I love poker....and hate to be a party pooper, but do your homework.
From AGLC:
Are poker tournaments in Alberta legal?
The AGLC, on behalf of the province, is responsible for licensing, regulating and monitoring charitable gaming activities in Alberta.
In addition to the requirements of the Criminal Code, gaming activities in Alberta must be conducted and managed in accordance with the
Gaming and Liquor Act, the
Gaming and Liquor Regulation and the AGLC’s
Casino Terms and Conditions and Operating Guidelines.
The AGLC only licences eligible charities to conduct and manage casino events in licensed facilities. The AGLC will not licence individual poker tournaments or games to be conducted outside of licensed casino facilities.
Under the Criminal Code of Canada, all forms of gambling, including poker, must comply with the specified qualifications set out in the Criminal Code. Any form of gaming that does not comply with the qualifications is illegal. Questions about whether a specific game or scheme is legal under the Criminal Code should be directed to a lawyer.
http://aglc.ca/gaming/faq.asp#IsPokerLegal
And from the Criminal Code:
Gaming and Betting
Keeping gaming or betting house
201. (1) Every one who keeps a common gaming house or common betting house is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
Person found in or owner permitting use
(2) Every one who
(a) is found, without lawful excuse, in a common gaming house or common betting house, or
(b) as owner, landlord, lessor, tenant, occupier or agent, knowingly permits a place to be let or used for the purposes of a common gaming house or common betting house,
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
It goes on to list exemptions:
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/C-46/2...rp13=50#idhit1
I am no lawyer (far, far from it) but my initial thoughts are it looks like it needs to be less than 10 people and no rake.