I am posting to report some good news for us NH players.

Some may remember me posting last year about the PPA effort to pass NH House Bill 459 which would have allowed NL games in the charity poker rooms, upped the charity betting limit and declared home poker games expressly legal under NH law. That bill sat dormant for a long time despite a favorable committee hearing (at which I testified).

Recently, however, the House Committee (Ways and Means) took the bill up again, and although they deleted the parts concerning charity poker, they voted unanimously to support the provision protecting home poker games!

The bill comes up for a vote in the full House this week, possibly as early as tomorrow. Bills that have been passed unanimously in committee usually pass the full House as well, but I am not taking any chances. I am calling my NH State Representatives and urging them to vote yes on HB 459. I hope some of you will too.

If you are not sure who your State House Representative is, you can find out at this state website: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx

There is also almost always an email address for contacting the Representative, and always at least a phone number.

While there have been very few cases of home poker games being prosecuted, there have been some. And many law enforcement officials believe home poker is illegal under current NH law (I don't, but I don't have the power to arrest you either). This bill will end all doubt and make Home Poker unquestionably legal. It deserves all our support.

Skallagrim

Sounds like good news. Can you expand a little on the effort to get NL games in the charity rooms? Is it dead for the forseeable future?

The effort is not dead, but the fact that the committee took that provision out of this bill shows that there is opposition to the idea and so it is not going anywhere fast.

I do expect it to come back this legislative session, however, probably in the context of the debate over the next casino bill and its effect on NH charity gaming.

Skallagrim

Home games that don't take a rake will now be legal in NH? Welcome to the Club Of All Of Us!

You may be surprised to find out that homes games which do not take a rake are actually ILLEGAL in many states (assuming poker falls under the legal definition of gambling in those states).

If poker is gambling, then your home game without a rake is illegal in Rhode Island and Vermont (though the penalty there is only a small fine) and quite possibly Massachusetts (MA gambling law is so ancient no one really knows exactly what it means until there is a court opinion). In Connecticut a home game is only legal if it is played by people with a "bone fide social relationship." And in Maine, probably the best of the New England states in this regard, a home game can become illegal gambling if the home owner charges more for beer than what was paid to buy the beer.

Just because people rarely (if ever) get charged for it does not mean it is legal.

Skallagrim

HB 459 easily passed in the NH House of Representatives today.

I will post again when it is being considered in the Senate.

Skallagrim

Just curious, does anyone know if there have been any decisions on whether smoking will be permitted in the Ma casinos ? What about free liquor ?

No smoking, I believe free booze will be allowed if I remember correctly.

Sent from my KFTT using 2+2 Forums

There's an article on page 1 of the main section of the Boston Sunday Globe (here's a link - registration required, I think: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/201...kYI/story.html) about the how the Massachusetts $600 threshold for having to pay taxes on winnings will apply in a live casino setting.

Can you imagine....."wow, my set over set held in 2/5. What a nice pot! Wait, what's with all these forms?!"

I'm guessing that worst case scenario it might stay the threshold for slots, but will not impact table game settings.

I read that too. It'll be interesting for sure. As a tournament player I would not be playing any tournaments if that was the case. Not worth it ever. For the smallish MTTs to the big ones where even a min cash might put you over the tax threshold.

Could care less about table games, but I imagine it will hurt it the sense that people will be less likely to travel to the State to play at the casinos. Boston, and Mass has alot to offer and the traveling gambler will just avoid Mass all together.

I'm not sure how cash games would work. I don't think they would ever stop you in game at the table. That would just be too absurb (but this is Massachusetts) but maybe you have to fill out a form if you cash out an amount greater than $600 at the cage. That makes little sense though as many 5/10 players could lose money and still cash out over that.

Ideally thinking, as we get passed the first step in this process, the powers that be will be ensure this doesn't happen even though there will be a stink made by someone over it.

I hope they remember to allow gambling....

Based on what we know to date, which casino operator would you prefer to get E. Mass. license? Wynn/Everett or Mohegan/Revere?

mod edit: I merged your new thread into here. The poll now sits at the top of this thread.

Chet Curtis passed away

I was REALLY bummed when Fred Cusick passed a few years ago. That guy was like an uncle who came to visit my house a few times/week, every time I turned on a B's game.

Mohegan FTW

Wow...two names from the past- and I met both of them several times.
Fred Cusick was a real good announcer, who simply vanished in the off-season. Except, I always knew where he was, because he, and my uncle, were both members at Hyannisport Club and I was lucky enough to play golf with him a few times, many years ago.
Chet Curtis, when he was married and on the 11pm newscast with Natalie Jacobsen, WCVB-5, has a habit of showing up at a place (after work, with Nat) called the Mill Falls Restaurant and Tavern in Newton Lower Falls, MA. They were Friday night regs in the Tavern after work. Chet really liked the gal I was dating at the time, a hotshot redhead who really liked him as well, btw.
The crowd always got a charge when they walked in and the piano player would announce them.
New England is a fun place, always has been....

Is it possible whoever decides about the casino license is like LOLnahjk and neither Mohegan or Wynn gets it?

Who offers a better poker room? I heard Mohegan will only have a 20 table room?

That's the only criteria that matters.

Wynn is likely to be a nicer casino and a nicer poker room, but I'll be happy to have a closer room whichever way it goes.

Wynn will also be built on contaminated grounds which the city won't allow any kind residential property to be built on. There was a big story in one of the Boston papers this past week about how bad the contamination actually is over there and how a majority of the grounds would be fenced off, especially in areas where the contamination readings are through the roof. The soil there is so polluted they won't be able to really do away with it. Cancer anyone?

I vote for whichever one is willing to get the most quality online Poker Site going in Massachusetts.

Seems like Mohegan Sun is at least moving in the right direction with their free roll site.

Yah I kinda feel this is a big issue for online players. I was hoping Caesars cause WSOP.com would be such a great brand and if states pooled players it would be awesome to be pooled with that brand.

Not sure but isn't Wynn already part of the All-American Poker Network? Who would Mohegan partner with if compacts happen?

Lots of unknowns and not sure how it will shake out over the next ten years or so.

Mohegan operates Resorts and they partnered with PokerStars in NJ

wtf is this **** about taxing every 600$ transaction. If thats the case MA casinos can suck my awesome genitalia. Ill jizz my chips over in Connecticut at Foxwoods if MA tries to **** us in the ass like that. ****ing weak ass bull**** . highroller degens ( glances behind shoulder) like myself will never accept this bull****. 600 $? 600 $ bitch are you for real? MA get your **** together no one will come play.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/201...kYI/story.html

seriously wtf MA. suck my nuts Ill keep driving to Foxwoods to play cards bitches.

lol at $600 being "high roller" just lol