Poker Declared a Game of Skill by New York Federal Court

The federal court in New York ruled that poker is a game of skill, not chance. The ruling was made by Judge Jack Weinstein, who has been serving since 1967. The case involved Lawrence DeCristina, who organized a small poker club on Staten Island.

Economist, statistician, and poker player Randall Hibb analyzed 415 million hands played on PokerStars. He found that skill significantly influences the outcome of poker games. Government expert David DeRosa criticized Hibb's conclusions, stating that the number of hands needed to show skill's influence exceeds what an average poker player plays. However, Judge Weinstein's ruling was 120 pages long, detailing how skill influences poker outcomes.

PokerStars' corporate communications head Eric Hollreiser stated that the ruling supports PokerStars' long-held position. Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton commented that the ruling is significant for poker players in the US. A group of Dutch scientists from Erasmus University Rotterdam published a report analyzing 415.9 million hands, further supporting the idea that poker is a game of skill.