Good news for the poker world in the United States: A Pennsylvania judge has decided to do what the legal world should have done long ago – rule that poker is a game of skill and not a game of chance.
The case involved a couple who were accused of ‘illegal gambling’ by running a home poker game. While they did not have house rakes, they did ask players to tip the dealer. Judge Thomas A. James Junior was quoted as saying: “Simply, if chance predominates, Texas Hold 'em is gambling. If skill predominates, it is not gambling.”
The Poker Players Alliance – the group at the forefront of the fight to legalize online poker in the US - was cheered by the ruling, saying that: “Clearly, the judge had an understanding of how poker is played. Coming to this decision was not a far leap. The decision sets an excellent bar for us in the future.”