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NEWS RELEASEFor Immediate Distribution
Contact:Shannon Flahertysflaherty@theheraldgroup.com(202) 347-6762
Poker Players Alliance Commends S.C. Court’s Finding thatPoker is a Game of Skill, Not Chance
Washington, DC (February 19, 2009)
–The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide (nearly 10,000 inSouth Carolina), today expressed cautious optimism with a ruling in the Mount Pleasant, S.C. poker case and applauded the Court’s findings that poker is a game of skill, not chance. Thoughdisappointed with the Court’s initial conclusion that the defendants had committed a crime, PPAexpects to prevail on further review.“We are humbled by Judge Duffy’s thoughtful decision and applaud the effort put forth by thelegal team defending these poker players,” said John Pappas, executive director of the PPA.“The positive language in this ruling comes on heels of other key legal victories for the rights of  poker players in Kentucky, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. It’s becoming quite clear the legalcommunity agrees that this great American pastime is a game of predominant skill, not luck, andshould not be considered gambling under the law.”The defendants were charged with playing cards in a “house used as a place of gaming” andunder South Carolina law, the term “gaming” means “gambling.” PPA argued that the Courtshould adopt the rulings of other courts that gambling refers to a game in which the outcome isdetermined predominantly by chance, not by skill.PPA provided for expert testimony, making the compelling case that poker is a game of skillinvolving the making of correct decisions rather that mere chance, and therefore not illegalgambling. The South Carolina Court found that testimony persuasive and found that poker is agame of skill.“While I am disappointed that the judge found my clients guilty by holding them to a standardthat is not defined by the law, there are many positive elements that we can take from thisopinion as we prepare for the appeal,” said Jeff Phillips, the lead attorney for the five defendantsin South Carolina. “Our solid legal arguments were superbly supported by the expert testimonyarranged by the PPA. The testimony of Mike Sexton and Professor Robert Hannum wereinvaluable and helped explain the skillful essence of poker to the court. We are grateful for their involvement in this case.”The trial court recognized that this is an “easy case” for acquittal if the proper test under SouthCarolina law is whether a game is predominantly one of skill. But it concluded that a higher court must decide that issue. PPA will work with the defendants to promptly appeal the case, and
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