The Champions Poker League is a 100% legal pub poker league, offering pub patrons a chance to play in a rewarding and fun nationwide competition, whilst staying legal by not offering prizes.

In order to offer poker in a pub or similar venue, there are strict guidelines which must be adhered to.

Champions Poker League tournaments are offered in two different types, play for points and low stakes, with only one option offered at a venue at a time. Both options have different guidelines that must be followed in order to be offered legally.



Play for points venues must adhere to the following:

1. Play for points venues must not have an entry charge for playing in the tournament. If a charge is levied it must be for food provided or similar.

2. No prize can be offered on the night of the tournament, players are rewarded with points instead.

3. These points cannot be exchanged for prizes at any point.

4. High ranking players are rewarded with invitations to the quarterly and national finals.

By following this structure, Champions Poker League's play for points venues remain 100% within the gambling laws.



Low stakes venues allow our players to play for small amounts of money, but tournaments must adhere completely to the following regulations:

1. The maximum amount of money entered into a tournament (buy-ins) per player must not exceed £5. Please note that this is the maximum, and any value lower than this amount can be used.
(Champions Poker League recommends that buy-ins be kept at multiples of £1 to keep calculations simple.)

2. 100% of the money entered into the tournament by players must be returned to the players in the form of prizes. Venues cannot take a rake of any form.

3. The maximum prize pool per day* cannot exceed £100.
(Champions Poker League recommends to it's venues that only one game is run per night to avoid confusion.)

4. Low stakes players still gain points in the same way as play for points tournaments, and are invited to quarterly and national finals in the same manner.

*a day is defined as the period of time between noon of one day and noon of the next.

The gambling commission's guidelines can be found here, and further information can be downloaded here, here and here.