Judge Rules Poker a Game of Skill

Late last week Pennsylvania judge Thomas A. James Jr. ruled that poker was a game of skill, not luck, in a case involving a couple standing trial for running a home poker game.

Will this set a precedent for future cases involving poker games—including online games? Is Judge James’ decision a wedge that can be used to derail the UIGEA? Will it motivate online poker sites to consider returning to the US market?

One never knows. We’ve seen cases where poker was ruled a game of luck, and now this one, where it was judged to be a game of skill.

While this is a good ruling for poker in general, for the future of online poker in the US, and the Poker Players Alliance was overjoyed by the decision, it’s only a small step on the long road to allowing adults to play poker in the privacy of their own homes without oversight and control by the government.

This war is a long way from being won even though this battle was a nice step in the right direction.