Os Man Corner

Poker: A Gamble or a Game? And what will lawmakers decide?

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The Miami Herald recently ran a story about how the poker community is trying to change the reputation of poker from just a game at which to make (or lose) money gambling, to a game of skill in its own right. True, there is undoubtedly an element of luck to poker, but strategy is becoming more and more recognized as the heart of the game. All is determined in the hand the player is dealt, but what that player does with that hand is where skill comes into play.

If such an image changes, poker would be exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) that passed Congress in 2006. It is a law that has caused some websites of Internet gaming to no longer accept U.S. players. But the article talks about the advancements made by poker advocates such as Poker Players Alliance (PPA) to change current court rulings. They hope to take state legislation all the way to the Supreme Court on this cornerstone principle. For instance, in Colorado, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, judges have ruled that poker is basically skill-based. According to the Miami Herald, Poker Players Alliance executive director John Pappas says, “Poker's only a gamble when you don't know what you're doing.”

Thanks to some different academic studies, many poker supporters have found data to support their stance. The data pool from online poker provides a wealth of information to follow. However, there is a great deal of controversy surrounding all this by gambling opponents who think it is laughable and absurd to try to make this argument at all. Gambling opponents say that gambling is destructive and irresponsible and that poker player addicts are likely to be more than $10,000 deeper in debt than slot players. Those that are able to make a living at poker are few and far between.

Still in question is whether this vantage point will gain credibility in the future life and history of poker? Will poker keep its character as that infamous face behind dark glasses or with legalization will it go on tilt? Time will tell.