Is poker gambling or a sport?

[john_entony]

There is no doubt that poker is a sport! Yes for fish poker may seem like a game of chance. That's all because the fish only relies on luck (because it has no skills). Yes, sometimes luck makes money for the fish. But luck is not permanent, so the fish loses more than it wins. Because of this, many players consider poker as a game of chance. Unfortunately.

 

[Aleksandr1991]

For many people it's a robot, for some it's a hobby for others it's a sport

 

[Acechador]

It’s both. Poker has the variance and money risk of gambling, but the skill element—reading ranges, exploiting tendencies, managing tilt—makes it a mind sport. Over the long run, skill wins. Luck is short-term, but strategy pays the bills.

 

[Sparta77]

I think it's both.

 

[martinoni]

50% each but now classified as a mind sport

 

[emsea9o5]

It’s a game. Not a sport !

Like monopoly or backgammon or crazy Eights.

 

[Artbart805]

its sport gambling! It wasnt, it would be called chess!

 

[Mario7]

Both. Some people say it is a game, but it does not deny it still can be a sport. Alot sports are games - physical or mental. If you play a tournament, even with cash reward it is very much a sport - you compete with others for a win, 1st place, 2nd place etc. Winning money does not change it. You can also play a chess or bridge tournament, with cash reward and noone would call it gambling. From the other hand, when you play a cash game - it is gambling. Even if much better kind of gambling, where skill means alot and where you are NOT always staistically loosing (like in typical casino games) it is still gambling.

 

[stank12345]

It is gambling but not a sport

 

[dompoker]

I don't think poker is a sport, it's a game of luck.

 

[d191]

Gambling

 

[pavel1111111]

A sport definetly no ! Gambling game couldt say that , but You can also sau îs a mind game and a pacience game 😁, dont You say ?!

 

[TeUnit]

Its still a skill based game.

 

[RALF_AK]

...poker is a sport of strategy and has a certain variance... and is much more complex than a game of chess. In games of chance, we just roll the dice or spin the roulette wheel... that's all!!!

 

[dienesantosc]

Well my opinion, I think it can be a mental sport, just like chess, you need to have strategy, observe your opponent, and play so that you can do well. Those who see the game in depth realize that professional players have sensational game logistics, it's even cool to see, not those games with players that come in to play anyway... amateur professional games are another level, they know how to respect the aggressiveness of other players, they have a strategy for the game to be played correctly, and not to become a casino.

 

[phuchoidey1]

I think depend on how you play it, if you all in and wait lucky it is gamble,

 

[BillyR23]

Is poker gambling or a sport?

Like many other community members said, I also think that poker is a sport and mostly people that don't invest time into studying and improving their game and/or people that don't know much about poker and just see that it's played for lots of money, come to the conclusion that it's just gambling... About the luck factor- this is present everywhere in life and especially in all the sports(let's take Man City as an example- they have like 70%+ ball possession, 20 chances to score and sometimes their opponents will have 1 free kick/ corner kick and they'll score and win... losing with AA vs. 72o is nothing compared to this, so Pep Guardiola should just say that football is rigged and it should be taken off the sports category lol... or just a few days ago OKC lost Game 1 at home even tho they controlled the game from the start and Indiana had the lead for less than 1 second from 48 minutes of play- so basketball is definitely not a sport but a rigged gambling activity lol...), so you can't say that poker is gambling just because of some bad experiences and again, like other members said, mostly fish/ bad recreational players only rely on luck, the players that take poker seriously will study a lot to improve their skills and long-term, skillful play will ultimately lead to good results...

3 of my favorite DNegs quotes:
- Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.
- In the long run, luck is going to even out.
- The best players in the World are constantly learning and adapting. They're never satisfied with their current level of play.

 

[Rost]

I am convinced that poker is an intellectual sport. And in my opinion, poker could well be an Olympic sport.

 

[istbno]

Poker is a unique blend of both gambling and sport. It involves gambling because players risk money on uncertain outcomes, and luck plays a role, especially in the short term. However, it also shares qualities with a sport: skill, strategy, discipline, mental endurance, and competition against others. Over the long run, skilled players tend to win consistently, separating poker from pure games of chance like slot machines. So while it contains gambling elements, many view poker—especially at a professional level—as a mind sport similar to chess.

 

[ManOfSky]

Poker is a mix of both — it involves luck like gambling, but skill, strategy, and psychology make it more like a mind sport over the long run.

 

[j11211876]

Poker is an interesting mix — technically, it’s gambling because you’re risking money on uncertain outcomes. But unlike games of pure chance, poker involves real skill. Players who understand strategy, odds, and psychology tend to win more consistently, which is why many consider it a competitive mind sport, much like chess.

That’s also why choosing the right platform matters. I usually check sites like CasinoLooker, which compares poker platforms based on player reviews, payout speeds, and fairness. Especially for real money poker, knowing where to play safely can make a big difference.

So yeah, poker sits in both worlds: gambling by definition, but skill often decides who comes out ahead.

 

[sntiesot87]

Neither... Or both