Name a profession...

[aaron1867]

They are a business offering a product and are paying tax, they are professionals.

[RED-DOG]

They are a business offering a product and are paying tax, they are professionals.

Are American poker players professionals?

[aaron1867]

They probably call it a profession/job because it is their main source of income, requires skill/knowledge to be consistently profitable and therefore it fits the definition perfectly.

Effectively you are still gambling to make a living and there is no guaranteed income however good you are.

What about sponsored poker players? They can make a guranteed income if they are backed for everything and take a % of profits (i.e. can't lose their own money). They have a guarenteed income.

IMO you are a professional poker player when you fund your lifestyle soley through poker. It just happens to be a profession whereby you may require to live off of savings previously won for periods where you aren't profitable. We all know long-term the best players will effectively have a 'guaranteed income'.

How are they guaranteed profit? They are not guaranteed to win anything.

As for being called professional, I just see players as poker players, without the term professional. I said it before, think its to look good, or look self important.

[aaron1867]

They are a business offering a product and are paying tax, they are professionals.

Are American poker players professionals?

Haha, I see what you are doing Tom.

It's all different I suppose, but I don't think they are, just that the USA is taxed differently.

[WotRTheChances]

They probably call it a profession/job because it is their main source of income, requires skill/knowledge to be consistently profitable and therefore it fits the definition perfectly.

Effectively you are still gambling to make a living and there is no guaranteed income however good you are.

What about sponsored poker players? They can make a guranteed income if they are backed for everything and take a % of profits (i.e. can't lose their own money). They have a guarenteed income.

IMO you are a professional poker player when you fund your lifestyle soley through poker. It just happens to be a profession whereby you may require to live off of savings previously won for periods where you aren't profitable. We all know long-term the best players will effectively have a 'guaranteed income'.

How are they guaranteed profit? They are not guaranteed to win anything.

As for being called professional, I just see players as poker players, without the term professional. I said it before, think its to look good, or look self important.

I consider myself a professional. It has nothing to do with looking good or self-importance. Many people would look down upon it as a profession. I wouldnt consider it that at all... it's merely a definition of what I do for a living.

They are guaranteed profit from sponsorships. (and long-term from poker assuming they are good).

[RED-DOG]

They are a business offering a product and are paying tax, they are professionals.

Are American poker players professionals?

Haha, I see what you are doing Tom.

It's all different I suppose, but I don't think they are, just that the USA is taxed differently.

So poker players aren't professionals because they don't pay tax, but those that do pay tax aren't professionals for some other reason?

[aaron1867]

They probably call it a profession/job because it is their main source of income, requires skill/knowledge to be consistently profitable and therefore it fits the definition perfectly.

Effectively you are still gambling to make a living and there is no guaranteed income however good you are.

What about sponsored poker players? They can make a guranteed income if they are backed for everything and take a % of profits (i.e. can't lose their own money). They have a guarenteed income.

IMO you are a professional poker player when you fund your lifestyle soley through poker. It just happens to be a profession whereby you may require to live off of savings previously won for periods where you aren't profitable. We all know long-term the best players will effectively have a 'guaranteed income'.

How are they guaranteed profit? They are not guaranteed to win anything.

As for being called professional, I just see players as poker players, without the term professional. I said it before, think its to look good, or look self important.

I consider myself a professional. It has nothing to do with looking good or self-importance. Many people would look down upon it as a profession. I wouldnt consider it that at all... it's merely a definition of what I do for a living.

They are guaranteed profit from sponsorships. (and long-term from poker assuming they are good).

How are poker players guaranteed players sponsored or not? They may never win another hand.

[stato_1]

Prositution is labelled "the oldest profession"

They don't pay tax, and have no guaranteed income.

Aaron?

[relaedgc]

That's a ridiculous analogy, Aaron.

A self employed poker dealer might not get offered another chance to deal - does that mean he isn't a professional poker dealer?

What about a professional self employed welder who can't get a contract? Does this mean he isn't a professional welder by trade?

"Occupation, practice, or vocation requiring mastery of a complex set of knowledge and skills through formal education and/or practical experience."

If you can be a Professional Poker Dealer, you can be a Professional Poker Player.

When it comes to being a self employed poker dealer, I'd argue they probably pay the same amount of money in tax as a player. It's still a job, whether tax is paid or not.  

[pleno1]

is Vamplew a professional money trader? Should he be paying tax?

[aaron1867]

They are a business offering a product and are paying tax, they are professionals.

Are American poker players professionals?

Haha, I see what you are doing Tom.

It's all different I suppose, but I don't think they are, just that the USA is taxed differently.

So poker players aren't professionals because they don't pay tax, but those that do pay tax aren't professionals for some other reason?

They can call themselves professional if they want. But whether its a profession, is debatable, you are still effectively gambling to eat the next day, but you can be skill less in poker, still win money. You can't be skill less in most other professions & make a living.

Perhaps poker players are in the same group as drug dealers and dolers when it comes to professions then? You make a living and put nothing into the system. Not to mention those who probably are classed as "unemployed" who play poker for a living and take every benefit they can, but yet will tell someone they are a poker player rather than "unemployed"

[aaron1867]

Prositution is labelled "the oldest profession"

They don't pay tax, and have no guaranteed income.

Aaron?

I have no idea how prostitution works, can't say I've had any experience of it or what happens financially.

[relaedgc]

That's an entirely different debate, and it's a flaw of the state system rather than a fault of the individual themselves.

I'd take every benefit I could, too, if the government had no interest in what my main source of income was and didn't want to tax it.

[aaron1867]

That's an entirely different debate, and it's a flaw of the state system rather than a fault of the individual themselves.

I'd take every benefit I could, too, if the government had no interest in what my main source of income was and didn't want to tax it.

And if someone asked you what your profession is? What do you say?

[relaedgc]

I'd say I was a Professional Card Room Manager. Plus I am claiming every benefit I am able to because the Government doesn't tax my earnings and has deemed me elligible for state benefits.