A precedent set in the UK determines that poker is more a chance game than skill game.
The 1968 Gaming Act states that a license is needed in order to host games of chance such as blackjack and slot machines, but not games of skill, such as chess and quiz machines. The trial was seen as a test of whether poker is to be considered a skill or chance game.
46-year-old Derek Kelly, the manager of a 23,000 member private club in London was found guilty of violating the British gaming act. Kelly argued that poker was a skill-based game like chess and therefore he did not need a gambling license to take a share of the profits from players at his club.
Prosecutor Graham Trembath argued that shuffling a deck of cards is enough to make poker both a game of significant chance and significant skill, which the UK government interprets as "chance". The jury agreed, and convicted Kelly of illegally taking profits of as much as 10 percent from poker players when he hosted two poker games at the Gutshot club.
According to the Justice Simon Wilkinson, Kelly is unlikely to get jail time. Kelly himself is considering an appeal, while the date of his sentencing was set for February 16.
Email this page
Print this page
Bookmark with del.icio.us
