WPF secures victory at IMSA
The World Poker Federation (WPF) has celebrated a monumental breakthrough, solidifying its influence in the future of poker. The prestigious International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) has granted formal recognition of poker as a mind sport, placing it in the esteemed company of strategic games like chess and bridge. This landmark acknowledgment not only elevates poker’s status as a cerebral and tactical pastime but also unveils a wealth of new prospects for players, sponsors, and avid fans across the globe.
The WPF, in collaboration with its affiliated federations operating in over 40 countries, has been diligently advocating for the acceptance, regulation, and clarification surrounding poker. This crucial recognition from IMSA is the pinnacle of years of commitment from the organization, affirming poker’s rightful place as a bona fide mind sport.
The Consolidation of Poker
On November 16, the International Mind Sports Association, recognized as the authoritative governing body for mind sports worldwide, granted its official approval for poker as one of its core disciplines, alongside revered games such as chess, e-sports, and checkers.
This approval significantly bolsters poker’s global footprint by formally categorizing it as a mind sport to governments, sporting organizations, and institutional bodies. This pivotal development paves the way for poker’s inclusion in mainstream sports events, potentially unlocking myriad growth and regulatory opportunities for the sport.
“Approval legitimizes poker and lays out a clear path for its worldwide expansion. It strengthens connections with governments, enabling the WPF and its local federations to present poker as a mind sport,” asserts Igor “Federal” Trafane, president of the WPF. “With legal advancements, new countries are opening up to poker, while established markets gain freedom to grow, encouraging the sport’s development on all fronts.”
Additionally, a bright new landscape for professional poker careers is on the horizon. Players recognized as athletes will enjoy access to legal protections, robust contracts, and rights akin to other established sports. This enhanced professional climate promises to attract new talent and forge enduring career possibilities, thereby establishing poker as a legitimate avenue for those seeking fruitful and fulfilling careers.
Team Tournament at BSOP. Photo: Disclosure.
Ueltom Lima, president of CBTH, concurs: “The formalization of player status is one of the foundations for the sport’s development. By treating competitors as they should be, the WPF fosters a more professional and organized environment, which not only supports poker’s growth as entertainment but also as a viable career path. For sponsors, association with a sport where players (and the game itself) are respected and legally protected conveys an image of solidity and professionalism.”
Ueltom Lima. Photo: Disclosure.
“[…] the growing visibility of the sport and the standardization of competitions make its skills increasingly specialized and valued, creating new opportunities for training and improvement.
The WPF’s recognition and educational outreach initiatives also play a crucial role in diminishing prejudice surrounding the game, enhancing public perception of poker and its participants. As the image of poker players transforms into that of mental athletes, respect and family backing naturally increase. Corporations and sponsors, who were once cautious, are now viewing poker as an authoritative and rewarding visibility opportunity, thereby expanding sponsorships and investment in the sport.
The media is keenly observing this change, offering broader and unrestricted coverage. The legitimacy of poker as a mind sport, coupled with its burgeoning market expansion, motivates media outlets to allocate more resources to competitions and news, thus catering to a swelling audience eager for information. This heightened exposure fortifies the growth cycle, magnifying athletes’ capacity to attract investors and sponsors.
“In a landscape where sports marketing is a primary investment focus for major corporations, poker now has the chance to compete on equal footing with other sports that already enjoy this type of visibility,” remarks Roberto Lifschitz, WPF’s marketing director. Tournament organizers and investors, too, stand to gain significantly from this recognition. The newfound official legitimacy cultivates a safer environment for hosting and supporting events, instilling confidence in regulated and respected market operations. Emerging markets are ripe for larger tournaments, and the designation of poker as a mind sport renders competitions far more appealing to sponsors seeking enduring partnerships.
“[…] the mind sport status makes competitions more attractive to sponsors seeking visibility and lasting partnerships.
The Power of Unity: WPF as a Symbol of Global Cohesion
More than just a triumph for the sport, this recognition symbolizes a victory for the entire global poker community. The WPF has played a pivotal role in dismantling outdated prejudices, advocating for poker as a game of skill and strategy. By linking players, federations, and key global influencers, the WPF unifies efforts towards a common objective: to advance and safeguard poker, thus constructing a robust, unified sports framework.
Each WPF federation is vital to this momentum, bolstering the international poker community. Collectively, they strive to ensure the sport’s expansion and fortification within diverse countries, all the while honoring local nuances. Inclusion in the IMSA serves to amplify the influence of this coalition, accentuating its significance in the regulation and enhancement of poker on a worldwide scale.
“We founded the WPF precisely to create a global movement that would unify poker. The organization’s focus is now on building a true global sports structure, channeling efforts to create the foundation that every major sport already has: standardized regulations, career opportunities, player protection, and international competitions,” reveals Leonardo Carvarge.
The Path to Approval: Organization and Collective Commitment
The journey towards this hard-earned recognition was fraught with challenges. The WPF had to consistently showcase that poker encompasses all the hallmarks of an intellectual sport. The organization underwent a rigorous verification process that scrutinized its legal standing, international representation, membership statistics, and linguistic diversity. This unified endeavor culminated in the momentous recognition, marking the unprecedented acknowledgment of poker by IMSA as a mind sport.
The CBTH’s extensive experience in advocating for poker’s legitimacy was indispensable during this transformative process. The Brazilian Confederation of Texas Hold’em, one of the founding entities of the WPF, was established in 2009 to organize and promote the advancement of poker in Brazil, with Igor “Federal” Trafane, its inaugural president, currently holding the office of WPF president.
Brazil’s Contribution
Within less than a year of its inception, CBTH garnered favorable opinions from eminent jurists such as Miguel Reale Júnior, along with numerous positive rulings in judicial arenas, notably from the São Paulo Court of Justice, reinforcing poker’s legitimacy. This concerted effort culminated in the formal acknowledgment of poker as a game of skill in Brazil, heralding a new chapter for the sport within the nation.
From left to right: Alberoni Castro, Igor Federal, Ueltom Lima, and Leonardo Cavarge. Photo: Publicity.
Devanir Campos and Alberoni Castro. Photo: Publicity.
“We became part of the mechanism for popularizing and legitimizing poker.”
The acknowledgment of poker as a skill-based game marked a crucial milestone, clearly differentiating it from games of chance, which have been prohibited in Brazil since 1946. Prominent among those advocating for this recognition was Devanir Campos, affectionately known as “DC,” the first Latin American to gain membership in the Tournament Directors Association (TDA) and the president of the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP), the preeminent poker series in South America. His contributions were instrumental in the BSOP’s rise as a benchmark for organization and transparency in the global sphere: “Poker tournaments have conferred upon poker the status attributed to other major sports. In Brazil, faced with archaic laws, we recognized the need for diligence. Consequently, we attained a level of excellence and high standards that are now a reference for Latin America and beyond. We became part of the engine that popularized and legitimized poker.”
Today, more than 10 million Brazilians are estimated to have played poker at least once, and there are 23 state federations affiliated with CBTH. “Sports poker is still an emerging phenomenon. The federations in each country are in their infancy. The emergence and initiatives of the WPF position Brazil at the forefront as a world leader and a transformative force for global poker,” remarks Alberoni Castro, secretary-general of the CBTH.
The Essential Role of the World Poker Federation in the Future of Poker
The World Poker Federation is a driving force in this poker revolution. Since its inception, the WPF has been dedicated to promoting the growth and safeguarding of poker as a recognized mind sport, ensuring its strategic and intellectual qualities gain global acknowledgment. With federations spanning over 40 countries, the WPF is forming strategic alliances and tirelessly working to establish a safe and sustainable atmosphere for the sport’s continued development.
Education remains a core focus. In collaboration with media platforms, the WPF aims to provide authentic coverage of poker, emphasizing its intellectual and strategic elements while dispelling outdated stereotypes. Concurrently, it engages with governments across the globe to advocate for the regulation of poker as a legitimate sport, thus opening new markets and securing steady and structured growth.
The relentless pursuit of legitimacy comprises another crucial aspect of the WPF’s mission. Gaining entry into IMSA was a landmark achievement in this pursuit, raising poker’s profile within the international sports community. This acknowledgment boosts the WPF’s capacity to protect the sport worldwide, fostering more avenues for partnerships and sponsorships, thereby ensuring poker garners the seriousness it warrants from governments and sporting institutions.
Recognizing that unity is strength, the WPF plays an essential role in backing local federations. By offering guidance and resources, it empowers these entities to thrive within their markets, nurturing regional partnerships that propel poker forward. Such support not only fortifies local federations but also integrates them into the WPF’s extensive global network, creating a cohesive and influential community dedicated to the sport’s ongoing evolution.
The WPF’s concerted efforts are geared towards establishing a cohesive global framework for poker. This encompasses instituting standardized regulations, delineating transparent career trajectories for players, and organizing prestigious international tournaments.
The federation acknowledges that for poker to firmly establish itself as a sport, a solid and systematically organized foundation is indispensable, allowing players, organizers, and investors to flourish and contribute to a prosperous future.
Igor Federal. Photo: Disclosure.
Player experience
The World Poker Federation (WPF) is actively striving to broaden poker’s reach and weave it into the fabric of daily life for people all around the world. By acknowledging the pivotal role fans play in the sport’s expansion, the federation has committed resources to initiatives designed to promote the game, enhance accessibility, and dismantle lingering stigmas.
Utilizing the power of social media and digital platforms, the WPF is poised to create online communities that foster connections among poker enthusiasts worldwide, captivating a new generation of fans who actively engage with and share insights. This modern approach allows poker to become an essential part of digital culture, drawing the sport closer to individuals in their everyday lives and reinforcing community bonds.
This commitment to fans symbolizes a vision of the future where poker occupies a prominent position in popular culture.
With more people playing, watching, and discussing poker, the sport gains vitality and paves the way for a promising future, both in terms of competitive development and cultural impact.
Leonardo Cavarge, CEO of WPF, is fervent when discussing the topic: “These initiatives are critical to ensuring the sport’s continuous evolution, drawing more individuals into poker and cultivating a foundation of competitors who, in turn, will help further elevate the global landscape.”
Poker still enjoys a significant advantage over other sports: it’s always an opportune time to start. There exists a substantial reservoir of untapped potential within the game.
The influence of this work is already manifesting on all continents. The relentless expansion of the World Poker Federation amplifies the opportunities for poker’s evolution and transformation, marking this as the prime moment to engage and become part of this exhilarating journey. The future shines brightly, with the WPF spearheading advancements in poker toward remarkable new heights.
Poker events are growing around the world.
WPF Member
The WPF federations and their affiliated organizations host some of the largest and most prestigious poker events across the globe.
WPT 500 Mexico
Battle of Malta Italy
Asian Poker Tour Taiwan
BSOP Millions Brazil
Australian Poker Tour Australia
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How is the World Poker Federation working to ensure accessibility for new players in the game of poker?
Vating a vibrant community around it. By focusing on fan engagement and accessibility, we are not just promoting poker as a competitive sport; we are also making it a lifestyle choice for many.”
As the World Poker Federation enhances its efforts to legitimize and globalize the game, the emphasis remains on building a robust framework that supports players, organizers, and fans alike. Through strategic partnerships and innovative outreach programs, the WPF aims to create pathways for new players to enter the arena while providing seasoned veterans with the recognition they rightfully deserve. The power of the poker community, strengthened by these initiatives, will be pivotal in shaping the future of the game.
The vision is clear: a world where poker is celebrated not only as a game of chance but as an esteemed mind sport with a rich cultural heritage and a promising future. The WPF is committed to steering this transformation, highlighting the importance of training, strategy, and fair play while fostering a spirit of camaraderie and competition among players globally.
the World Poker Federation stands at the forefront of a revolutionary change in how poker is perceived and played worldwide. With a steadfast commitment to promoting poker as a mind sport, uniting the global community, and ensuring sustainable growth, the WPF is not just creating opportunities for today’s players but paving the way for the next generation of poker enthusiasts. The journey has only just begun, and the possibilities for poker’s future are limitless.