Pennsylvania poker court battle pitting skill versus luck

Lawrence Burns, a lawyer from the Pittsburgh suburb of Greensburg, didn’t imagine he was doing anything illegal when he promoted, organized and ran public poker tournaments. His opinion on that issue still hasn’t changed, even after the Pennsylvania State Police recently raided his office and his home and confiscated property, documents, and cash totaling around $11,000.

“I like to play Texas Hold’em, and I enjoy holding Texas Hold’em tournaments,” Burns told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. “I do not believe my activities are illegal.”

Burns has yet to be charged with a crime, but he will probably be brought up under a state statute that prohibits the organization of gambling events. Since the statute doesn’t specifically mention poker, and Burns seems keen to fight the charge, it seems likely that the case will center on the debate of ‘poker as skill game’ vs ‘poker as game of chance.’