In The Washington Post. This should convince those of you who don’t like poker. Poker is a game of skill, not a game of chance. You libertarians who don’t play poker: Do you really want the government forbidding something that happens between consenting adults and which does not harm them? For you Big Government liberals, do you really want to outlaw something that could be taxed and regulated? To you prudes, show me where the Bible says gambling is a sin. (Note: I have played online poker in the past, but do not play it anymore for personal reasons, so I have no dog in the fight.)
Just FYI, Virginia does not outlaw playing poker at private residences, just at public places, and private places that have a liquor license could arguably lose their license if they permit poker playing on the premises. And any gambling debt or agreement is unenforcable in a court of law. In other words, if you lend somebody money, or they lose money to you in a gambling endeavor, you cannot force them to repay you in a court of law. Nobody that I know would fail to pay a gambling debt, but just so you know, cuz a group of people got together to pool their money for the lottery. A ticket won, the guy who bought the ticket refused to pay for his mates, and the Virginia Supreme Court refused to make him share with them.
Smash Mouth Politics 
I know that if a “restaurant” wants to host a poker tourny they can as long as the “house” gets no amount of the money. They must either give it all back in winnings or take a cut for charity.