Comments on: Poker officially recognised as a sport http://siberianlight.net/russia-poker-sport/ The Russia Blog Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:03:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Tim Newman http://siberianlight.net/russia-poker-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-2267 Tim Newman Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:50:50 +0000 http://www.siberianlight.net/?p=1695#comment-2267 I’m not sure how seriously the ban on casinos is being taken. I noticed about 1-2 years ago several casinos in Sakhalin were shut down with the new laws as being cited as the reason why, but strangely those casinos allegedly owned by the local governor remained open for business. And the slot machine halls which were all removed are now making a comeback. I suspect it is the usual case of a vague law being drafted in Moscow and applied arbitrarily and inconsistently in the more remote provinces.

Tim Newman´s last blog post..Unrealistic Job Advert #3

]]> By: Twitted by Fabyuri http://siberianlight.net/russia-poker-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-2266 Twitted by Fabyuri Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:39:45 +0000 http://www.siberianlight.net/?p=1695#comment-2266 [...] This post was Twitted by Fabyuri [...] [...] This post was Twitted by Fabyuri [...]

]]> By: Pocket Aces http://siberianlight.net/russia-poker-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-2265 Pocket Aces Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:57:01 +0000 http://www.siberianlight.net/?p=1695#comment-2265 2 points: 1. Poker Rooms are NOT a replacement for casinos. Poker brings in very, very revenue. Generally, each poker table plays the establishment where the game is being played a "rake." The size of the rake is generally 10% of the amount in a game. Therefore, while poker, specifically Texas Hold'em, may be the hottest new craze in Russia, it will have zero to little affect on the situation concerning gambling in Russia. 2. None of the 4 gaming zones are even close to being ready to host gamblers come July 1st. The Las vegas theory of "build it anywhere (even a desert) and they will come" has proved incorrect in Russia. The four gaming zones lack even the most basic infrastructure. Instead, what the Russian federal government should do is "grandfather" all casinos for another 5 years (until after February 2014) and declare that the Black Sea coast and another in the Far East (Vladivostok)will be the primary gaming zones. Any casino operator would be able to apply for a license to open a casino along the Black Sea coast BEFORE 2014. After February 2014, ALL casino in the rest of the country would be shut down. One key point is that the socially negative impact from gambling is much more directly related to "Game Clubs" (i.e. slot machine halls), not the actual casinos. The people who go to casinos, generally, are able to afford to lose money gambling while the folks who stop in to the Game Clubs are not. "Average Joes" are taking their paychecks and playing the slots and that is causing most of the social problems. Therefore, as of July 1st, 2009, the Federal government could easily shut down all Game Clubs throughout the country but leave open the large casinos and they would kill two birds with one stone. Namely, the casinos would provide an outlet for people who want to gamble and this would prevent the industry from going "underground" and thus, being unregulated and untaxable. Additionally, by closing the Game Clubs the small-time gambler would be less likely to blow his paycheck on a Friday evening. Finally, this solution would allow the government to take action to clean-up the gaming industry further but not damage the country in the process. 2 points:

1. Poker Rooms are NOT a replacement for casinos. Poker brings in very, very revenue. Generally, each poker table plays the establishment where the game is being played a “rake.” The size of the rake is generally 10% of the amount in a game. Therefore, while poker, specifically Texas Hold’em, may be the hottest new craze in Russia, it will have zero to little affect on the situation concerning gambling in Russia.

2. None of the 4 gaming zones are even close to being ready to host gamblers come July 1st. The Las vegas theory of “build it anywhere (even a desert) and they will come” has proved incorrect in Russia. The four gaming zones lack even the most basic infrastructure. Instead, what the Russian federal government should do is “grandfather” all casinos for another 5 years (until after February 2014) and declare that the Black Sea coast and another in the Far East (Vladivostok)will be the primary gaming zones. Any casino operator would be able to apply for a license to open a casino along the Black Sea coast BEFORE 2014. After February 2014, ALL casino in the rest of the country would be shut down.

One key point is that the socially negative impact from gambling is much more directly related to “Game Clubs” (i.e. slot machine halls), not the actual casinos. The people who go to casinos, generally, are able to afford to lose money gambling while the folks who stop in to the Game Clubs are not. “Average Joes” are taking their paychecks and playing the slots and that is causing most of the social problems.

Therefore, as of July 1st, 2009, the Federal government could easily shut down all Game Clubs throughout the country but leave open the large casinos and they would kill two birds with one stone. Namely, the casinos would provide an outlet for people who want to gamble and this would prevent the industry from going “underground” and thus, being unregulated and untaxable. Additionally, by closing the Game Clubs the small-time gambler would be less likely to blow his paycheck on a Friday evening.

Finally, this solution would allow the government to take action to clean-up the gaming industry further but not damage the country in the process.

]]> By: Da Russophile http://siberianlight.net/russia-poker-sport/comment-page-1/#comment-2264 Da Russophile Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:56:19 +0000 http://www.siberianlight.net/?p=1695#comment-2264 I completely agree with this move. In poker skillz will always trounce luck on a long enough timescale.

Da Russophile´s last blog post..Rite of Spring: Russia Fertility Trends

]]>