The relationship between football and poker has been a long-standing and sometimes confusing one. Though there have been plenty of suggestions as to why footballers are so attracted to the card game, less thought has gone into a consideration of the effect their involvement has had upon the world of poker itself.
The activity of gambling, poker included, has endured a history of opposition and stigma that lasts to this day. From religious resistance to legal restrictions and negative social perceptions; games such as poker have frequently been deemed a moral threat to society, despite the popularity of sites like casinokompassi kasinobonukset and others like them. Poker suffers from being stuck in a grey zone, betting money on luck-based games may be flat-out illegal in one state, yet accepted and endorsed in the next. With this being said, this doesn’t stop some people from checking out sites like Vera John casino, in the hopes of playing online casino games and potentially winning money along the way. There are people out there who will play these games just for fun, but there are some who can take it too far. It’s all about knowing when to stop, especially if money was not won.
Considering the indisputable public divide surrounding the question of gambling legality, it is remarkable how some of the most adored and well-respected figures in the world – professional footballers – are flocking to poker like it’s the ball on a pitch. These footballers epitomize what it means to be incredibly skilled, world famous, wealthy and admired. Everything about them symbolises success. They’re an inspiration to millions of people across the world…and they’re gambling extortionate amounts of money on luck-based card games.
To understand the phenomena, it’s important to realize that poker is in fact not just about luck. Though the thrill of risk-taking definitely attracts, people are increasingly coming to realise that poker is just as much a game of skill as it is of luck. Some players who play online even use a poker HUD for PokerStars to make sure they have a competitive edge. For a player to consistently win in poker, he or she needs to make careful calculations, master strategic approaches and perfect the art of concealing emotions. The more your practise, the better you get. Whilst football is an extreme test of physical endurance, poker sits on the other end of the spectrum as an entirely mental challenge. It’s no wonder that footballers, already high-achievers in every other aspect of their lives, are eager to try their hand at the world’s most popular card game. And they’re good at it, too.
As high-profile footballers employ their competitive qualities and concentration skills at the poker table, society is slowly but surely starting to reconsider its notion of poker as a game only for ‘irresponsible gambling addicts’. In an interview with PokerListings.com, poker pro Annie Duke explained that “there’s still a large part of the population that are sort of scared of poker and think it’s shady or some sort of backroom activity…it’s important to show people that poker really is about skill. Just like the best basketball players in the world excel and end up in the NBA, you can do the same in poker. It’s not about gambling.” Author of several books on the topic of poker, Duke sees footballers’ relationships with the gambling industry as an excellent way of making the card game more mainstream.
One could argue that poker is changing its status from ‘gambling activity’ to ‘socially accepted hobby’. Today, the game is increasingly being seen as a ‘mind sport’ – no different from chess. Recent studies suggest that the number of Americans supportive of gambling legalization is increasing at a steady rate. As for the number of active players; some statistics claim over 55 million Americans play online poker. Worldwide, that number more than doubles.
Though football players may help de-stigmatize gambling in general, the effect these sports stars are having upon perceptions of online poker is by far the most fascinating aspect. A few years ago, if you asked someone to describe the iGaming industry, words such as ‘spammy’ and ‘dodgy’ would probably be amongst the first to enter their head. Ask someone the same question now, and perhaps they’ll think of Neymar Jr, or Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom recently became Brand Ambassadors to online poker portal, PokerStars. Other online casinos are also enjoying the benefits of bringing poker-loving footballers into their team. In fact, poker brands are so concerned with the press opportunities such collaborations offer them, that when a football player damages his image or otherwise loses respect, their partnership with such a footballer is no longer of any value and the partnership is subsequently dropped. Last year, 888Poker terminated their sponsorship of Luis Suárez after his ‘biting incident‘, clearly demonstrating how greatly the reputation of associates matter to poker brands.
Are there drawbacks to footballer’s involvement in the world of online poker? Though effective for the legitimization of gambling, there are many ‘poker purists’ who would argue that shining the spotlight on footballers is unfair when there are plenty of incredible and full-time poker pros who are more deserving of the attention. More worryingly is the possibility that some people might underestimate exactly how much expendable cash their favourite football star enjoys, and believe that high-stake poker games are for anyone, regardless of experience or financial ability. On the other hand, the dangers of developing a gambling addiction will exist with or without footballers’ public endorsement of poker. If anything, becoming Brand Ambassador to a famous poker club puts a football player in an excellent position to educate about the importance of responsible gambling. Gambling addictions can lead to a whole host of negative consequences ranging from financial to mental health problems and could potentially result in substance abuse. Places like DayHab private hospital offer support for people going through a gambling addiction.
The online gambling industry is understandably concerned with changing people’s perception of online poker. Considering the growing popularity of casino portals, the industry’s wealth of resources and relationships with sports stars such as Teddy Sheringham, Richard Seymour and Rafael Nadal – the gambling industry will most likely be successful in their pursuit to legitimize poker. Sports fans always want to read about their favourite stars, and when poker sites interview football pros such as Andriy Shevchenko or Gerard Pique, iGaming gets exposure it would have otherwise struggled to gain. Could the online gambling scene ever succeed in its attempt to normalize online poker without the help of footballers? It is perhaps possible, but there’s no denying that the whole-hearted endorsement of poker by talented and beloved football players has kick-started the whole process.
