[RollaJ]

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there's no denying that if every poker player on earth were to die instantly, nothing would really be worse off. Maybe some slight entertainment value, and a few casino employees would be out of business.

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There certainly is some validity to the statement you make regarding poker players, but there are many jobs like it that contribute little if not nothing to society directly via their job....
Poker players
Pro athletes
actors & actresses
Everyone else in hollywood
Stock brokers
financial market traders
Artists
Singers/musicians

There are many millions of people who work in jobs that dont help society at large, and many more millions who sit home and accept various forms of government support without doing even "worthless work". So to say that if they all died off it wouldnt affect anyone is really just silly. See It's a Wonderful Life if you want to get an idea for how many lives one person's can touch (granted George Bailey was a do gooder, but you get the idea).

Every person who works and makes money recycles it back into the economey, and that in turn helps others.

Poker winners win money and spend it on goods/services which gives other people work and helps them feed their family

Poker losers work more in whatever field they are in, maybe more hours, maybe more years before they retire. They are then contributing more to society, than they would have if they had not lost their money to a winning player.

Basically there is a circle of life, every action has a reaction, and to say one part is not important is a misguided conclusion IMHO. Sure I wont say that doctors and teachers arent more important to us, but everyone plays a roll.