Gambling: Origins, Types and Social Impact
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 Social Effects of Gambling Texas Hold’em Poker in This Context […]
The Game, Chance and Skill: Where Does Texas Hold’em Poker Stand?
What is a game? What is a sport? And where does Texas Hold’em poker stand in this continuum? These are apparently simple questions. But the answer determines everything: legality, regulation, sports recognition. And, ultimately, the legitimacy of the Skill Poker Index. The Game: An Ancient and Complex Category Caillois’ Classification How the game works, and […]
Skill Poker Index: What They Are and How They Work
The first article in the series asked the question: is Texas Hold’em poker a sport or gambling? The study’s answer is a tool, the Skill Poker Index. This article is about what that tool is made of: which authors it comes from, with what method it was built, and how it would have to be […]
Is Poker Texas Hold’em a Sport or Gambling?
It’s the question every live poker player has asked themselves at least once. You played perfectly. You read your opponent. You made the right decision. Yet you lost. The wrong card came out on the river. And the tournament was over. Your fault or bad luck? This tension — between skill and chance — is […]