The Future of Online Poker?

February is a very important month for online poker players. There’s a court date set for Friday the 13th which may change the way we view that date. In fact, 13 could be a lucky number! If we can’t rely on the Obama administration to alter anti-gambling laws, we may be able to attribute a change to a South Carolina state court, where a judge is willing to consider that poker is more of a game of skill than chance.
I don’t know why this argument has gone contested for as long as it has. You would think that with a legislative body compiled mostly of men, poker would have been one of the first activities legalized. Poker has for decades been viewed a sporting activity that men use to get away from their wives for a night. Congressmen play poker, poker is broadcast on ESPN, for all of its “shortcomings,” and anyone who has ever played it, or watched it be played, knows that it takes skill. That’s common sense. To me, poker is no different than football or baseball. It may require less physical activity, but it certainly entails more psychological activity.
So for the first time in the U.S., someone in the judiciary system is willing to consider that it may require some skill. I’m very hopeful for the ruling in this case, because I really don’t think it’s hard to prove that point. Aside from the fact that there are college professors who have come up with actual mathematical formulas to prove so, you can take into account online poker rooms like PokerTwin, where the site has complete OMITTED the element of chance.
In this poker room, players were each assigned a seat at one of two tables, where each table was dealt the same hands. I think that because this site was legalized because there was no element of chance, it does show that there is obviously skill involved, and as such will be a valuable tool in the court battle.