What is the difference between contest w/ Prizes, and Gambling?

[Jeff76]

[ QUOTE ]
If I study 2+2 books and apply what I know to 5-10 on party poker and make +$20 per hour at the tables, how is this any different than me studying material on the capital markets and becoming a successful investor?

[/ QUOTE ]The argument would be that playing poker you are taking money from weaker players and offering nothing in return. You are receiving money for providing no value. With stocks, OTOH, when a stock is sold someone is always receving value for their money- the stock. This is an important distinction among people who will argue that it is unethical to take money from someone and offer nothing of value in return.

I don't hold to that viewpoint, just telling you what you're up against.

At the end of the day, I don't think it matters what clever arguments we come up with. That they carved out horseracing and lottories and left in poker makes it pretty clear this isn't about real moral ethical issues, but how people percieve poker. And the peopel the politicians are catering to view poker as a degenerate money game that destroys families and is unhealthy for our nation.