[slupo]

Of course poker is not recession proof. These days, most poker players make money off of fish. Where do fish get money? Regular jobs. If people aren't working and making money, you think they're going to lose what little they have at the casinos? Ok, well yes maybe if they have a gambling problem. But mostly no.

Every industry gets affected by a downswing in the economy and especially something non-essential like poker. Sure you won't ever get "fired" but you can make a lot less money doing your job.

And the defense that it's "entertainment" and everyone always needs it, isn't true, at least in this case. Maybe for movies. But not poker. Not even for strip clubs. I remember one time a "friend" of mine was at a strip club six months or so after 9/11 and one of the strippers said this was the worse business she'd ever seen.

If you're a professional blackjack player, I see you being less affected by a depressed economy. Because you'll always be able to find a casino to win (or lose) money from. Poker is different in that you play against other people. And if those people don't have money, well, you won't either.