A campaign by Wisconsin poker players—which is being supported by the Poker Players Alliance—to legalize the game in the state is underway.
The “Legal Poker in Wisconsin” effort is being led by a group of players, including PPA state director Steve Verrett.
“This is very real and if all is successful, we could see Wisconsin have the same types of poker facilities as California and other states,” Verrett told PokerNews.com. “We have put over two years of research and time into this effort and we are very close to making this happen.”
The Poker Players Association feels poker is not identified as a game of chance under Wisconsin law.
“Instead, what is considered gaming or not is left open to interpretation of local law enforcement based on whether a game is predominantly one of skill or chance,” the PPA said in an email to its members in the state. “The language in the statute does not specifically speak to poker but does say that a bet does not include ‘bona-fide contests of skill’—which by recent federal and state rulings, scientific studies and our general knowledge show poker is clearly such a contest and therefore should not be included in Wisconsin’s definition of gambling and should be as legal to play for money as pool, darts, golf or other contests of skill.”
The group has hired a lawyer and the PPA is planning to offer it free legal support for the effort.
