Eliminating the penalty for participating in an office sports pool

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law prohibits betting for something of value or conducting a lottery, which is an enterprise wherein for a consideration the participants are given an opportunity to win a prize, the award of which is determined by chance, even though accompanied by some skill. A person may be fined not more than $1,000, imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both fined and imprisoned for betting for something of value or conducting a lottery. A person who is convicted of betting or lottery activities that constitute commercial gambling may be fined not more than $10,000, sentenced to a term of imprisonment (consisting of confinement followed by extended supervision) that may not exceed three years and six months, or both fined and imprisoned.

This bill provides that managing or participating in an office sports pool does not constitute betting or conducting a lottery. Under the bill, an office sports pool is a game in which all of the participants are employed by the same employer, the consideration paid by each participant does not exceed $50, a prize is awarded based on the results of a sporting event or a series of related sporting events, the prize is all or any portion of the money provided by the participants as consideration, and the person managing the game is a participant and does not manage the game for gain.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its authors⁠. 1 is a Democrat and 1 is a Republican.

13 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.