Indian Court Declares No Skill in Poker

Last week a court in Bombay, India ruled that poker is strictly a game of chance that has no skill involved whatsoever, dealing a potential deathblow for advocates of the game looking to get it legalized in the country.

The Bombay High Court refused to strike down a police complaint against the head of operations of Spartan Poker, Nasir Patel, who was charged with violations of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act when he threw a game for 29 people in a private apartment two years ago. Patel claimed that poker is a game of skill and thus exempt from the law.

The justices disagreed, opining: "We have perused the description of the game, we find that it is not a game of skill but of pure chance. Prima facie we find that a case under the gambling act has been made out."

They also threw in the very questionable thought, "How can poker be a game of skill? You simply get the cards and open it, and if chance be, you will win."

Poker is a potential growing market in India, as industry giant PokerStars is planning to launch operations there later this month. When they launch, it appears that the region of Maharashtra will not be accepting play from their residents.