Are you interested in where the biggest poker-playing countries around the world are? Read on to find all the details
America
Poker is permeated into the history and culture of North and South America. Was there ever a Western movie that didn’t feature a scene of the rogue cowboy at a poker table, either proving that he can outbluff anyone in the saloon or gaining money for his next escapade.
It is one of the main staples of physical casinos alongside blackjack and roulette, which means the biggest city dedicated to partying wouldn’t exist without it. The City of Sin has many sides to its story: the gangsters, the pioneering spirit, but also the games that made it possible.
Today, America, and Las Vegas particularly, is the home of poker. The biggest poker tournament in the world takes place there, where players from all around the world come to take part. The GGPoker UK WSOP circuit is a huge attraction in North America. And with Hollywood a quick private jet or decent drive away, Vegas, and by extension poker, has become the focus of a lot of A-list movies.
France
France is the mother of modern gambling. While poker wasn’t invented in France, other staples, like roulette were, and when the first and biggest casinos were being developed, it was the creators of roulette (or rather, the businessmen who bought the invention) who were developing them.
Francois and Louis Blanc created the Monte Carlos Casino in Monaco with the fame of their latest invention on their back and they took the most popular games of the time with them: roulette, blackjack, and poker.
But this was all in the 19th century, which means poker was being played by the aristocrats with too much money to spare while their people considered revolutions and gambled in order to gain money. Today, France holds one of the biggest poker tournaments in the world: the Parisian Poker salon Aviation Club de France World Tournament, which is only one of the 160 state-licensed casinos across the country.
Gambling is as much a part of France’s culture as art, fashion, or baguettes.
Indonesia
Ironically, Indonesia has gambling banned throughout its country, however there are over 4,000 online poker websites alone which see a lot of regular traffic. The sheer popularity of poker is unmatched, even in the previous two examples.
The reason gambling is banned in Indonesia is due to its vast Muslim population, which condemn all “games of chance”. Poker players may like it or not, but poker is as much luck as it is strategy or talent, and therefore it is out.
And yet, the online gambling market is growing, and has been for a while. This has led to a few outstanding players to find their way playing professional poker. For example, John Juanda moved to the US for college at just 19 and found himself in an environment where playing poker was legal, leading him to win 5 World Series of Poker bracelets.
Brazil
Brazil’s citizens famously love to gamble, although what might come immediately to mind is their love of football, and therefore sports betting. So, it might surprise you to learn that almost 60% of the country’s population is playing poker today.
It is a country known for its party atmosphere; therefore, it might also surprise you to know that there are only 10 casinos in the country. However, they are always full of gamblers.
On the other side of the poker argument, Brazil is another country that outlaws gambling, but poker gets by that by being considered a game of skill, which might contribute to its popularity throughout the country.
Due to this, Brazil has produced a number of professional poker players, including names like Alexandre Gomes, Joao Simao, and Andre Akkari.
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