Why poker is a game of skill and isn't outlawed by other federal gambling laws.

[Alan Mendelson]

We've all heard about the Federal Court ruling in New York that Texas Hold'em is a game of skill and therefore not barred under various federal anti-gambling laws.

I just read a report by the K&L Gates law group about the court decision and this paragraph listing the four reasons why Texas Hold'em is a game of skill stood out:

(1) [P]oker involves a large number of complex decisions, which
allow players of varying skill to differentiate themselves …; (2) many
people play poker for a living and consistently win money over time
…; (3) players who obtain superior results with other starting hands
tend to obtain superior results with any given hand, indicating that the
players’ abilities, not the cards, are responsible for the results …; (4)
the published studies are all consistent with [these] conclusions.

[redietz]

This finding opens a can of worms regarding the hypocrisy of the federal government as it treats other forms of gambling. Sports gamblng, for example, clearly fits these criteria.

It also echoe a little known ruling many years ago regarding those "shooting the ball" parlors in California. The government tried to outlaw them, but when studies were conducted comparing non-experienced players with experienced, it became clear that it had a large skill component. Thats why some of these "shooting the ball" parlors still exist -- they are legal.

[Alan Mendelson]

In the court decision, it was noted that the law specifically mentions sports betting which is why even as a game of skill it can't slip through as Texas Hold'em did. Also, Texas Hold'em is not a house banked game, while in sports betting you are betting against "the house" or a banker.

What is a shooting the ball parlor?

[redietz]

They have tabletop pinball-type games with bingo cards or connect-the-lines in lights. You shoot the ball and try to get the ball to land in various holes.