Or at least, that poker is not a game of pure chance. This Court had to pronounce lately on a case of illegal keeping a gambling house. The accused had to have a strong defense since the punishment in this case was quite heavy:
"the fact to participate, including as a banker, to the holding of a gambling house where the public is freely admitted, (...)" is punishable by three years imprisonment and a fine of 90,000 euros". This is what might Jean-Pierre Gleize and other persons charged in this case July 20, date when it was released.
Counsel in this case was to support his defense, appealed to a Professor of mathematics, a bridge champion and a professional poker player. In his words: "in September 2009, the Court of appeal of Versailles had opened a breach by explaining that perhaps poker is not a game of chance but that this had not been shown by the accused. Here we've made elements".
The tribunal concluded a share of chance comes Poker (obviously), but that a large part of strategy was involved and that, therefore, the accused should be released.
Please note that it is not impossible that this decision be appealed shortly and that it be reversed. On the other hand, it is a very important step and a very important decision. Attorney Cohen commented: "it is a real decision. I believe that this is a first in France. And this decision is very important!".
This is a first in France. Is this a good or bad news? Depends on where it is located.
Hand, poker online less than a chance to be banned in the United States and will attract more and more people. On the other hand, the winning regular who earn their living from poker, will probably have to pay taxes on their earnings in the near future.
Poker is therefore more a game of chance thus defined by case law: "games in which chance predominates on the address, skill, cunning, boldness and combinations of candidates". The Tribunal de Grande Instance concluded by describing the poker "art".
This decision will have an influence on the ARJEL which defenit gambling in this way: "gambling is a paid game where chance predominates over skill and combinations of intelligence to obtain the gain". If poker is more a game of chance pure and hard, should it still require a license to operate a poker room? However, no license is required to organize chess tournaments.
Discuss this article on the forums of PokerCollectif: the Tribunal de Grande Instance considers that poker is an art
