Poker Found a Game of Skill Not Covered by U.S. Gambling Act
Mark Hamblett for the New York Law Journal:
Poker is a game of skill that is not covered under the federal Illegal Gambling Business Act, Eastern District Judge Jack Weinstein ruled yesterday. … Part of the judge’s reasoning was that poker games, in this case Texas Hold’em, are not purely games of chance.
“Bluffing, raising and folding require honed skills to maximize the value of the cards dealt by Lady Luck,” Weinstein said in United States v. Dicristina, 11-CR-414.
Judge Weinstein’s ruling hinges on his finding that poker is “predominated” by skill rather than chance, what with bluffing and all that.