Democratic Decision in Holland: Poker is Luck - Latest Poker News

Despite scientists proving otherwise, Dutch minister withholds poker is game of chance. What's more, it's addictive - according to science.

Dutch mathematician Ben van der Genugten compared the luck factor with the skill factor for a number of games. He published a formula showing that poker has a very high skill factor.

High skill in chess and poker

After testing various games on human subjects, the skill factor for poker was found to be 0.3. This can be compared to the skill game of skill games, chess, with a skill factor of 0.4 - not far ahead.

Skewed vision of skill and luck

Roulette has a skill factor of 0 (evidently), and so called management games 0.2. Those are regularly referred to as skill games, but in this survey scored lower on skill than poker.

Some facts are more important

But this scientific result doesn't move Dutch politicians, as reported on pokerstrategy.com. Minister of Justice, Ernst Hirsch Ballin, declared that this is not grounds for a renewed discussion on changed regulations for online poker.

On the contrary, Ballin leans on another scientific study, providing evidence for poker's addictive potential. In order to protect the players, there will be no licensing proceedings for online poker sites.

Meanwhile, other aspects of poker are left out of the discussion altogether. Such as poker being a fine game, a stimulating social activity and an edifying pastime.

Swallowing camels

As PokerJunkie understands it, Dutch authorities will continue to crack down on online poker - while applying a relaxed attitude to cannabis?

Some doubter apparently asked who's on crack here, really. We haven't been able to confirm this.