Poker Named a Sport in Lithuania: Let’s All Move There

With so many European nations and the United States crowing about the legalization of poker, especially online, it is refreshing to see that one country has taken a step forward in declaring poker as a sport.

On March 20, the official ruling body of Lithuanian sports, the Department of Physical Education and Sports issued an official decree recognizing the Lithuanian Sports Poker Federation as an official sports federation, is opening the doors for further development of poker as a sport in Lithuania.

This recognition is extremely important because it will allow the LSPF to organize noncommercial poker tournaments outside of casinos in Lithuania. This is sure to boost poker's popularity in the country.

"This is extremely important step in our work," Andrius Tapinas, president of the Lithuanian Sport Poker Federation, said. "We are receiving congratulations from many of our colleagues abroad and I know that we are breaking thick ice with our progress for similar international initiatives."

Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states.  Once the largest country in all of Europe, on 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to declare independence. Prior to the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, Lithuania had one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. Lithuania is a member of NATO, the Council of Europe, and the European Union.  Its population is just over 3 million. 

Greg Tingle, Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com