Gambling for pleasure

IF PLAYING poker involves a fine balance of skill and chance, it seems that pubs hosting it are in a similarly precarious game with much at stake.

Thousands of pubs are caught up in a war of words between gambling authorities and the many companies launching poker games designed for the on-trade. The Guildford Tup in Guildford, Surrey, is one.

Every Monday since September, the Tup has been holding poker nights organised by gaming company Poker in the Pub (PITP) under a system playing for points, rather than money. It is a business model becoming increasingly popular as similar operators stream into the market realising pubs can get round having to apply for a licence to host poker by complying with certain regulations.

PITP claims what it offers is completely legal, conforming to the Gaming Act 1968 by not having a levy on the stakes or winnings of players, nor allowing access to members of the public, nor organising games that are played for 'money or money's worth'.

The Gambling Commission has been warning licensees about the legal pitfalls of hosting poker that could result in fines - or even jail. And the situation came to a head in March when Nuts Poker League launched legal action against West Mercia Police over claims that licensees were misled and that the company lost earnings. A letter had been sent to licensees by the Worcester-based police force claiming that hosting Nuts games was illegal. Nuts, which operates games under the same system as PITP's, contests this.

Tup's position​

So where does the Tup stand on the situation? The Massive pub's licensee Francois Jardin sympathises with Nuts. "If they don't charge the players, I can't see it's illegal," he says.

While he can appreciate the wary stance taken by the police and Gambling Commission, he says pubs such as the Tup are perfectly capable of hosting poker responsibly. Staff keep a close eye on gamers to ensure they do not place side bets - an act which would bring the wrath of the law down on pubs.

"I understand the police being concerned about things going too far. But as long as you do your job it's fine," he explains. It's just like not serving drunks or underage customers."

PITP charges Francois £1.50 per player, but he believes he makes back around six times that in bar sales on the average 24 players the games pull in each week.

This is a good return for any pub and Francois says: "The law sometimes seems to be behind the times."

Gaming Act consultation​

The consultation into a new form of the Gaming Act closed on April 20. Proposals included removing the need for pubs to have a licence to host poker played for money.

Gaming will be limited to equal chance forms of gambling, and there is likely to be a £5 limit on stakes and a £100 daily limit on prizes.

Poker novice Nick plays his cards right - just for fun

IT'S NOT like in James Bond's poker games. I turn to the equivalent of the super villain, long-haired French licensee Francois sitting to the right of me at the green felt table, and tentatively ask "so whose turn is it? And how much do I have to put in?"

This is more Austin Powers than Casino Royale, I think to myself, as I attempt to play my cards right at the Guildford Tup.

Francois gamely advises this poker novice of the rules and tactics of the game, while other players at the table wait with a patience I never would have come to associate with hard-bitten gamblers.

There's no doubting the nerves as the evening wears on and business gets serious, though.

It's just past 10pm and a particularly tense game is developing. I've just dealt myself a fairly good hand in the umpteenth round of five-card draw. I see a King of Spades, a King of Diamonds, a Jack of Diamonds, a five of Clubs and a three of Diamonds. A pair of kings isn't bad off the deal, but not great.

The betting starts​

Rachel, to the left of me at the table, tips the brim of her cowboy hat - no doubt to conceal her eyes. Adam, sitting on her left, adjusts sun glasses not really needed on a mid-March evening. Further round the table, Glen chews nervously on no-longer-minty chewing gum, and Francois wishes he hadn't taken the night off. Then the betting starts…

Rachel checks. She doesn't owe anything into the pot, so can defer her betting decision and the pressure passes onto the next player. Any player can check during a betting round provided nobody has yet made a bet in that round. Succeeding players can follow her example until or unless someone actually puts money in the pot.

Then Adam bets 20s-worth of shiny white chips. Glen calls and puts 20 in the pot. Francois raises 20, putting 40s-worth of chips where his mouth is. It's my turn. I can fold, call or raise. I'm still thinking: a pair of Kings isn't bad, not great but not bad. I call and put 40 into the pot. Back to Rachel, who grumbles and tosses her cards into the centre of the table, folding. Adam calls. The total bet is 40, but he had already bet 20, so he owes 20, which he tosses into the pot. Glen is in a similar position and tosses in 20.

Discarding cards​

The round of betting is over. After Francois' raise, everyone else folded or called, so everyone is tantalisingly all square. Now all the players can discard up to three cards. Adam throws away three cards, Glen one, Francois two. I deal replacements and now it's my turn. I have a pair of Kings, three Spades and no chance of a straight. I decide it's best to just keep the two Kings and hope to get a third or fourth King. I discard three cards, and my new hand is King of Spades, King of Diamonds, King of Clubs, four of Clubs and eight of Hearts. Three kings! A nice little hand.

I wonder what the others are trying for. Adam's kept two cards, so he probably had a pair like me. However, it probably wasn't Aces, so even if Adam got a three of a kind, I'll probably beat him. Glen kept four cards, so he was probably trying for a straight or a flush. If Glen had a four of a kind, he would surely have bet bigger. My big problem is Francois. He raised earlier, and only drew two cards. He might be bluffing, but he could have had three of a kind off the deal.

Adam bets 10. Glen folds. I guess he didn't get his straight or flush. Francois raises 40.

I call. Adam looks at his cards, then calls, betting 40. Again, everyone called Francois' raise, so the round of betting is over. With apprehension filling the air, it comes to the point where everyone reveals their hand. The highest hand is three of a kind, and the highest three of a kind is my three kings. I win!

Cards on the table: the tension and thrills this evening brings enforces more than anything the need for licensees to be given a definitive legal standing on poker.

It's a shame this money-making ace in the pack remains a potential joker until they are.