Poker Officially Recognized as Mind Sport by IMSA

By default, poker is a game of chance which comes as no surprise because of the nature as card game. However, with the right strategy and instincts, the influence of luck can be reduced. Throughout the years, several organizations within the poker industry have attempted to highlight this aspect and there has now been a significant breakthrough.

Poker Recognized As Mind Sport By IMSA

In mid-November, the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) recognized poker as a Mind Sport and joins the ranks of chess and eSports, which had previously been given the same badge of honor. The efforts for this achievement were led by the World Poker Federation (WPF), which celebrated the confirmation during the PokerStars sponsored Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) at the WTC Sheraton São Paulo.

“With a strong network of federations across more than 49 countries, we have achieved something today that is both unprecedented and definitive. IMSA’s decision represents the dedication of thousands who view poker as a genuine profession and intellectual discipline,” Igor Trafane, WPF President said in the official press release.

“Our mission now is to build the foundation that every major sport already has: standardized regulations, professional pathways, player protections, and international competitions.”

The thriving force behind the force is based in Brazil, however, several international partners are also part of the network such as the Taiwan based Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP). Members of the Asian Poker Sports Association (APSA), Raymond Wong and David Tai, were attending the celebration and participated in the BSOP live series. In total, there are currently 49 countries forming the member nations of the WPF.

“Our focus is on building a true global sports structure for Poker,” says Leonardo Cavarge, WPF CEO. “The World Poker Federation was built on the belief that, by joining forces, we can amplify our impact and protect the game we love.”

A total of nine different mind sports have been recognized so far. Besides the aforementioned trio, this also includes Bridge, Card Games, Draughts, Go, Mahjong, and Xiangqi. The entire process to have poker join the ranks took several years and it had been an observer for the past two years prior to the favorable voting by the IMSA members.

Long Road To Establishing Poker Mind Sport Status

There have been numerous attempts at establishing poker as a mind sport with a heavy emphasis on the strategic aspect ever since the card game gained worldwide popularity. However, a global organization as an umbrella to unite all the venues and operators has been missing or never gained any significant traction.

In early November, the Asian Poker Sports Association (APSA) held its first conference at the Asia Poker Arena in Taipei City. The breakthrough event was attended by pioneers of poker from different Asian nations. WPF CEO Leonardo Cavarge was piped in sharing the strides the WPF organization has made in promoting poker as a legitimate mind sport on a global scale.

Tai and Wong also shared their challenges and accomplishments in Taiwan, and the difficult journey that ultimately led to poker being recognized as a mind sport. The conference especially highlighted the importance of unifying efforts across Asia to further establish standardized regulations.

More localized efforts can for example be found in India, where the official Poker Federation of India is actively promoting poker as a mind sport and game of skill. Based on that, the Poker Sports League (PSL) is hosting a team-based competition to “sportify the game of poker” with several well-known Indian poker pros among those taking part.

Furthermore, the country has seen another very welcome legal development not long ago in September 2024, the Allahabad High Court has delivered a landmark ruling, declaring that poker and rummy are games of skill rather than gambling.

The same team sport aspect is also followed by the International federation of Match Poker, in which India has excelled in previous years. In 2004, the World Cup Of Poker (WCP) was formed with 46 teams from 39 countries fighting for the title. However, the live event only ran until 2014 before it vanished.

The Mind Sports Olympiad has been hosted since 1997 and included more than 100 strategy games. Poker was included in that with several of its variants, but the last published poker results online date back between 2012 and 2020.

More focused on the recreational players is the Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT), which was established in 2006. Since then, the APAT has held multiple festivals in Europe and North America with a heavy focus on the United Kingdom for most of the live events. However, they have also ventured into the online arena as well.

For poker on a global scale, a leading organization to unite all efforts would need to fill a large void since numerous operators are actively competing against each other for the biggest slice of the pie. Most of them adhere to the guidelines proposed by the Poker Tournament Directors Association (TDA), a voluntary trade association of the poker tournament industry.

Future Impact?

Whether or not the recognition of poker as a mind sport will have any influence on the direction of the industry as a whole remains to be seen, after all it is a money making business within the gambling industry. Attracting more main stream sponsors similar to other sports would be a very welcome development, but the stigma of gambling comes with more hurdles than a 3000m steeplechase competition.

Another aspect that should not be underestimated are possible tax ramifications. So far, the vast majority of countries would not enforce tax payments on poker due to the gambling nature in case it isn’t the main source of income but if it was a sport, that may actually change.

More organizations are needed to step up and lead the way to unite the poker industry and ensure the continued existence and growth of the card game under professional conditions. The World Poker Federation may be the spark that is needed to ignite the fire and all efforts to rightfully showcase poker as a game of strategy and mind sport should be appreciated and supported.