"An Act relating to Calcutta pools and crane classics as authorized forms of charitable gaming. "

Alaska State law authorizes the Department of Revenue to issue permits to a municipality or qualified organization to conduct games of chance for charitable purposes. This bill would simply add "Calcutta pool" to the to the list of games of chance and give eligible organizations the opportunity to hold such events as a method of charitable fundraising.

The intent of HB 61 is to protect this traditional game of chance, which is strongly supported by many Alaskans and the charity organizations that rely on funds raised by this event. Organizations such as CIRI held Calcutta pools during their annual CIRI Golf Classic since 1983. In 2001, the last year the CIRI Calcutta Pool operated, the CIRI Golf Classic raised $852,000 for programs focusing on youths and education. The Boys and Girls Club and the Alaska Academic Decathlon were two organizations that benefited from the Calcutta Pool fundraisers.

The Calcutta fundraising mechanism was discontinued in 2002 when the Department of Revenue construed state law as prohibiting Calcutta events as a method of charitable giving. Calcutta pools are a time-honored method of charitable fundraising uniquely suited to golfing events. They have been employed not just by CIRI, but also by other prominent charitable organizations throughout the State. Calcutta pools raise substantial amounts of money for charitable purposes, and certainly present no more harm to the public than other charitable giving activities, including "rat races," classics, and pull tabs which are already legal under the current state law.

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