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Poker.co.uk - Poker News Archive
Monday 16th July 2007 Danish Poker Tournaments Legal
A Danish municipal court has ruled that poker tournaments do not contravene national gaming laws as it is not just a game of chance but requires skill and, therefore, is a legitimate competition.
A municipal court in the district of Lyngby ruled on Friday against a decision by the Justice Ministry’s Legal Affairs Committee last year, which concluded that poker constituted illegal gambling.
The ruling acquitted Frederik Hostrup, President of the Danish Poker Association, of charges of arranging illegal gambling events as the Association of Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Industry (HORESTA) were suing him on behalf of the nation’s land-based casinos.
Hostrup’s attorney, Henrik Hoffmann, said that the ruling has legitimised poker, which has become immensely popular in Denmark over the past couple years.
'Poker has become a sport of the people,' said Hoffmann. 'There are between 200,000 and 300,000 Danes who play poker at least once a week and more than half a million who now play regularly.'
According to Danish criminal law, illegal gambling is defined as games or competitions where organisers attempt to achieve a commercial or economic gain but Hoffmann successfully argued that poker is more about betting wisely, playing smart and getting other players to think that you have different cards in your hand than those you might actually possess.
“You can win in poker based on being clever enough to hide your strategy, even though you might have a fairly poor hand,' said Hoffmann.
Denmark’s hotel and restaurant trade organisation said that it was disappointed and surprised by the ruling and prosecutors will now have two weeks to decide whether to appeal the ruling.
'Anytime you play for money, the risk for becoming a gambling addict increases,' said Erik Jensen, Spokesman for HORESTA. 'Research has shown that there are some 85,000 Danes who are potential addicts, which is why these precautionary measures are so important.'
Source: OnlineCasinoNews
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