GUIDELINE 3 – COMPETITIONS IN CARD ROOMS
 
The following Guidelines apply to all competitions run or sponsored in Great Britain by licensed casino operators, whether or not all or part of the competition takes place in licensed casino premises.

1. Entry for players to the competition shall be by entry stakes and “re-buy” stakes only, both of which must be of the same amount.

2. All entry stakes and re-buys shall be returned to winning players as prize money. No monies taken from entry stakes or re-buys may be retained by the casino.

3. At the casino’s discretion, a competition registration fee may be charged in addition to the entry stake.   This fee must not exceed an amount up to or equal to 10% of the entry stake, with a maximum ceiling of £50.   In accordance with Section 14 of the Gaming Act, a schedule of all competition registration fees must be clearly displayed in the Card Room of any casino participating in the competition.

4. All players shall be given, and retain, a receipt for their entry stake from a sequentially numbered duplicate receipt book.  This receipt shall show the player’s name and will separately record the amount of the entry stake, the amount of any registration fee and the total combined amount paid.  A separate receipt book shall be maintained for all subsequent re-buys by players and shall include the player’s name and the amount.

5. A list of players in the competition showing their names and the stake entered shall be retained and displayed for the information of all participants, for a period of 24 hours following the conclusion of the competition.

6. The rules of the competition shall be displayed in the Card Room in a prominent position.  They must include a clear notice of the time the competition is due to start and the length of time that re-buys can be accepted.  

7. Re-buys may only be permitted where the value of chips remaining in front of a player is 50 % or less than the chip value issued to him in exchange for his original entry stake.   

8. At the discretion of the casino, a maximum of one “top up” re-buy may be issued to each player at the end of the re-buy period, irrespective of the value of chips remaining in front of him. 

9. Any specific conditions relating to re-buys must be detailed in the competition rules.  For example, whether “top up” re-buys are to be permitted, whether the number of re-buys per player is to be limited and the amount of chips that a player must have remaining in front of them before a re-buy may be issued.

10. The rules should refer to playing “with” stakes and not “for” stakes (i.e. entry stakes or re-buys).  Reference should also be made to the fact that no participation charge for the competition will be withheld by the casino from either entry stakes or re-buys.

11. Where a competition extends over more than one day or session, a re-buy accepted on any subsequent day or session shall have the same value as the initial entry stake.

12. The final winners of the competition shall receive all the stake money entered in the competition, and there shall be no restriction placed on the use of winnings. The only exception is where the competition is clearly designated beforehand as a “Satellite Qualifier” for a subsequent competition or tournament, to be held either in this country or elsewhere (see points 15 - 21 below).  

13. Winners shall sign and date a receipt, or similar document, as having received their winnings. This will clearly show whether the prize was received in cash or (where the competition was designated as a “Satellite Qualifier”) whether qualification into a subsequent competition or tournament was accepted.  Thereafter, the result of the competition or “Satellite Qualifier” shall be displayed for 24 hours.

14. Travel expenses and accommodation costs may be paid, from within Britain or abroad, for winners to travel to, and stay at, any location in the UK providing that these expenses are the prize or part of the prize for that competition, and there is no requirement to take part in gaming at that location as a condition of those expenses being paid.  

15. Where travel and accommodation expenses are paid as part of the prize in a “Satellite Qualifier”, winners must not be required to participate in the further competition as a condition of receiving the hotel and accommodation expenses.  However, they may be expected to forfeit the entry stake to that further competition, won in the “Satellite Qualifier”, if they elect not to participate.  

“Satellite Qualifiers”

16. The competition rules must clearly state if winners are required to take qualification into a subsequent satellite or competition as their compulsory prize, or as part of that prize.  The date and location of the subsequent competition(s) must also be made clear.  Players may then freely choose whether or not to enter the competition on these terms.   Such an event must therefore be called a “Satellite Qualifier”, and not simply a “Competition”, in order to avoid any doubt.

17. Where the subsequent competition is to take place overseas, the “Satellite Qualifier” competition rules must clearly state whether the winning qualifiers are expected to pay their own transport and accommodation costs, or whether these expenses will be met by the organiser as part of the prize.

18.  “Satellite Qualifier” contests may be used to generate qualifiers into further “Satellites” (each with a higher entry stake than the last) ultimately leading to qualification into a main competition or tournament.    However, the rules must make it clear to players from the outset whether further “Satellite Qualifiers” are required before entry into the main competition may be achieved.  The rules must also state the format that these additional satellites will take.

19. Winners of “Satellite Qualifiers” must not be required to pay an additional entry fee for subsequent “Satellites” or competitions.   If the subsequent event is to be organised by the same casino or operator (either held in the UK or abroad) entry must therefore be provided free of any registration fee.   

20. Where the subsequent event is organised overseas by a different operator, the “Satellite” prize pool must be divided into qualifier amounts that include both the entry stake and any registration fee that is payable to enter the subsequent overseas “Satellite” or competition.

21. The competition rules will state the way in which any odd prize money will be split amongst winning players (being the amount remaining after the prize pool has been divided into the maximum number of qualifying places possible).

22. The casino must provide a full audit trail showing the transfer of all stake monies received from a “Satellite Qualifier” into the entry stake pool of the subsequent competition or tournament.  This is particularly important where the subsequent event is not being held at the same casino as the original “Satellite”.

Competition Prizes
 
23. At its own discretion, a casino may contribute additional prize money to a competition.  Additional prize money for a competition may also be provided through sponsorship.

Poker Only
 
24. In addition to the above, poker competitions shall also be subject to the following:-

a) The stake entered in the competition, whether by cash or cheque, shall be exchanged for gaming chips having a points value provided that value is clearly established before the competition commences.  The points value must be the same for each entry stake and re-buy.  The stake of chips to be used in the competition must be issued by the cash desk, on signature, and a chip control sheet must be maintained.

b) All entrants shall be on the premises at the start of the competition.  No new players may be permitted to join a poker competition after it has commenced.

c) The latest time for re-buys shall be clearly advertised, strictly adhered to and cannot be altered.

d) Table seating shall be determined by a “draw” and not at the discretion of management or players.

e) In the final game of a poker competition the casino shall provide:-

 
(i) a Dealer from its certificated staff, and

(ii) Supervision by an experienced and certificated member of staff with Card Room training.

25. For competitions run in Britain, Gaming Board inspectors shall have right of access to the competition at all times, and access to all records, whether or not on casino premises.  Records must be retained for a period of one year, other than for records for tournaments involving “Satellite Qualifier” competitions, which must be retained for three years.
 
Important Note

26. HM Customs and Excise have indicated that competitions conducted in strict compliance with these Guidelines are exempt from Value Added Tax, other than for Registration Fee income.

 
Information source: Gaming Board of Great Britain

last updated: June 2003