The first week of poker in cash mode, recently introduced by government economic maneuver, has passed between the exaltation of the players and the alarms of psychologists and the Vatican. But between the two litigants it is the Government that benefits: according to the first estimates, 650 million euros should enter the pockets of the State in 2011. The collection of the online gaming market will see a 145% growth, going from 4,8 billion in 2010 to about 11,8 billion in 2011.
But we must not confuse the collection with the game volumes. The first does not consider rakeback, i.e. the fact that for every 10 euros played, 2 go to the bank and the other 8 return to the table. So this year Italians will actually pay out around 3,6 billion euros for cash games. Since about 90% of the collection is destined for the pockets of the players, and the state takes 20% of the winnings, the cash game alone will earn the Treasury almost 650 million euros. We also recall that the State collects 3% on poker and skill games and poker rooms have an average rake between 5 and 6,6% (although the maximum taxable limit is 10%).
In 2012, online games collected an estimated 20,8 billion euros and this means that every Italian will spend 1,20 euros a day to play on the internet. But Andrea Dato, one of the best Italian poker players, will surely spend many more.
From Monday you can play online poker in cash mode. Some have complained of malfunctions in the platforms. What was your impression?
Yesterday I played for the first time and… I won (laughs). I expected to find a slightly lower level, instead there is an air of professionalism. The game volumes of the early days are obviously high as many players were ready to start. The difference between the pros and the amateurs is stark and generally the flow of money goes very quickly to the more capable players. Overall I'm satisfied with how the platforms have been implemented.
How does the solution adopted by Italy fit in with the international situation?
France is the only state-of-the-art country which, a year early, followed the same path as Italy, that is, it regularized the .fr poker rooms. England is the happy island where gambling is allowed at 360 degrees. Spain is still a little behind, let's say that for now anarchy is in force. The problem of the Northern countries is that they have unapproachable tax levels, in fact many players change their residence in order to avoid too high taxes. The new Italian legislation is among the most advanced in terms of security, each player must give his identity card number, in addition to the tax code, and it is no coincidence that our country is taken as a model.
Yet many do not believe that there is something to be proud of. In recent days we have seen cries of alarm for young people who could fall into the clutches of the game. Should we really care?
Lots of new youngsters will start playing but I think it's better that they learn as children because they are forced to start from the low levels. They often start playing even before the age of 18, asking for a small deposit from their parents. It's a good way to start understanding how the environment works by losing limited sums after all.
I think the greatest danger concerns compulsive gamblers, I imagine a family man who burns his salary at the green table. But I am convinced that that gentleman, if he hadn't had the opportunity to play online poker, would still have sat in front of a video poker or would have bought some scratch cards.
The introduction of cash games is not a bad thing: it is good for the state, for professionals and for those who want to pursue a career as a player. For compulsive gamblers, it certainly is yet another way to lose a lot of money. But what are we going to do, don't we build balconies because then there's someone who jumps at them? If one decides to jump, a bridge or a window will find them anyway.
Can we estimate how many of these inexperienced and compulsive gamblers there are?
There are about 700 gambling addicts in Italy. A recent study revealed that out of a sample of 100 players there are 92 losers, 8 winners of which less than one is able to survive on poker alone. So we are talking about a super niche. There are 4 million unique accounts registered on .it; just make a simple calculation: there are no more than a thousand professionals, I can say that I know practically all of them.
Living with poker, many would turn up their noses to hear it called a job.
But it is for all intents and purposes. I play more than 40 hours a week on average and I do nothing but sit in front of a computer in a chair, like 60% of workers in advanced countries. It is a job that has many aspects in common with financial analysts. Like traders, the trader analyzes possibilities to find advantageous situations to take advantage of. Then he gets rich when the others lose, he is in front of a computer and doesn't look at anyone and in the end only those who are more experienced and faster than the others win. I have to admit that there is no shortage of negative sides to the profession. In the first place you live with other people's money, the poverty of others corresponds to your wealth. You also do not contribute in any way to the development of society. But from an individualistic point of view the satisfactions are great: you don't have schedules, you don't have bosses to be accountable to, you make a lot of money and also legally. Of course it's true, you're not useful to the community, but it's a job that doesn't hurt anyone. Mario Rossi who sits at the table with me because he wants to play, I didn't threaten him with a gun. His free will has not been harmed.
Some choices, however, sometimes cannot be defined as completely rational. For example, do you play with your head or with your belly?
With the head, always. My job is difficult, requires enormous concentration and can be very stressful. And as it may not seem, you also need to study.
I admit to suffering from an illness: I am addicted to gambling. But it is something that goes beyond poker and money. My life revolves around gaming and even when I'm with my friends we play risk rather than bowling, any game and of course also for free.
So you are a worker like many others, you pay taxes and you are not worried about creating welfare for society.
I'm happy like this, more than when I was a civil engineer. Of the money that I will win I will definitely help my family and, who knows, maybe start a charity; they are definitely not like traders who amass riches for the sake of it. On a beautiful day like today, I wake up, look out the window, enjoy a coffee with the morning breeze, and know that in half an hour I will start playing. It's my happiness.
