The nation’s poker players are enlisting lawyers to keep them from running afoul of gambling laws.

A group called the Poker Players Alliance started operating a Litigation Support Network last week.

The alliance gives members free referrals to lawyers who can advise them on how to avoid overstepping legal limits while betting on their poker games.

“With the myriad local, state and federal laws impacting poker, the Litigation Support Network is an important service that our members can and should use,” said former New York Sen. Alfonse M. D’Amato, chairman of the Poker Players Alliance.

The nonprofit group claims to have nearly a million members nationwide.

Members play their games at private homes, taverns, charity events or over the Internet.

As long as they do not bet money, no state law allows for prosecution of poker players. Even if they gamble with only small amounts of money between friends in private games, there is almost no chance of prosecution.

But when the level of gambling could be considered a business, state and federal laws either require a license or forbid it outright.

That’s where the Litigation Support Network comes in. The Poker Players Alliance wants poker players to know when they step over the line to operating a business.

“The patchwork of state and local laws relating to poker is leaving [Poker Players Alliance] members confused about what is legal and what is illegal,” said Patrick Fleming, a lawyer who leads the Litigation Support Network.

The proliferation of online poker games and gambling has led to more police raids of suspected gamblers, according to the alliance.

Click here to go to the article and read more.

Author Contact Info: Tom Ramstack, The Washington Times