The live poker industry continues to suffer from a lack of regulation, resulting in challenges that hinder its growth. Crismani’s report highlights how the regulation is managed by the Italian Questori, creating a “leopard-spot” situation among Italian regions, where some allow the game and others deny it.
One of the main problems is the so-called “structural misunderstanding“, which refers to the origin of the tournament format in live poker. This format was born from the transposition of the cash game, with the progressive increase of blinds over a set time. However, this approach has still led to considering live poker as gambling, limiting its development as a sports discipline.
The traditional structure of Texas Hold’em poker tournaments also suffers from this issue. An analysis of a hand played in a live tournament shows how the random component, or padia, is still decisive in the final outcome, limiting the ludus component, i.e., the strategic and skill-based aspect.
The Skill Poker Index – SPI – has been proposed as a solution to reduce variance in poker, promoting the technical-strategic, cultural, and socio-economic growth of professional players. To achieve this goal, an advanced model of poker discipline is needed, capable of addressing the needs of players and entrepreneurs.
In summary, the critical issues underlying the current state of non-regulation of the live poker sector are related to the management of regulations, the structural misunderstanding, and the influence of variance in live tournament outcomes. To overcome these challenges, it is necessary to promote a vision of live poker as a sports and professional discipline, through the adoption of models like the Skill Poker Index and the revision of existing regulations.
Are you interested in learning more about solutions to professionalise live poker and how the Skill Poker Index can contribute to improving the industry? Contact our editorial team at All In News and discover how we can professionalise the world of live poker. Additionally, you can find the scientific study of the SPI on the academic website tesinoline.it.
Leggi anche:
- Beyond GTO: The Communicative Method to Dominate Live Texas Hold’em Poker
- Press Release dated 18.03.2025 – EMPOKERMENT
- Bad Beat at the River in Live Texas Hold’em Poker: The Importance of Skills and in game Strategies
- The New Paradigm in Live Poker Tournaments: Skill Poker Index and Strategies
- Poker Texas Hold’em: Skills, Luck, and the Path to Sports Recognition
