Struggling with Moral Issues in Poker from a Christian Standpoint

All gambling includes a financial risk, but all financial risks are not considered "gambling" (in the sense that we are talking about in this thread).

Poker is zero-sum gambling game. You only win at someone else's expense. That's why many Christian denominations consider it to be wrong. Investing in stocks, opening a business, etc, are all financial risks, but it's not zero-sum. Wealth is being created, not merely transferred.