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Police ban TA poker championship
Decision based on previous ruling that stated 'Texas Holdem' poker based on chance rather than skill. Attorneys for Poker Association: The tournament is not about gambling; it is a social and competitive sports event
Israel Police has prohibited the Israel Poker Association (IPA) from holding its annual championship in Tel Aviv, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday.
The IPA, which estimated that more than 500,000 Israelis play poker regularly, has filed an appeal with the High Court of Justice in the hopes that it will reverse the decision.
In the appeal the association said the tournament, during which some 600 Texas Holdem poker players aged 18 and over compete for a grand prize that can reach NIS 120,000 (about $29,000), is held under strict guidelines.
Police cited a Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court ruling from June 2008 that said Texas Holdem poker was illegal, as its outcome is based more on chance than knowledge or strategy.
However, attorneys Vered Cohen and Raanan Bar-On, who represent IPA in the case, claim Texas Holdem is an "enjoyable and intelligent" game.
As part of the legal battle, the IPA presented the opinion of Professor Ehud Lehrer from Tel Aviv University's School of Mathematical Sciences, which determines that players competing in the Texas Holdem tournament are required to change their strategy during the course of the game while displaying mathematical and analytical skills.
"The tournament is not about gambling; it is a social and competitive sports event," the attorneys said in the appeal.
Danny Spector and Dudi Goldman contributed to the report
