Police in Florida Shut Down Elderly Ladies’ Weekly Mahjong Game

When I first read this headline I thought it was a joke, but it's not. A weekly group of ladies ranging in age from 87 to 95 got shut down by police after someone ratted them out. 

The Washington Times reported that someone who learned of the weekly game held in the clubhouse of their condominium reported them citing an ordinance that prohibits playing games for money. Zelda King, 87, said it was ridiculous and that the women were playing for pennies.

The game was shut down and the ladies had to play the game in each others houses which was difficult as not all of them lived in the same town. After further investigation it was discovered that it was not in fact illegal to play Mahjong, nor was there any law against penny antes as long as the winnings of any player in a single round do not exceed $10.

I'm glad to know that the ladies get their game back, though they have been warned not to allow their "winnings pot" to exceed $10 by even one penny. The ironic part is that according to a quick google search, Mahjong is actually a recommended game to combat dementia and cognitive or memory difficulties. But the law is the law I suppose.