Poker vs gambling

Slonoptah · May 2, 2026

Unlike a regular casino, in poker a lot depends on you

blackstore0007 · May 2, 2026

Shadow6969 said:
What's the difference between poker and gambling?? Share your thoughts 💭 💭 💭
Can poker be addictive 😶

Poker and gambling are same in my point and poker can be very addictive …very very

akgross · May 2, 2026

In poker, players compete against each other, where the stronger player can gain an advantage. Poker can be addictive. In my opinion, poker is a mixture of skill and risk, with elements of excitement.

hyuhd6021 · May 2, 2026

Okay, yes, poker can be addictive, just like alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, and soda. And it all depends on the person who is using it, if the person has the discernment to understand that it is a game of long-term skills and strategies and will not seek quick results. No, poker is not a game of chance, because a game of chance is designed for you to lose more than you win. The issue of addiction is very subjective; anyone can become addicted to anything, as long as they allow themselves to be used to satisfy the desires of the body and mind.

Emily Trott · May 2, 2026

Poker is a game of skill, because you can change the outcome by how you play, rather than a game of luck where you have no control over the outcome. However it is still gambling because you are betting on the outcome of a game.

SergioV · May 2, 2026

Shadow6969 said:
What's the difference between poker and gambling?? Share your thoughts 💭 💭 💭
Can poker be addictive 😶

The biggest difference is that poker involves a significant level of skill, while most forms of gambling depend mostly on pure luck. In poker, players can improve through study, experience, discipline, and decision-making. Over the long term, stronger players usually perform better consistently, which is very different from games that are completely chance-based.
At the same time, poker can definitely become addictive if a person loses control or starts chasing losses emotionally. That’s why bankroll management, discipline, and taking breaks are very important. When approached responsibly, poker can be a competitive mind game, but without control it can become unhealthy like any other form of gambling.

burro · May 2, 2026

I don't see poker as pure gambling.
Yes, there is luck, especially in the short term. But in the long run, skill matters a lot — decisions, patience, and discipline.
In games like roulette or slot machines, you rely solely on luck. In poker, you can improve and perfect yourself over time.
But I agree with one thing: it can be addictive if you don't control yourself, especially when trying to recover losses.
For me, poker is a mix of skill and luck, not just a game of chance.

skaterick · May 2, 2026

plenty of card players gamble in poker and at many other games of skill and chance . the best poker players know the odds and their opponents quite well, so much of the time the risks are calculated correctly .

SJP_1964 · May 4, 2026

To me gambling means that you have no control over the outcome. Poker on the other hand you do have some control over the outcome and this is where skill comes in.

Varela · May 4, 2026

Poker is gambling with an edge if you study. Gambling is poker without studying.

I learned this the hard way: Lost $1.21 playing $0.50 Spins with 2 buy-ins. That's gambling.

Now I'm back to freerolls with $0.02 applying BRM from Aleksandr1991. That's poker.

The difference? One has a plan, the other has hope.

@Shadow6969 What's your take: Can a losing player ever call poker "skill" if they refuse to study?

cwdignus · May 4, 2026

I started learning to play online poker after seeing an episode of the TV series The Mentalist. In that episode, the protagonist goes to prison and wins a lot of money from some mafia prisoners. I got curious and started studying. I started learning here at CardsChat. Of course, if you enjoy everything and start doing it non-stop, it becomes an addiction, but since most of the games I play are freerolls, the only thing that happens is that I dedicate time and win free money.

ebhdussha · May 6, 2026

Scrabble is a skill game. You could put money on it and there is some randomness to it but its still a skill game. I view poker the same way.

888NOX888 · Thursday at 1:50 AM

Yes, poker is partly a gambling game, yes poker can be addictive, but on the other hand, a person playing football also has an addiction to his game.

dreamer13 · Thursday at 2:13 AM

All players have an equal chance of winning. The most experienced and skilled players tend to win.In gambling, it's the other way around—luck is key, and skill is irrelevant. A roulette or slots player, for example, might win a ton of money from the casino by accident, but they're guaranteed to lose in the long run.

gambledoremy · Thursday at 8:09 AM

That’s the thing. They said it’s not considered gambling when you know how to win. It’s combination lot of aspects, luck also involves. But a lot of skills could be acquired from it.

istbno · Thursday at 4:09 PM

The main difference between poker and pure gambling is that poker is a skill-based competitive game against other players, while gambling games are usually against the house with fixed odds. In poker, long-term results depend on decision making, discipline, and strategy, even though short-term outcomes still involve luck and variance. Gambling games like slots or roulette don’t allow you to consistently influence the outcome. Yes, poker can be addictive because it combines money, competition, and emotional highs and lows, so it’s important to set limits, manage bankroll properly, and keep balance so it stays a game of skill rather than compulsion.

Aleksandr1991 · Thursday at 4:13 PM

Shadow6969 said:
В чём разница между покером и азартными играми? Поделитесь своими мыслями 💭 💭 💭
Может ли покер вызывать привыкание? 😶

In most gambling games, you place a bet and just wait for the result.
In poker, you make decisions at every stage of the hand: you can bluff, discard a bad card (minimizing losses), or beat your opponent if they make a mistake.

david018 · Thursday at 4:21 PM

poker is different from pure gambling because luck affects short-term results but skill, matters in the long run, it can still be addictive due to its win/loss swings and emotional highs so it"s important to play with limits and disciplined mindset.

Poker vs gambling

Slonoptah

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blackstore0007

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akgross

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hyuhd6021

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Emily Trott

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SergioV

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burro

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skaterick

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SJP_1964

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Varela

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888NOX888

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dreamer13

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istbno

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