Is poker an ethical way to make a living?

[ianlippert]

In another thread I diagreed with a poster about the ethics of making money playing poker. Here is what I had to say:
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Poker is an entertainment industry. An online professional basically owns his own casino, and pays a rake to the site as 'rent'. He is providing a service. The goal of any entertainment business is to capture as much of peoples disposable income as possible.

In many areas this is done by creating a desire for a product so that when the consumer aquires that product it fulfils the desire and makes them happy. When nike gets $100 for a pair of shoes they spent $1 making, they are making a profit by taking advantage of human psychology.


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So what do ppl think? Does the professional poker player provide anything to society?