A French court has ruled that poker is a game of skill and should not be considered a game of chance.
A court in Toulouse heard crucial evidence from a number of professionals and reached this ruling. However, the French government has already started an appeal against the ruling, which should reach the Supreme Court. It is thought that the ruling will not hold up in a higher court, considering that France’s new gambling laws are based partially on the premise that poker is a game of chance.
The court case heard accusations against Jean-Pierre Gleizes, who was charged with organising private poker games at public events without the right licences. The defence brought in several witnesses to try and prove that poker is a game of skill, including a national champion in chess and bridge, a professional poker player and a professor of mathematics. The French Criminal Court of First Instance in Toulouse finally agreed with the defence that poker is a game of skill.
Should the Supreme Court uphold this ruling, poker rooms would benefit as they wouldn’t be subject to taxation and licensing rules that fall under the new Online Gaming Bill. This legislation only applies to games of chance for now. On the other hand, if players start making money on a game of skill, they could be heavily taxed as it is considered part of their income.
