Brazil: The Advertising Council establishes that poker is not a game of chance

The entity, that has the authority to establish and implement the norms of the Brazilian Code of Advertising Self Regulation, had forbidden the advertisement to be released by Discovery Channel.

Now, the regulador declared that poker cannot be considered a game of chance, because, for its development, strategy and hability are more important than luck. So the activity does not fit in Article 50 of the Decree-Law 3688/41. So, after this new analysis, Conar came to the definite conclusion that poker is not a banned game in Brazil.

Opinions from the jurist Miguel Reale Junior and the Court of Justice of São Paulo, on top of the precautionary measure granted by in Santa Catarina for the performance of the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) Florianópolis and the inclusion of poker in the International Mind Sports Association –an organization acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee- had an effect in the decision.

The only requirement confirmed by the new decision of Conar is the obligation of the clear differentiation in the advertisement between Fulltiltpoker.com (which allows cash bets) and Fulltiltpoker.net (for free) with the aim to minimize the chance to generate confusion in the spectator.