Professional Poker is a Recession-Proof Job

[DrGutshot]

This came up today over dinner and it sounded true, anyone have any info/opinions? Agree/Disagree?

Sorry if this has been addressed before.

-DrG

[TimM]

Poker is entertainment and people always need entertainment, especially when the rest of their life sucks.

[autobet]

The only way you can lose your job is to go busted or be physically unable to play. So yes if you can keep your bankroll.

[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.

[jrobb83]

Many argue that the entertainment industry runs counter-cyclical. During the recent downturn after 911 movie sales rose and television viewing and internet usage went up.

So it could be argued that a recession would actually benefit online poker because people may choose to spend their time gambling on the internet rather than going on an expensive vacation or something similar.

[ds914]

I can see arguments both ways.

I wonder how a recession would affect the amount of money poker sites would be paying to advertise and recruit new players, though. Then again, why would they spend less if they're continuing to make the same amount of money?

Sorry, I think just answered my own question.

[scrub]

[ QUOTE ]
This came up today over dinner and it sounded true, anyone have any info/opinions? Agree/Disagree?

Sorry if this has been addressed before.

-DrG

[/ QUOTE ]

Whether or not poker is closely coupled to the economy, it's certainly cyclical, and your idea of the lifestyle that "professional poker" affords is probably colored by the fact that we're on a huge peak right now.

scrub

[scrub]

[ QUOTE ]
This came up today over dinner and it sounded true, anyone have any info/opinions? Agree/Disagree?

Sorry if this has been addressed before.

-DrG

[/ QUOTE ]

Also, pro poker players are forced to be more exposed to inflation that people in most jobs.

scrub

[smb394]

As slupo was getting at, the fish will have less discretionary income. A bad recession will definitely hurt the game.

[spy587]

Poker is certainly cyclical. However, it may go with the economy or against the economy I'm not sure.

1. Good economy people have more money play at higher limits

or

2. Bad economy people are sad play more poker to try to become happy.

I'm not sure which is right.