2015 US Open

[kevin_bachler]

@Allen

@kbachler

@Allen

@Mulfish

Interesting. Since we had a US Open in Arizona not all that long ago, may I ask whether the issue is due to a change in their laws or our tournament structure?

Neither.

Someone who wants to run poker tournaments for profit whose efforts have fallen afoul of the AZ gambling laws protested that our event should be banned as well. We are working with counsel to explain to the AZ regulators why our event is different. The AZ statute is more restrictive than in most other states.

There may have to be some changes in the tournament structure or prize fund to satisfy AZ. And that is why the registration page is not up yet.

While I understand that we likely have a resolution for other reasons, perhaps we should point out to AZ regulators the following which is similar to, but a little than, the argument presented previously:

Within the game, chess is theoretically 100% skill and gambling games such as poker, blackjack, etc., are significantly based on random chance.

If the regulators have a difficulty with a chess tournament, then they should also have difficulty with Scrabble, spelling bee competitions, professional baseball, professional football, high school football, high school baseball, high school and any other sporting event based solely on skill which offers a prize (fund) for a superior performance.

There must be something in their rules/law that eliminates these other events from consideration of the gambling rules - and that same something should apply to us.

Before you can really comment you have to read through the AZ law. The wording is a bit unique. I made a lot of the same arguments.

Sports events are specifically excluded from the AZ gaming laws. The AZ gaming laws don’t define gaming as a game of chance. In fact the poker guy tried to hold a Scrabble event and was turned down.

The AZ statute does not allow for the “house” to make a profit. There are exceptions for charitable gaming and for social games for nominal stakes - like say a local chess club’s local event. Games like McDonald’s Monopoly promotion are exempted because one can play for free.

The poker guy who complained has been trying to set up a for profit poker rooms for years and keeps getting in trouble with the AZ state gaming commission.

One thing that is different for the USCF is that the US Open is also part of our governance meeting and has not turned a profit (measured as direct income - direct costs) in a number of years. And it won’t generate a profit this year either.

Thanks for the clarification.