Rome, NY asked in Entertainment / Sports and Gaming for New York

Q: Is it considered gambling for players to put monetary wagers on skill based games?

If 2 players decided to make a bet on which one of them was better in a skill based video game (online chess or League of Legends) is it considered gambling even though none of the results are controlled by luck?

1 Lawyer Answer
Carrie A. Ward
Carrie A. Ward
Answered
  • Entertainment & Sports Law Lawyer
  • Philadelphia, PA

A: It is illegal when there are 3 elements present in the contest: (1) prize; (2) chance; and (3) consideration. In the scenario you describe above, the element of chance is missing in the equation.

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