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Poker is no longer a sport in Russia |
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Tags:
casino, law, poker, russia, vladimir putin.
Posted on 29 July 2009 by "T".
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 On the 1st of July, 2009, a new law which forced casinos and slot machine halls to close down went into effect. The idea to this new law was brought to life during the time when Vladimir Putin was the president of Russia. Many casinos/slot machine halls already back then started to transform their premises into poker rooms, because poker was classed as a sport, and therefore it was legal to organize cash games and tournaments. But now, live poker is also banned in Russia and over 400,000 people that used to work at casinos, slot halls, and poker rooms, are now without jobs.
Back in 2006, Putin said the following about the new law.
"Unfortunately, it is not only young people but also retirees that lose their last penny and pensions through gambling. Experts say that dependence on games and gambling is far stronger than an addiction to alcohol. This is a serious problem and comparable to what would happen if the whole country were to become alcoholics. And, of course, the government should have already paid attention to this sphere of activity and this business a long time ago. I believe that this is a civilized solution."
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| KingEraiser | 29/07/2009 14:55:37 GMT |
wow thats hard for the 400 000 people whos lost the job now...
but my question is now..what is with the ept in moskau? FAIL?
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| Raggamann | 29/07/2009 15:42:52 GMT |
"comparable to what would happen if the whole country were to become alcoholics" - hey its russia, no country in the whole world has a bigger problem with alcoholism, but what does the government do???
oh btw. the loss of the jobs does not really have to do with the status of poker as a sport (it isn't a sport in other countries. too, but despite legal in casinos), all gambling is banned and i guess only a small part of the casino employees has to do with poker
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| racpxt | 29/07/2009 15:54:26 GMT |
Illegal poker in Russia is the second worst possible new to people who play at networks like iPoker. I found they were the second most profitable nationality you can have on a table, next to the french.
Sad news. 
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| Davoodoo | 29/07/2009 16:20:12 GMT |
| Russians are loosing players and the russian government doesnt want their money to be shipped to foreign countries via poker(like USA where players are winning) ... i bet France is to follow soon.
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| B1gfoot | 29/07/2009 18:28:47 GMT |
| No think your getting it wrong Davoodoo, yes they are not the best players, but the money stays in Russia (most) as its casinos and outher live venues that will be closed, the likes of the internet stays open, o soon you will see an influx of russian poker players.
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| PokerJosh | 29/07/2009 19:19:55 GMT |
| @KingEraiser: The official Announcement is that it's still going to be in Moskau, but I don't know how they work it out. I think that it would be wrong to make this big event in a country, where they prohibit the sport itself and only allow the big events to have the prestige...
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| SuperNoob | 29/07/2009 19:48:29 GMT |
civilized solution, poker compared to whole country getting alcoholic lol
Wht are 400,000 ppl going to do now and what will all the poker players do?
first usa, now russia, why can't people leave poker players alone
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| schmoyster | 29/07/2009 20:17:17 GMT |
Posted by PokerJosh:
The official Announcement is that it's still going to be in Moskau |
It was officially moved to Kiev, Ukraine several days ago
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| mindhacker76 | 29/07/2009 22:34:32 GMT |
| Well, there is a difference betwen beeing a sport or a casino game. In most countries, like Portugal, it is a casino game, not a sport. And that does not mean it is illegal.
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| Fakiry | 29/07/2009 23:04:19 GMT |
| We can try to understand Putin's way of thinking, but it looks too conservative. Ok, so tobacco causes cancer and it is still free to sell it, so lets prohibite the sell of tobacco to solve the cancer problem - things doesn't work this way. There are other ways to turns addictive products and services more difficult to reach to the global population: tax it, put it more expensive! This way people who continues to play need to have that amount of money, others will have to arrange by each others houses to play "smaller" buy-ins!
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| frizamd | 30/07/2009 08:22:17 GMT |
| Home that would not have banned online poker
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| ih8usukouts | 30/07/2009 11:34:32 GMT |
| That is terrible news, all those people lost their jobs!
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| RUS_Artem | 30/07/2009 14:02:54 GMT |
First of all, EPT will take place in the Ukraine instead of Moscow
The second thing is: this is a war against gambling clubs (in Moscow there were a lot of poker clubs, where different casino games were played)
Poker lost his status of "sport" in my country, but it has an opportunity to become sport again or intellectual game.
This question is now under analyzing)))
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| scl1975 | 30/07/2009 14:27:44 GMT |
man the whole world has gone insane.but the truth has been said,the russians do suck at poker and the government wants to keep the moolah.  its a conspiracy.
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| schmoyster | 30/07/2009 15:45:03 GMT |
Posted by scl1975:
but the truth has been said,the russians do suck at poker |
I am not trying to confront, I just wonder what this judgement is based upon. I thought that guys like Kravchenko, Demidov, Gerasimov, Lunkin and others proved that Russians can play poker. And btw, remind me who has won your Aussie Million in 2008? Wasn't it Alexander Kostritsyn?
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| ximx | 30/07/2009 23:07:22 GMT |
| Many Russians won tournaments... So they do not suck)) Just another one stupid law.
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| fejset | 31/07/2009 08:15:19 GMT |
| poker is not a sport its a game.. all you need is some luck..
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| zerouts | 01/08/2009 13:50:54 GMT |
| I think this all have to do with the money. Instead of showing their fear governments should regulate this activities. But then true comes out... That there is so much money around and the only way to prevent the lost of power is to hide things up. The casinos (and yet politicians) know that very well, I think they just dont want big trouble below their noses... Otherwise they would have to really do some for the people with the massive revenue generated at the gambling centers, they couldnt hide it for so long.
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| PhoenixRazz | 06/08/2009 21:17:43 GMT |
Posted by fejset: poker is not a sport its a game.. all you need is some luck.. |
The poker is a strategy game, is 70% of hability and 30% of luck; if you play a hand with anytwo waiting the luck you lose more than you win.
For luck only win a pair of hands, but with hability a good player win much more.
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| Beno192555 | 07/08/2009 02:56:52 GMT |
uh  no it will be like in hollywood the Eagle on the Table Abused Cards and Amateurs get Fucked from the big Mafia i wait on the first report in TV youll see it 
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| karstenkloss | 07/08/2009 05:15:15 GMT |
| Ok, for the slots i agree. But why the hell is poker a game of chance!? Same shitty opinion the goverment in Germany shares. Why? BEcause the state doesn't want to loose his monopol on gambling. We live in a democratic country, hahahaha!
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