A popular poker game is drawing attention from state authorities who say charities and businesses sponsoring big-money tournaments may be skirting the law.

The popularity of Texas Hold'em has swept the country, fueled by several cable television programs. Dozens of games and tournaments have been staged around the state, some for charity, but some, authorities say, are just old-fashioned gambling.

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"We consider a lot of what is going on to be illegal," Patricia A. Malone, head of Boston's Office of Consumer Affairs, told the Boston Herald. She sent a warning letter to bar and nightclub owners last week, advising them that the law doesn't permit card games, even for fun, in establishments that sell alcohol.

"Even if it's a charitable activity, we want people to show they have proper licensing and know the rules," Malone said.

The state attorney general's office is preparing guidelines for charities about the games, said Jamie Katz, chief of the attorney general's Public Charities Division.

"We're concerned people might run into law enforcement issues if they aren't careful," he said. "It's our goal to ensure this gets done according to the law. But it is not our aim to shut this down for people who want to use it for charity."

State laws that regulate raffles and bazaars in social clubs, community centers and churches, limit cash prizes to $25 a person. Laws also ban "wagering of money or other items of value by one participant directly against another," but laws are vague on how much of a pool must go to charity.

Other states also are reviewing their laws to see how they apply to the Texas Hold'em craze, and cracking down to discourage potential violations by charities and bars.

Source: Associated Press