Despite the strict lockdown measures imposed across the United Kingdom to combat the spread of COVID-19, some Brits have found the allure of live poker too strong to resist. According to a recent report from The Sun, one in seven UK residents admitted to breaking lockdown rules, with several citing poker nights as their reason for bending the rules.
While the government has enforced social distancing guidelines and limited gatherings, especially indoors, a national survey revealed the following:
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14% admitted to breaking some lockdown rules
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26% said they generally followed guidelines but with occasional lapses
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4% reported loosely following the rules or not following them at all
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67% claimed to fully comply with lockdown regulations
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0.7% openly admitted they “haven’t really followed the rules at all”
It’s important to note that the 0.7% figure could be misleadingly low, as individuals who completely disregarded restrictions might be reluctant to admit it — especially in surveys.
Poker Nights Behind Closed Doors
In the feature, a university student named Michael candidly described how he and his friends held an all-night poker session despite the lockdown:
“We had friends round for a poker night… 15 of us drinking until 4am. The neighbours were suspicious, but we said it was just us. It felt a bit wrong. But… we’d been isolating, we didn’t travel or have symptoms. Now I think what we did wasn’t that bad.”
Such stories underscore the difficult balance between public safety and personal freedoms. While Michael and his friends felt they were minimizing risk, gatherings like these still fall outside government guidance and carry potential health implications — not only for the participants but for their wider communities.
A Shift to Online Poker
The UK went into its first national lockdown on March 23rd, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered all residents to stay home, limit outings to essentials, and restrict outdoor exercise to one hour per day. Over two months into lockdown, and with no clear end in sight, many poker enthusiasts have moved their passion online.
As a result, online poker platforms are seeing a boom, with larger prize pools and a surge in traffic. While live games may be off the table for now, the digital felt offers a safe and exciting alternative for players across the UK and beyond.
