One Down, a Billion More to Go

February 5, 2009

Every state in the United States has different way of dealing with poker. Some states made poker legal a long time ago, and some have made it illegal because it is gambling and gambling is not allowed. Most of the latter states are very clear about the fact that they do not allow games of chance – hence poker or any other table game – to be played within their state boundaries. However, this only works if the game is in fact illegal due to the idea of it being a game of chance.

With two separate rulings regarding poker listing it now as a game of skill, not of chance, lawsuits have popped up over the past few days challenging their state’s ruling. Now that poker is no longer considered a game of chance by two different states, players across the country wonder if they are able to challenge their state to make poker playing legal.

The idea as to whether or not poker playing is legal has long been a bone of contention between the poker players and the government. The poker players have long maintained the idea that poker is a game of skill, while the government has mostly said it is chance. With these new rulings though, they have added fuel to the fire and now many are wondering where their state will stand when challenged.

Those who have automatically been pleading guilty to illegal gambling charges where it references poker are now challenging their state government saying that they haven’t broken any laws. Attorneys are thrilled that they now have legal precedent to refer to in the case of their clients.