Your front-page article left readers with the mistaken impression that "casino nights" are illegal. This is not true. Entertainment companies that provide a simulated gaming experience have been operating legally for years. My company, Casino Knights, has been operating in Ventura County and elsewhere legally since 1989, and whereas the above-referenced article stated that those inquiring about the legality of casino nights fundraisers to law enforcement agencies were told "no dice," the truth is that we have been contacted by just about every law enforcement agency around and asked to bring the dice to their own holiday events or retirement parties.

Further, the fact that Casino Knights can obtain liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance, hold local business licenses and pay taxes to federal, state and local agencies further reinforces the legality of what we do. I have a folder in my office that has references to various legal precedents that support the fact that companies such as ours operate legally.

To be clear, the issue at hand is whether fundraising organizations can legally sponsor a fundraising event with a "casino night" theme. Even now, the answer is yes, with certain restrictions: no financial risk to players, nobody should have a better chance to win prizes at the end of the evening based on how well they've done at the table, and local law enforcement agencies occasionally have their own additional stipulations, too.

At present, Casino Knights suggests that sponsors of charitable events contact their local law enforcement agency to obtain approval for their casino night event, and it is because local law enforcement agencies have different interpretations of what is acceptable or not that we do need to have this matter addressed on a state level.

Think about this: There are terrific organizations out there doing work, such as the Ojai Hospital Guild, the State Street Ballet, rape crisis centers, muscular dystrophy and heart associations, Alzheimer's prevention and many more, and they have found that the kind of entertainment we provide helps bring people to their events and helps them raise money. Why should these groups be denied the opportunity to offer entertainment that is a proven draw as well as a lot of fun for their guests? That is the question that should be answered on a state level, and AB839 does not do this.

We'll see what happens soon enough, though, and operators within the industry feel pretty much like underdogs trying to scrape together a few nickels to be able to mount a legal response to gaming interests that are much more powerful than ours. I simply wish the article presented the issue more clearly, and would have included comment from local operators such as myself.

For the time being, the most important point to make is that "casino night" entertainment is not illegal! In fact, simulating a gaming experience for charitable organizations, businesses and private parties is a lot of fun, and I hope sponsors and hosts of these kinds of events continue to call us, knowing in no uncertain terms that their event will be legal.

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