Gambling has its roots in the Arabic etymology az-zahr, meaning “dice” [Treccani]. It is defined as a recreational activity in which the main purpose is profit and winning or losing depends largely on chance. Skill plays a negligible role [Ibidem].
The Origins of Gambling
The oldest forms of gambling are dice games. Archaeological finds testify however that some gaming practices were linked to collective magical rituals. Over time these rituals evolved into the modern forms of gambling we know today [Tani, Ilari, 2016].
Modern gambling games are essentially evolutions of these prehistoric forms. Slot machines, computers and smartphones have multiplied access opportunities. The development of the internet has allowed competent authorities to legalize online gambling through digital monitoring and control tools. As a result, online poker is legalized in Italy. Live poker is allowed exclusively within casinos.
There is an older definition, though, and a leaner one. Stocking, in 1934, described gambling as a pact: two or more people agree that each will put something up, and that the outcome of an event will settle who takes it.
That is where the difference that really counts comes from. As long as play is just play, it stands on its own: you do it for the pleasure of doing it. But the moment a wager rides on a result, another measure comes in — what it pays — and it is no longer enjoyment holding the game together.
The Social Effects of Gambling
Gambling is a deeply rooted practice in human nature. It does not appear to be limited to a specific era, social class or culture [Savron et al., 2001].
The main risk of gambling is addiction. In the most severe cases compulsive and pathological behaviors develop. This condition generates chronic resistance to the impulse to stop playing. The consequences can be serious for the individual, their family and their professional life.
Pathological gambling is today considered a true social emergency [Tani e Ilari, 2016]. Its widespread diffusion, accelerated by digital technologies, makes it urgent to address the issue in a responsible and structured way.
Texas Hold’em Poker in This Context
It is in this context that the debate on live poker regulation in Italy takes place. As long as Texas Hold’em poker does not have objective tools to demonstrate the primacy of skill over chance, it will continue to be classified in the gambling category.
The Skill Poker Index were created precisely to fill this gap. But before examining the solution, it is necessary to understand the specific challenges that live poker regulation faces in our country.
In the next article we will address the challenges of live poker regulation in Italy, and why a discipline with all the characteristics to be recognized as a sport has been left without rules.
