Poker a Game of Luck in Netherlands

The Dutch Minister of Justice, Hirsch Ballin, of the Netherlands, has stated that even if poker were to be ruled as a game of skill the Netherlands would never license and regulate poker in their country. It has been widely publicized that many are challenging the ruling of the Dutch Supreme Court in 1998 that classified poker as a game of chance. The Ministers comments were in response to the publicity.

Professor Van der Genugten has challenged the ruling and wants to change the classification of poker in the Netherlands. Van der Genugten was an expert witness and the Dutch courts have used his formula that he helped develop that shows poker skills are closer to that of a skill game than in bridge or chess. The media then picked up the story and ran with it.

The media frenzy led to phone calls to the Liberal Party and thus Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin made his statement. The Minister also defended the current state monopoly on gaming with state-owned Casino Holland saying this is the only way citizens are protected.

The Minister also referred to a study that was conducted in 2007 by the Dutch Gaming Control Board and the University of Twenty. That study found that poker had a high risk of addiction and because of that the ministry would continue to fight against illegal operators.