CNN Article putting Poker in a more positive light, highlighting skill

[Jay Cohen]

[ QUOTE ]
Adanthar, you seem to ignore that with the sign-on of Chairman Conyers, it is precisely the skill games argument that IS gaining ground in Congress. Where in this argument is the Sports Bettors Alliance? The Slot Players Alliance?

Also, you seem to place all our hopes on the WTO. What if the WTO sanctions and compensation are not that big. The Bush Admin has already indicated it plans to give up a bit to keep the online status quo. If the "bit" is small enough to not make big noise, where do we go?

Also, because its anathema to their way of thinking, the "skill games v. gambling" distinction was not put before the WTO by the Bush Admin. It is perfectly acceptable for the US, under the WTO, to ban all online gambling, but openly allow online skill games (so long as foreign sites are not discriminated against). How one fairly separates the two then becomes a new round of WTO litigation, and a new opportunity for negotiation and compromise. The first congresperson to point this out wins a much bigger cookie from all the industries possibly affected by sanctions.

To say OBWan is right that the skill argument is useless at the federal level ignores the progress the Wexler bill has made, assumes the WTO will force congress to make all online gambling legal thus leaving us no fall back position if it doesnt, and fails to recognize the usefulness of the distinction at the WTO itself. Do you really want us to be in a position where we must agree that the only way to have legal online poker is to also have legal online slots and sportsbetting?

And thats the same question to you OBWan; stop feeling bad about the attacks I made ON YOUR STATEMENTS. Other than suspecting you might be a shill for FOF (you wouldnt be the first if so) I attacked the postion you staked out. I still attack it. To give up on maintaining that poker is different because its a skill game is too give up way too much and only plays into the hands of our enemies who have realized that criminalizing online poker (as opposed to other "gambling") is the weakest point of their argument. They would love nothing more than for us to agree that poker should be treated the same as online slots.

Skallagrim

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I don't think allowing skill games everywhere, but not games of chance will satisfy the WTO decision.

A couple of points, how can you say you don't have a moral aversion to skill games, but you do have a moral aversion to games of chance when you offer lotteries on such a grand scale? What is the skill involved in picking numbers, or scratching a ticket?

Isn't betting on sports a skill, handicapping games? It's your wits against the oddsmaker's wits. It's certainly more of a skill than scratcher tickets.

Finally, you still have the horse racing problem. If you offer remote horse racing, which we know is not going away, as well as remote sports wagering in Nevada, or remote lotteries, you haven't come close to solving the WTO issue.

Now, if you add more remote wagering games of skill, how has that brought you into compliance?