PokerPages Home PagePokerPages Poker SchoolDownload Poker Software
FREE Sign Up!
Username Password  
Tournament News:   Daily     New     Last Month     This Month     Next Month     WSOP      WSOPE     WPT     EPT     APPT     LAPT

PokerPages > Poker News > Poker News

Poker News - Poker News

Russia Says Poker Tourneys are Sport- Are They Exempt from Gambling Bill?

by PokerPages.com
Fri, Apr 6th, 2007 @ 12:00am

A landmark decision to classify Poker tournaments as an official sports competition instead of a Gambling game was made by the Russian Sports Minister for the "Federal agency of physical culture and sport", Slava Fetisov, on March 16, 2007.

The decision is most significant because it may permit poker tournaments to be exempt from falling under the Gambling bill sponsored by President Putin and passed last November to tighten controls on casino gambling and ultimately ban casino gambling except in four special zones beginning 2009 (click here to read related PokerPages article).

It could also mean that casinos may no longer have to pay $4,800 per poker table per month, on top of wages and complimentary food and drinks provided, which makes it very expensive to offer poker games, as a Russian Pokernetwork forum writer pointed out, which could lead to a poker boom.

Of more immediate concern to poker in Russia, the Gambling bill has a July 2007 date to have shut down any gambling business with net assets below 600 million rubles and any casino smaller than 800 square meters, many of which host poker games.

So the important question yet to be officially answered is:

"Will poker tournaments and by extension all commercial poker games become exempt from the new Gambling Bill and escape being banished to the four fringes of Russian-sanctioned Casino Gambling Zones?"

A secondary question posed in several forums is: "Why would the Russian government forgo making money off poker tournaments- where is the catch?"

So the full story has yet to be heard.

With a nod towards the United States' attempt to shut down internet gambling for US residents with passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), one observant poker player in a 2+2 forum noted that Russia and the United States seem to have changed roles and asked, "Which country regulates and which is free?"

The re-classification of poker tournaments as a Russian sport event resulted largely from the lobbying efforts of Dmitry Lesnoy, gaming writer, popular poker tournament director, and President representing the Russian Sport Poker Federation, a public organization created 5 months ago to promote poker in Russia.

The Sport Poker Federation was formed shortly after passage of the Russian Gambling bill last November which many poker players feared might mean the end of poker in Russia.

A Russian "Sport Poker Federation" conference was held 18 November 2006 in Moscow, and was attended by over 200 people representing 50 Russian regions, as fulltiltrussia news reported. Attendees unanimously adopted the Russian Sport Poker Federation charter and elected Dmitry Lesnoy President of the new public organization, and Vladimir Ivanchenko as Honourable President.

The major goal of the Federation was to see poker recognized as a sport on a government level. Other goals include poker propaganda and popularization of poker, establishing high aesthetic and sport norms and standards, organizing poker tournaments with specific emphasis on the sporting element, creating players rating system, organizing poker schools, nurturing young talent, and searching for sponsors.

During the Sports Ministry hearing on poker, Lesnoy made presentations about the history of poker and the competitions conducted in Russia for many years. He appealed that poker is an 'intellectual game' with widespread, mass-market interest requiring much skill.

"It is so pleasant," commented Lesnoy, "that with the general background of persecution from the government towards gambling, the state still revealed wisdom and agreed with a factor, that poker can not belong to the category of gambling. It is a sport!"

Lesnoy hopes that the Sport Poker Federation will continue to support the growth of poker in Russia.

Read Related Articles:

  • Russia Poker & Gambling Bill approved by Duma
  • Poker In Russian Gaming Zones Coming
  •  

     
     

    More Poker News Articles

    Local Businessman Bags European Poker Tour Vilamoura Bling
    12am Sun Nov 22nd, 2009

    The European Poker Tour rolled into the Casino Vilamoura last week, instantly generating the richest poker prize pool in the nation of Portugal's history.

    Keikoan Captures Harvey's Lake Tahoe WSOPC Championship
    12am Thu Nov 19th, 2009

    This week marked the finale of the biggest annual tournament series in Northern Nevada, the WSOP Circuit championship at Harvey's Lake Tahoe. While the Main Event saw only a modest turnout, it did boast of a tough final table, and a WSOP bracelet owner as the eventual champion.

    WSOP Main Event Champ Joe Cada to Appear on Letterman
    12am Wed Nov 18th, 2009

    The poker world will receive some late night attention tonight as "The Kid" Joe Cada, the youngest champion in the four decade history of the World Series of Poker Main Event, takes a seat next to embattled talk show host David Letterman.

    First Korean Champ of Asia Pacific Poker Tour Crowned in Cebu
    12am Tue Nov 17th, 2009

    Another stop on the Asia Pacific Poker Tour is in the books, this time it's the APPT Cebu in the Philippines, and for the very first time a Korean player has come out on top.

    Pollack Done as Commish of World Series of Poker
    12am Sat Nov 14th, 2009

    Just three days after crowning Joe Cada as the 2009 Main Event champion, officially closing the special 40th anniversary run of the World Series of Poker, Jeffrey Pollack has resigned his post as Commissioner of the WSOP.

    Durrrr Signs as Team Full Tilt's Youngest Member
    12am Wed Nov 11th, 2009

    Tom "durrrr" Dwan is the newest member of Team Full Tilt, the online site's highest level of affiliation. At 23, Dwan is the youngest of the now 14-person team. The high stakes cash phenomenon was nominated for induction this year into the Poker Hall of Fame until the Hall of Fame Governing Council decided he was too young to meet the "has stood the test of time" qualification.

    Joe Cada Becomes Youngest World Series of Poker Main Event Champ
    12am Tue Nov 10th, 2009

    History was made early Tuesday morning in Las Vegas as 21-year-old Joe Cada outlasted Darvin Moon in heads-up play to claim the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet and more than $8.5 million.

    Moon and Cada Heads-Up, Ivey 7th at WSOP Main Event Final Table
    12am Sun Nov 8th, 2009

    After a marathon session at the most esteemed table in the poker world, a 21-year-old and a logger are set to go one-on-one for the World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet.

    PokerStars Launches New UK and Ireland Poker Tour
    12am Wed Nov 4th, 2009

    PokerStars.com has announced the start of a new poker tour with stops throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) will kick off in Galway, Ireland in mid-December, and the first event in the UK will be held in Manchester in February.

    Peerless Media Agrees to Purchase World Poker Tour Enterprises
    12am Mon Nov 2nd, 2009

    According to a Monday press release, WPT Enterprises Inc., mothership of the World Poker Tour, is now the rightful property of Peerless Media, Ltd., subsidiary of online giant PartyGaming.

    Download Poker Software
    PokerPages
    Newsletter
    Online Poker »
    Poker News »
    Blog Coverage


    Top News
    Top Tournaments