Hellllooooooooooo!

Hey welcome to the forum, devilpup19.  

I think these people have given you about as much advice as can be given under the circumstances, and I'm not going to add to but rather to suggest...

What about consulting a qualified immigration solicitor, for one?

And if you have tapped into the online gaming community, are there resources there as well for you?

Just saying there are other resources for immigration & gambling & tax advice out there, beyond this community.

We used to have a regular forum member who is/was, IIRC, a professional gambler along with her husband, but alas she hasn't been active now for more than 2 years.  I think they may have had some other proviso, however, that permitted them residence here in the UK.

Mrs Robinson nice to meet you.

I am linked in to the gambling community, but they aren't exactly helpful I can guarantee most if not all if they have decided to make the jump to move have gone the visitor route. Who knows maybe they are headed to some unexpected surprises in the future. They seem to know much less then this site. I know quite a few friends who have gone to Canada with success and no issues what so ever but I really want to go out on my own. I think the whole challenge of going some where new all alone will challenge my social skills and just be will without a good descriptive word just awesome. I may dread it but I have a pretty good feeling I will have a blast.

As for speaking to someone who knows what exactly I should apply for I am going to continue looking and try and find someone who can help me. I have looked up a couple visa services but I am afraid they might be online scams. They all want money up front, and if they can't help me I highly doubt I could get a refund but I will continue looking.

Last but not least bkgirl sorry for arguing semantics with you. It is just like bah I don't need it to support myself at all, but I can make money in a casino or by playing online so I will. I feel like if I didn't it would be dumb. But that makes it somewhat dishonest my motivation to come is small part visit and mainly the ability to play again. I like playing poker. It is fun.   

I also would like to pose a hypothetical question: say a guy is self employed. Let's say he is a day trader and can trade american stocks online. Since he now has accumulated a large amount of wealth and can do his job with research and trade online he wishes to travel since he has that personal freedom. He would be able to visit the UK correct? He expects to make money while in the UK. What about him is any different from me assuming he wants to stay for 6 months to explore London? Yes I am opening a UK bank account to make my life easier and because I don't want to carry large sums of money around. I don't have to do it though. This is why I can't wrap my head around this.

In this situation, he wouldn't be allowed to do this either.  It is the same standard as being applied to you.  NO work means no work.

I would look for a recommendation from Transpondia.

Also for those interested. Uk citizens professional player or not never pay taxes on gambling.

Here is the documentation:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM22017.htm

Hold the phone. Just so I can get a second opinion on this. The link I posted above which is from a UK tax site which cites a court case stated that even though someone play poker, wins, and makes money it is considered a habit and not a trade, vocation, or profession.

I think that makes me legit does it not? I mean I am obviously going to find someone who can tell me the exact truth this does change the game does it not?

Also for those interested. Uk citizens professional player or not never pay taxes on gambling.

Here is the documentation:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM22017.htm

Just to be clear, this does not say that a professional player NEVER pays taxes on gambling.

Hold the phone. Just so I can get a second opinion on this. The link I posted above which is from a UK tax site which cites a court case stated that even though someone play poker, wins, and makes money it is considered a habit and not a trade, vocation, or profession.

I think that makes me legit does it not? I mean I am obviously going to find someone who can tell me the exact truth this does change the game does it not?

As has been said quite a lot, work is not allowed.  It does not matter if it is paid or unpaid, taxed or not taxed.  

Also has been said, you are looking for a loophole that isn't there.  Get professional advice from an immigration attorney.  No one here is going to tell you that you can come in on your plan.

I don't know.....I can just think of several things that seem grey here....that is all I'm saying....

It seems highly likely that visitors can gamble in the UK. Tourists go to the horses and bet. The online bit is legal... so the question arises as to when, if ever, it is considered work. There may be a rule out there, but there may not be....

Like sonofsailor pointed out, it's a very grey area with the gambling.  People would have reacted entirely differently if you had said "Hey!  I'm going to visit the UK for a month and gamble while I'm there!" rather than "I'm moving to the UK on a visitor visa so I can make money gambling!".  Your intention is what makes the difference.   Big difference.  It would really be best to talk to a qualified immigration lawyer about it, like many have suggested. 

And what about moving to Vegas or Atlantic City, or near Foxwoods or something?  Then you could just gamble in person to your heart's content. 

I am just fascinated by gambling, I watched Rounders about ten times - but I am horrible with cards, and therefore have never actually played for stakes. The maths behind it all is intriguing - the probabilities and permutations and combinations. What are my chances at filling an inside straight (slim apparently)? Stud and Hold'em are so very different from draw, it's like a totally different game. Then you have human nature/behavior stirred in. And the nature of luck....because trends happen - you can get five really good hands in a row, but that means nothing when considering the next hand, as each event is individual.

I read an article on roulette once that stated that people get terribly confused thinking that because red hit ten times in a row that the next spin would be more likely to land black (the thinking being that sooner or later it has to average out evenly and therefore odds for red are increased). But each spin is totally independent - a 50/50 shot - every time. Cards are different in that skill matters, but the nature of the turn of a card is the same, an independent moment in time governed by simple mathematics.