Lithuanian Sports Poker Federation deemed Official
Lithuania has become the first country to break ground on turning poker into a legitimate sport. On March 20th the official ruling body of Lithuanian sports issued and official decree recognising the Lithuanian sports poker federation as an official sports federation. What this essentially means is that in Lithuania it is now “Legal” for the LSPF to organise non-commercial poker tournaments outside of the casinos in Lithuania. This also, apparently, includes the online world.
Andrius Tapinas, President of the LSPF said “This is extremely important step in our work, We are receiving congratulations from many of our colleagues abroad and I know that we are breaking thick ice with our progress for similar international initiatives.”
With this step Lithuania is hoping to boost the popularity of the game of poker, as well as blaze trail for other countries currently on the fence about legalising online poker. Those countries include: most of the rest of Europe and the United States where the UIGEA is set to come into effect on June 1st if no one steps in to repeal it. But now that health care has passed, i’m sure that’s next on Obama’s list of things to do.
What is not clear is if Lithuania will be going the route of taxing online / non-casino poker when the LSPF does set up their freshly legal poker games. I’m sure in this world economy the Department of Physical Education and Sports in Lithuania (the body that passed the decree) had an idea of how to make this aslucrative as they could, and i’m sure we’ll be hearing more about how in the coming weeks.
So, who’s moving to Lithuania??
