WICHITA, Kansas – If you’re filling out a bracket for March Madness, beware. You could be breaking the law. KSN found out what’s legal and what’s not when it comes to office pools.
If you plan to partake in an office pool this year, you’re not alone. In fact, 45 percent of America’s workforce is expected to fill out a bracket. That’s more than 58 million people. But just because it’s a popular pastime, doesn’t mean it’s legal.
"The people that participate in that, that is commercial gambling in our state and it doesn't say except for corporations or except for people that are engaged in this in the workplace, it just says you can't do it,” said District Attorney Nola Foulston with Sedgwick County.
Kansas law is pretty clear when it comes to gambling in our state. So the bottom line is if you pay to play, most likely you’re breaking the law.
Just filling out an illegal bracket is a misdemeanor and if convicted, you'll usually face a small fine, but no jail time. If you're in charge of the office pool, be aware that could be a felony and some could even face federal charges.
Just don’t expect a special task force to track you down. Foulston is the first to admit her office has more serious crimes to convict.
"I'm not looking for business, this is just a reminder,” she said. “We hope that everybody enjoys the March Madness. I'm a KU fan. If I was going to bet, I'd bet on them.”
But she’s not going to bet. And you may want to think twice before you do as well.
March Madness also affects your work. According to a new study, businesses could lose a total of $1.8 billion in work productivity during the NCAA Tournament.
