A Pennsylvanian judge has delivered a vital ruling on the subject of online poker where there is much confusion as to whether poker is a sport or a game of chance. While on the surface this might seem like an irrelevance, legally there is a substantial difference between the two understandings as well as implications for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which effectively banned online poker from the US two years ago.
Judge Thomas A James Jr showed his deep knowledge of the game and his ruling that it is in fact a sport would seem to potentially exclude online poker from the clutches of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. If this is the case then an array of online poker companies could well be about to enact a serious U-turn and take on the US authorities in the courts.
However, this may not be the end of the story because historically the US authorities have shown a serious disregard for international law with regards to online gambling and online poker in particular. Rather than reverse the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act it would appear they are more willing to pay compensation to those countries that take them to court on the grounds of trade restriction. What the future holds for the US online poker market remains to be seen.
A Pennsylvanian judge has delivered a vital ruling on the subject of online poker where there is much confusion as to whether poker is a sport or a game of chance. While on the surface this might seem like an irrelevance, legally there is a substantial difference between the two understandings as well as implications for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which effectively banned online poker from the US two years ago.