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A Blog About Online Gaming and Entertainment Regulations

July 9, 2010

Poker, as a Game of Skill, Is Beyond Reach of Gaming Laws

By: Ifrah Law
The highly regarded British publication The Economist has just published an interesting article that strongly makes the case that poker is a game of skill, not a game of chance. The article notes that poker is, of course, big business these days, pointing to a consultant’s estimate that the online poker market amounts to $4.9 billion worldwide, with $1.4 billion of that being spent in the United States. But is all this money being expended on gambling – on the chance fall of a card – or, rather, on a game of skill akin to bridge, chess, or checkers? The Economist quotes David Sklansky, author of “The Theory of Poker,” as writing that “expert players do not rely on luck. They are at war with luck. They use their skills to minimise luck as much as possible.” As the article points out, this is a key question at the heart of the legality of poker in the United States, where the game was born. We have long taken the... Read more
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November 2, 2009

Not so Fast Kentucky

By: Ifrah Law

When the Commonwealth of Kentucky petitioned the Franklin Circuit County Court to seize www.fulltiltpoker.com, Pocket Kings Limited, asked a U.K Chancery Court to injoin FTP’s registrar, Safenames Limited, from complying with the Kentucky trial court order.  In an order dated October 22, 2009, the Chancery Court granted Pocket King’s request and declared that Safenames shall not comply… Read More

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Poker as a Game of Skill

By: Ifrah Law

Whether poker is determined to be a game of chance or a game of skill has tremendous implications for defendants charged under state and federal gambling laws.  This issue was recently litigated by a group of defendants charged under state gambling laws in South Carolina.  The defendants demonstrated to the satisfaction of the trial court… Read More

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Kentucky Supreme Court Considers Poker

By: Ifrah Law

On October 22, 2009, the Supreme Court of Kentucky heard oral arguments in the above referenced case. The case originated when the Commonwealth of Kentucky filed civil seizure and forfeiture proceedings against 141 domain names – virtually all of which offered or involved internet gaming. The Commonwealth contended that domain names constitute gambling devices under… Read More