Taiwan Becomes First Country in Asia Where Poker Is Recognized as a Sport

Taiwan has taken a historic step for the game of poker, becoming the first country in Asia to achieve what many jurisdictions have avoided.

It was not an easy process to get poker recognized as a sport in Taiwan, but the decision was formally confirmed by the University Sports Federation, which approved Texas Hold’em as a medal event at the National Intercollegiate Athletic Games and brought poker into a government-backed collegiate sporting framework.

Although poker has long operated within structured competitive environments worldwide, its classification within a state-backed sporting framework remains rare. Texas Hold’em has previously been recognized as a mind sport by the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), placing it alongside disciplines that emphasize skill, logic, and decision-making. The move to get poker recognized as a sport in Taiwan marks the first time in Asia that this realization has been extended into a government-certified collegiate athletic system.

Collegiate Competition Under National Sporting Oversight

The tournament will be organized by the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association , the most established poker body in the country. Preliminary rounds will be conducted across 19 official CTP branches nationwide, allowing university students from across Taiwan to participate under standardized rules and professional supervision.

This nationwide structure ensures broad access while maintaining consistent competitive conditions. By operating within an academic and sporting framework, the event reinforces poker’s status as a skill-based competition rather than a recreational activity, aligning it with other recognized collegiate disciplines.

National Broadcast and Professional Progression

The final stages of the competition will be broadcast live on the Videoland Sports Channel, where Texas Hold’em will feature alongside other televised mind sports such as Bridge and Go. Coverage will focus on gameplay and decision-making, presenting poker through a professional sports lens rather than an entertainment-driven spectacle.

All of the prizes are provided by the Taiwan Millions Tournament , which plays host to an upcoming series taking place at Asia Poker Arena and Red Space Multipurpose Venue , creating a direct link between collegiate competition and the professional circuit. The top 42 finishers will receive a TMT 19 $2,000 credit voucher (valid for the TMT 19 Main Event), while each finalist at the final table will earn a seat in the TMT Main Event Flight A, offering early exposure to one of Taiwan’s premier poker stages.

This development confirms that poker is now formally embedded within a regulated academic and sporting structure in Taiwan. As the first Asian jurisdiction to take this step at a collegiate level, Taiwan has established a precedent that could influence how poker is classified and governed elsewhere in the region.