Question:
I have a very interesting and unusual Halachic question.
I am planning a vacation with some friends and I am thinking about playing in a poker tournament. The cash buy in to enter the event takes place during a weekday but the tournament which extends over a few day period has a possibility of running into Shabbat. The poker chips the casino provides you throughout the course of the tournament have no cash redeemable value(It is a winner take all type of structure where you can not sell the chips in-front of you for money or credit). Any prize won from the tournament would be collected after Shabbat by presenting your drivers license and other forms of Identification/pieces of paper they give you if you win. We would be staying in a hotel on the property so there would be no issues of driving ect..
I have attached a link of an article https://dinonline.org/?p=13154 from this very Dinonline website which appears to address a similar situation allowing for someone to bet on a sports game that takes place on Shabbat if the financial transaction occurred before the start of Shabbat.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you
Answer:
Even though there might be some room for leniency never the less it is a contradiction and negates the entire spirit of Shabbos. Therefore one should refrain from playing in the tournament on Shabbos.
Sources:
Ramban beginning Parshas Kedoshim.
