Ray in Chicago writes in with some relevant, outside-the-poker-box thoughts about why it might be a losing battle to argue poker as a game of skill:
Hi Dan,
I wanted to comment on the bust and on the updates that you linked to.
The underlying theme that is always put forth is that poker is a game of skill, and therefore not gambling. As long as the poker bloc keeps saying that, it will always be more difficult to get it legalized. A large percentage of Americans will never agree with that stance, and many people who could be convinced to support poker as legal gambling will not support it as an occupation of skill.
Think about it this way. Horse race handicapping is a skillful endeavor. Some people are good enough at it to make a living playing the horses (just like poker). Their bets are against other players (just like poker). The house takes a rake (just like poker). But the moment you make a bet and risk your money or the money of a sponsor, meaning that you could walk away a loser, it\’s gambling!!
If the poker experts consider horse racing gambling, then for exactly the same reasons poker should be considered gambling.
Instead of trying to convert the people with the say-so your time and money is better spent convincing them that poker is a form of gambling that should be legal. Since poker rooms abound in every legal casino, where gambling takes place, the solution is to allow poker rooms to exist like the casinos and the race tracks and the off track betting parlors.
Good Luck with all the legislation,
Uncle Ray
Thanks for writing in Uncle Ray. And to think, these readers don\’t even know that I am currently ranked 24th out of 84,000 nationally in our family football pick\’em game. I hate to say you might be right on this issue … but.
What does seem clear is that anyone who has played \”gets it,\” and any who haven\’t don\’t. I suspect the people at NORML might contend the same thing.
