Poker is not a game of chance and the organiser of a poker tournament cannot be prosecuted for breaking gambling laws, a court in The Hague has ruled.

The public prosecution department had taken the organiser of a tournament in December 2006 to court, but judges found him not guilty.
Officially, the Netherlands regards poker as a gambling game, meaning the state owned Holland Casino group is the only organisation allowed to organise tournaments.
But the judges agreed with the defence, which argued poker has become a different game, depending on tactics, experience and psychology.