{"id":8314,"date":"2018-08-29T08:00:46","date_gmt":"2018-08-29T12:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onlinepokeramerica.com\/news\/?p=8314"},"modified":"2018-08-29T08:00:46","modified_gmt":"2018-08-29T12:00:46","slug":"ukraine-legalizes-poker-accepts-it-as-a-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onlinepokeramerica.com\/news\/ukraine-legalizes-poker-accepts-it-as-a-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine Legalizes Poker, Accepts It as a Sport"},"content":{"rendered":"
We have mostly been focusing on the United States and the poker action that takes place here. However, there\u2019s more to that. Following the coverage of the Triton Series in Jeju, South Korea and Sochi, Russia<\/a>, we are now fixating our eye on a different jurisdiction \u2013 Ukraine. The country has just made a significant push towards the legalization of poker.<\/em><\/p>\n Ukraine has effectively recognized poker as a game of skill, and more \u2013 a sport. The game is now featured in the Register of Recognized Sports<\/strong>, which is part of the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine\u2019s Document 3780<\/strong>. Because of the move, anti-gambling laws will no longer impede the game\u2019s progress and expansion.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not unprecedented to see poker become a sport in the country, though. Up until 2010<\/strong>, poker was indeed treated as a sport, but it then fell out of grace and was relegated to a status of a debauched hobby. After the downfall of poker, the legal climate became nearly unbearable. Established operators, such as the iPoker Network had to leave the market<\/a>.<\/p>\n Companies that had hosted and run events before 2010 were now on the rocks unable to maintain their operations. The Supreme Court of Ukraine sided with the clubs in 2013 when it ruled out that poker is legal only insofar as tournaments go. This move effectively deprived Ukrainian players<\/strong> from their training grounds. Not only that, but poker operators began leaving the country to avoid legal embroilment with the Ukrainian government.<\/p>\n And it now all has to be rebuilt. This will take some time, but the country already has experience and a sufficient number of competitors who have been making a name for themselves on the international scene.<\/p>\nFrom a Game to Sport<\/h2>\n
Ukrainians are Known in the World of Poker<\/h2>\n