It looks like poker in Ukraine could potentially be able to flourish once again right after the country's Ministry of Youth and Sport decided to re-classify the game as a sport, thus exempting it from the country's anti-gambling laws.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Youth and Sport published document 3780. Written in Ukrainian language, the translation says that "II.119 sport poke[...] Read more » Ukraine reclassifies Poker as a Sport, exempts Game from Anti-Gambling Laws
Joined: Jan '10
Location: Indonesia
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Sport Status may bring Stability Despite local clubs being allowed to host poker tournaments, cash games remained totally illegal.
REALLY wise judgment!!!! Poker tournament is mind sport game !! cash game is gambling, right ! Hopefully Casinos will separate cash game and MTT so that no restrict country or band anymore. This news should be widely announced throughout the world !!!
There is hope for humanity after all... Finally some common sense from authorithies/governements. Obviously there is a big difference between a potentially ev+ game like poker and other ev- games in casinos like roulette and slot machines. Sure luck is involved, but it is not the only determining factor, and I think skill is maybe 50/50 or not far behind in poker, depending on field size/skills and duration of the session... Anyways, it sure is a competitive game unlike these other games that you can't beat long term.
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
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Be careful not to sprain any brain cells Poker is a sport...
Before all the silly politicians and others, start characterizing something as a sport, they should be looking at its definition first, as it was first intended to be.
You want to make another category? Fine. But do not start characterizing everything as a sport, because it is convenient and it fits your agenda !
Joined: Nov '10
Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
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It is good that the Government recognizes poker as a sport and not a game of chance, let's wait to see how it ends and that it should generate a law to regulate poker and avoid generating mafias in relation to it.
But I congratulate Ukraine for being able to play poker freely in their country.
Joined: Jan '14
Location: Romania
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A very good choice made for players in the Ukraine who are quite numerous in online poker rooms. In the same year 2016 all I Poker Network has been restricted in my country but i hope a new law to restart here as well as in Ukraine. The players will be very happy. Good Job for Ukraine Ministry of Youth and Sport.
Joined: Jan '17
Location: Lithuania
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I not know personally if poker is sport to me or gambling like blackjack, yes some players win many moneys and look like they know how to beat people, but they also have periods where lose all money and can go broke
Joined: Mar '11
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I think that this has been a very good step by the Ukrainian government and i salute them for doing it. I really hope that this all works out well and people can go back to playing and enjoying this 'sport'
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I think about it many times and i not think it is sport, because in sport there is too some luck, but i think many time more luck in poker and also people who play first tournament someti win and i not know sport where new player can win tournament, maybe one match but nit tournament
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Posted by Mober: It is not about luck, determining if it is a sport or not. Things are too simple actually, for someone to understand what a sport is.
Here is the definition from oxford dictionaries :
NOUN An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
You are getting too physical, by playing poker, huh.. ?.
That is old dictionary , this world always change, and you still use old standard which never change. Do you know MIND sport ? How about chess and bridge game ? Do you know bridge game ? Try to read IMSA ( International Mind Sport Association) website
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
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And who told you that i consider chess for example a sport. It isnt. There is no such thing as mind sport. All that is bull. And im not the only one who believes that. Call it whatever you want, but poker or chess for example, is not a sport and never will be, regardless if some want to.
Old dictionary? Standards? Seriously? I guess definition and meaning of a single word, changes by time, right? What else am i gonna hear, i wonder...
Well, that's the good news ... I usually see that poker is banned in different countries and then the opposite action ... of course Ukraine did it to be more attractive to online poker players .. this is a PR move ... but in any case it's good action and I congratulate Ukrainian players
Joined: Feb '11
Location: United Kingdom
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It’s a crazy old world isn’t it, where one nation can decide something is a sport when another nation states it is not. What is vein crazier, is that just because your favourite card game is now a sport means that you can gamble away on it to your hearts content without it being subject to gambling rules.
Joined: May '09
Location: Croatia
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well maybe its sport in ukraine from now,but it will still be ilegal in country when you play for money and why lot of companies cant have servers in ukraine!so this still have to be changed on some different places and that people can play normally!
as far as I know in Byelorussia, too, it is not forbidden ... but if in Ukraine they do not treat Russia very well then this is not in Belarus .... therefore, it's not the first time I think that if Russia is banned from online poker, then you can move to Belarus ... these are my thoughts
Joined: Jan '14
Location: Romania
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Is a decision that helps poker players, not only tax authorities and this is very good. For example in Romania if in a year you earn over $ 16,500 then the fee is 25%. Between 2500 dollars and 16,500 the fee is 16% and if you win under $ 2500 you pay 1%. I think is reasonable but in Ukraine is much better.
Joined: Jan '17
Location: Lithuania
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I read what mober say and not know, but chess to me is sport, because you can have professional chess player who learns big, plays many hours and if.you new to chess you lose versus professional all time, and it.is.not same.situation to poker, you caj beat.professional in poker game
Joined: Oct '11
Location: Sweden
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This surely opens the doors for a lot of poker clubs and casinos to start hosting some nice games. And not to mention the possibility for the inhabitants of that country to start earning good money online. Good news for us is that since most of the people from that country will be unfamiliar with the game, the fishpool will increase quite a bit
Joined: Feb '11
Location: United Kingdom
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Something new or revised is always good for everyone. The companies can make millions out of the countless people who want to play poker, as well as the countless numbers who will play poker because it is now available, even though the would probably otherwise be playing bingo. So , if you know how t play poker, get in there and make some money!
