Once Again There Is An Argument Over Skill vs. Luck

It has been reported in the Copenhagen Post that the carrying out of a poker tournament is not against the Danish Law with regard to gaming. This was the decision of a Danish municipal court.

The apparent basis of this ruling is the argument that rather than simply being a game of chance, Poker is a game that involves skill. This therefore labels it as being a legitimate form of competition. This was the ruling of a Lyngby distract municipal court that appeared Friday.

Through this ruling the Danish Poker Association’s president by the name of Frederik Hostrup, was found to be clear of charges of arranging illegal gambling events. The organisation Horesta which deals with the by hotel and restaurant trade, had been suing  Hostrup for the benefit of the nation’s [land-based] casinos.

By this ruling, the Justice Ministry’s legal affairs committee ruling of 2006 is abrogated. That decision stated that poker constituted illegal gambling.

The Politiken newspaper was informed by Henrik Hoffman, attorney of Mr. Hostrup, that Friday’s ruling has the overall effect of legitimizing poker. Poker has recently become extremely popular in Denmark, especially during the past couple years.

Hoffman referred to poker as having become the People’s Sport with as many as 200 to 300,000 Danes now playing poker at least once a week. He said that there are in fact over a half million people in Denmark who play poker on a regular basis.
Danish law defines it as criminal to organize games or competitions where the organizer is trying to acquire some form of commercial economic gain. Hoffmann describes poker as concentrating on making the right bets, playing intelligently and forcing other players to think you have different cards than the cards that you actually have.
If you are clever enough to hide what you are doing from the other players, you have a good chance to win at this game, according to Hoffman. He says that this is possible even when your actual hand is not that strong.

Erik Jensen, representing Horesta, says that they are shocked and disappointed by this court decision. He says that there is always a chance of gaining an addiction to gambling whenever you are using money as the stakes. While not being able to back it up with any specific data, he says that there are over 85,000 Danish residents who are what he calls potential addicts. He explains that this requires that precautionary measures be put in place.

The prosecution is being given two weeks to decide if it wants to appeal the court’s decision.

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