美国法官宣布在线扑克游戏的技巧(2)

译文：

　　One of the age old arguments surrounding poker is whether or not the game is based on skill or luck. The government of the United States of America have always said poker was a game of chance and therefore it fell under the Illegal Gambling Business Act （IGBA） of 1970 but yesterday a federal judge ruled poker is not a game of chance and therefore is not gambling.

　　Judge Jack Weinstein’s findings were published in a 120-page document but the crux was that poker is not gambling under federal law as it is not a game of chance. Weinstein’s judgement came after he heard the testimony of Dr. Randal Heeb, who is a professor at Yale who analysed tens of thousands of poker hands from an unnamed online poker site in an attempt to prove poker is a game of skill. Heeb conducted the study to try and have the trial of Lawrence DiChristina thrown out. DiChristina was charged with running an illegal gambling ring on Staten Island.

　　The ruling by Weinstein saw all charges against DiChristina dropped but it could also have massive ramifications for the online poker world, particularly the licensing and regulation of online poker in the USA. This could be the first time and the highest profile case where poker has been shown to be a game of skill and therefore not gambling. The very fact that it is not gambling means the game does not fall under the IGBA and there are many member of the online poker community who are wondering whether this means online poker could be exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act （UIGEA）。

　　One man who was delighted with the ground-breaking ruling was the Executive Director of the Poker Player’s Alliance, John Pappas who said, “As we worked for years defending players against vague gambling laws, we have patiently waited for the right opportunity to raise the issue in federal court. Today’s federal court ruling is a major victory for the game of poker and the millions of Americans who enjoy playing it. Judge Weinstein’s thoughtful decision recognizes what we have consistently argued for years: poker is not a crime, it is a game of skill. As the judge’s opinion aptly notes, poker is an American pastime that is deeply embedded in the history and fabric of our nation and his decision sets aside the notion that the vague laws render the game criminal.”

　　The effects of this ruling will not become apparent immediately but they do give some serious ammunition to our State-side cousins who have been fighting to have this wonderful game legalised, regulated and licensed for the past few years.