enough tables and chairs for players and spectators as well as your regular customers who may not want to take part in the game. It is also worthwhile putting out some side tables for people to put their drinks on to stop these from getting knocked over.
• Once you know how much space you have, you can work out the maximum number of players who can take part. If you are going to play for money, this will determine the maximum buy-in for the tournament. Remember that no-one can pay more than £5 each as their buy-in, and the total stakes cannot exceed £100.
• Make sure you have an equal number of people on each poker table at the start of the tournament. As players get knocked out you need to keep the tables balanced until eventually you are down to just one table - 'the final table'
• Make sure that everyone who is playing - over-18s only - is fully aware of the stakes and that you keep a record of all money staked and won on your premises.