'A written company policy is a best practice, and many employers simply say, 'No betting' and have reasonable discipline for violations,' said Joseph Valenti, an attorney with Saul Ewing in Pittsburgh. Maintaining a written company policy on gambling can be helpful to prevent violations of the law. Office pools are potentially unlawful, depending on the employer's location and the design of the activity. 'While it is unlikely that law enforcement cares about an office NCAA bracket, the company should still understand the potential legal risks associated with offering an office pool,' said Karl Rutledge, an attorney with Lewis Roca in Las Vegas. With March Madness coming soon and sports gambling now legal in the majority of states, employers need to be aware of the legal ramifications of office betting pools-and the potential loss of productivity as employees keep up with the progress of this year's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college basketball tournament.
