Are March Madness office pools legal?

Many offices and workplaces were buzzing with March Madness Monday, as brackets and money exchanged hands, but did you ever wonder if those office pools are legal?

At Beard St. Clair Gaffney, Attorney and avid basketball fan Jeff Brunson looked into it.

“If you look up the gambling statute in Idaho, March Madness pools are technically illegal,” said Brunson.

Entering an office pool for cash is not only illegal for employees, but the employer too.

“If you’re an employer and you allow that kind of thing to happen at your office, you could technically be breaking the law too,” said Brunson. “It’s technically a misdemeanor under the Idaho code.”

What about the bracket challenges online? Quicken Loans and Warren Buffet teamed up to offer a $1 billion reward for the perfect bracket.

“Completely different,” said Brunson. “You’re not asking the entrant to put up any money to gamble anything.”

Brunson said although gambling is typically taken seriously, he’s never heard of anyone getting prosecuted over a March Madness office pool.

“For whatever reason, March Madness betting isn’t one that seems to get enforced,” said Brunson.