The Law According To Moses
March Madness: Is Your Office Pool Legal?
By Ambrose Moses, III
March Madness is here. People have filled out brackets and put in their bet for the traditional office pool. The tournament has begun.
So, the perennial question, “Is it legal to participate in an office pool or a family and friends pool with a wager on the outcome of the NCAA Basketball Tournament?”
The answer, in Ohio, “Yes, as long as no one is getting a personal cut or profit out of the pot, you’re likely ok.” Gambling pools conducted for profit are illegal under Ohio’s gambling laws. However, if 100% of the funds collected in the pool are paid out as winnings, the pool is not considered a “scheme of chance” and does not run afoul of the law.
As I write and this goes to print, the Sweet Sixteen is underway and my team is already moving ahead to the Elite Eight. And, since my bracket has been decimated with surprising losses by a couple of No. 1 seeds, we will keep this short. (March Madness has been known to increase worker morale and temporarily decrease productivity a bit.) At any rate . . .
Go Bucks!
Update: Dagnabbit!
Next Topic: Review your banking, credit card, and PayPal transactions.
Ambrose Moses, III is an attorney with Moses Law Office. Email: info@MosesLaw.pro. Telephone: (614) 418-7898.
