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It's about time the Indian government legalizes Poker 

Poker – an attractive game of extreme skill, patience and practice! Popular throughout the world, it is accepted worldwide today that poker is not gambling, not a game of chance, but rather a skill-based game that requires mastery and expertise, just like any other sport!

Incredible India of the 21st century

Independent India is creating great impressions, being a part of the BRIC community, as a growing economy in the world, arriving on the global scenario and being perceived as a tolerant country that values and cherishes its exemplary democracy. Freedom to practice any profession is woven into the cultural fabric of modern India. In fact, the Indian diaspora has been making impressive progress in the global sports arena of late!

Is it not therefore correct for lovers of poker to expect the authorities to move with the times and change how the legislation views poker? There is ample proof of a changing legislative mindset keeping up with the changing modern trends. The recent announcement by Uttarakhand Chief Minister having the intention to legalize hemp (marijuana) farming across the state is a trailblazer towards a progressive India. Hemp is an important industrial plant and can fetch good revenue for the country, pushed by the Natural Fiber Policy of the Textile Ministry, which recognized a surge in hemp demand across the country and the world.

Exciting ripples are being felt!

Drawing parallels in the Indian gaming world, Indian law classifies all games under two broad categories – those of luck or and those of skill. The Supreme Court has maintained that rummy is a game of skill. The Karnataka High Court passed a landmark judgement in 2013 that declared poker as a predominant game of skill, along with rummy. Andhra Pradesh has also passed a similar ruling.

In fact, it is in the hand of each state to formulate the laws of gambling and gaming.Many states, such as Sikkim, Goa and Daman allow poker to be played in casinos. Nagaland looks all set to propose a bill that will legalize online gaming, claiming to be the first state to actually try and pass a legislation that supports online skill games such as rummy and poker.

These moves have sparked a debate and a hope for the poker players and fans, who like to test their skills at the game, albeit the legal way. There are a number of online poker gaming sites that have become popular owing to the courts’ verdicts above.

The love for poker is on the rise among Indians who find the game intriguing and challenging. Moreover, it gives them a perfect opportunity to test their analytical skills as well. But laws are still ambiguous about the status of poker, and are subject to interpretation. This proves to be a major hurdle in the way of the growth and popularity of this game.

Legalize and thrive

Time and again, it has proven that giving the legal stamp to the existence of a social fact has helped to generate public trust and in turn curbed illicit practices. The Delhi Government’s legalization of ‘unauthorized’ colonies has helped the municipal bodies as well as the people residing in these colonies.

Allowing the poker rooms, both physical and online to operate openly under the legal ambit, would not only suppress corruption and underhand dealings, it can also be a source of great revenue for the country.

The International Scene

The Monte Carlo of the East – Macau, is one great example! The glamorous haven has shot to fame in a short span of time and has even given stalwarts such as Lag Vegas and Atlantic City a tough competition! Macau generated $45 billion in revenues from poker in 2013 alone!

Countries like UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Malta and Thailand are some of the countries that let complete or restricted playing of poker enjoy legal status. Some countries even allow poker playing to be exempted from tax. In fact, some of these destinations are extremely popular and have attracted many global master-players who have achieved worldwide fame owing to highly successful careers built out of their mastery in poker!

Shouldn’t India follow suit?

Isn’t it time that India shakes off its traditional myopic view and legalizes poker? This will enable fans to pursue poker as a serious sport and also help make India a hot destination for fair and open gaming, inviting players from around the globe, while also adding millions or billions to our GDP!

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A Peek into the History of Poker

Poker, as we know it today, surely has a huge fan-following. It is an intriguing game of skill and human psyche. Both amateurs and professionals are hooked on to this game that is loaded with thrills and rides high on money too!

Early inceptions in ancient civilizations

The game as we see it today has an interesting trail of rich history; having been polished from one form to another over centuries! Of course, it is in the interest of the game lovers and history seekers to trace the origins of poker.  As goes with all things in the remote past, there are many claimants to the title! And then yet again, one can always argue that human civilizations across the world may have thought of multiple avatars of the game, each independent from the other!

In any case, the earliest known roots seem to point to the Chinese in 969 AD, when Emperor Mu-Tsung played a domino card game on New Year’s Eve with his wife! Across to Africa in the 12th and 13th  century and the clever Egyptians had invented card games; and in Asia, the Persians hads created their own avatar. In the 16th century – a game called Ganjifa or Treasure Cards– played with exquisitely crafted 96 cards made from paper-thin slices of ivory or precious wood in a complete deck. ‘Exotic’ blended with ‘enticing’ certainly added to the glamour and lure of the game! Persians also played As-Nas which included 25 cards and betting.

Closer to modern times

Cut to Europe; contributors to the modern version of Poker…

The game of Porque was patronized by the French and a variant called Pochen became popular in Germany during the 17th and 18th centuries. Both seem to have evolved from the Spanish game of Primero, dating back to 1526, which dealt out three cards to each player and included bluffing, i.e., betting with higher stakes, even when the cards were not good enough, just to fool the opponents.

With French colonies being established in Canada, the cards found a home in the ‘new world’. Catching the fancy in New Orleans and spreading along the River Mississippi via the riverboats which hosted poker tables, the game gained widespread popularity.

Soldiers in the American Civil War and the rugged cowboys of the Wild West during the gold rush loved the challenges that poker presented – a befitting pastime and a platform to prove their mettle as well! All saloons and bars in the West were incomplete without a poker table, which became the hotbed of many an action-packed night!

Formal birth

A fan called Jonathan H. Green learnt the game in prison and mentioned it as The Cheating Game being played on riverboats in his writings, in 1834.He discovered how different versions of the game were being played and went on to become a professional card player! So fascinated was he, that in his book called “An Exposure to the Arts and Miseries of Gambling” he formally named the game Poker!

Variants and the scenarios today

During the American Civil War, there were the game’s cousins born such as stud poker (five cards), wild card, lowball, straight, community poker game, split-pot poker and the draw. Today there is the 5 card draw, 7 card stud and the most ‘Cadillac of Poker’ –  Texas Hold’em! Casinos and home held games are proud hosts of this version of poker. Las Vegas was of course one of the most prominent nurturing grounds!

Today, the reach of this game is far and wide. The No Limit Texas Hold’em reached out to the American masses via television with the help of poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. 

The digital boom of the 21st century has caused hi-tech online poker rooms and websites to bring this game to your living room and further add to the frenzy! With so much information and endless guides available online, anyone who desires to learn the nuances of poker has many ready references!

So if you too have been hoping to jump onto the bandwagon, the internet is your simplest bet to get started and rake in big moolah!