As we attempted to predict the impact of these changes on our pubs, we listened to all the speculations and rumours that had been made over the past year. Most of the rumours were correct for once and the act was clear.Pub pokerThis was not expected. It is not known how strict the new law will be enforced. This is even more surprising.
The new law may appear to have given pubs more freedom to host poker nights. However, reality might be slightly different. Since many years, illegal poker games have been played in pubs. Poker could have been the catalyst that led to the establishment of the great British institution known as the public bar. In the beginning, players would sit outside in the rain. Slowly, pubs were built to provide shelter and refreshment for those who were chasing their losses for many days. Ok, I may be rewriting history, but pub poker has existed for many years.
Many venues believe their games are now semi-legitimate because of the law change. The truth is that the reverse could be true. Pubs can now offer low-stakes games, with situs slot joker388 a limit at PS5 per player for each game and a prize pool that is based on premises at PS100 per day. This is a change in the law that allows venues to offer cash poker on their premises. The Gambling Commission is now one of the largest organizations in the country and has the power to punish those who break the new regulations.
It remains to be seen if the legislation change will have any impact on pubs. The moment, however, theGambling CommissionIt appears that they are playing a waiting game. We can speculate that they are putting off any action until Gordon Brown clarifies his position on the new gambling act. It will be interesting to see how the “powers that be” decide. They will either ignore venues that run well-run events, even if they are not in compliance with the law, or they will try to enforce the law by pointing out pubs that violate the rules.
Public houses are now advertising poker events that violate the law. This will make it more difficult for authorities to ignore. Some publicans seem unsure of what the law allows. This is understandable since a law degree seems to be required for understanding the Gambling Act 2005 terminology.
Cash poker in pubs is not a good idea, according to our opinion. Our opinion is that it’s best to play poker for real money in casinos or regulated clubs. We know from personal experience that the UK has a large demand for low-stakes poker and that the best places to play are poker clubs and casinos.
This is because it is easier to manage a properly regulated poker game in a card room or casino where there is a tournament host and other measures to prevent foul play. Publicans will not have much experience running poker games, and many establishments will leave it up to the players to manage. This can lead to problems when there is disagreement over the rules or money. A few bad incidents can quickly make poker the news for the wrong reasons. Sensationalist headlines like “British Pubs and Gambling Dens” will not influence poker players. These stories will influence people unfamiliar with poker. Although I don’t know how many politicians are poker players, I can bet that many will take advantage of the chance to score points if the public opinions start to turn against this wonderful game.
While we don’t necessarily oppose cash games in pubs and bars, it is better to provide more facilities in venues that are purpose-built to allow players to enjoy the game they choose in a safe setting. This is where casinos can play a part by creating the right environment for poker players. Casinos that offer poor quality poker games are not what poker players want. Only those venues that offer both cash and tournament games as well as well-thought out tournaments will reap the greatest benefits from the current UK poker boom.
We will continue to offer Poker in the Pub as an open-to-all league. Our focus has always been on entertainment and we avoided gambling in pubs. This has resulted in a lot of new players taking up the game. The league is growing at an amazing rate. In fact, the number of venues has increased by 50% in the past few months.
Again, the focus is on having a great day out for everyone. I’m confident that the players will make sure we play high-quality poker. The excellent performance of the regional winners at the Golden Sands Poker Festival supports this statement.