A private club in Bangor, Maine, USA, was raided by Maine State Police this week for holding a poker tournament without a license.

According to media reports, state cops raided the 24-Hour Club on Sunday afternoon and found about 30 people engaged in a Texas hold ‘em tourney that had a buy-in of $100.

About $6,000 in cash was seized, and three organizers of the tournament are to be charged with felonies, the reports said.

A Maine state law requires establishments holding gambling events with more than $1,000 waged in a 24-hour period to get a license before holding the event, the reports said.

A tournament games license fee of $5 a person is charged by the state, with a maximum of 100 players allowed who can gamble a maximum of $100 each, the reports said.

“It was clear they were playing a Texas hold ‘em tournament,” said Lt. David Bowler of the Maine State Police. =A0=A0=A0 “Everyone was very cooperative,” he said. “I think this is just a bunch of card players who get together to enjoy the game, but unfortunately it’s not legal without a license.” =A0 Bowler emphasized that the entire incident could have been avoided.

“This organization could have gotten a tournament games license, which would have allowed them to hold their tournament at a cost of $150,” he said.

“The bottom line is people don’t want to be bothered by it.”

The 24-Hour Club is a private non-alcoholic club specifically for recovering alcoholics, media reports said.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)