Exemptions for Skill?

So, I saw this article on Google news and there's one thing in there that really confuses/bothers me.

In the second paragraph they mention how the Poker Player's Alliance thinks it might be able to get poker an exemption from the UIGEA since it is a game of skill. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that isn't what the debate is about. It's not whether its a game of chance or a game of skill, but whether or not you are wagering on it. I'm 99.9% sure that under strict interpretations of the UIGEA you can't wager on Chess or Backgammon either, and I'm fairly certain that most people will tell you there is more skill involved in those than poker. Or at least less luck.

So is it the wagering or the skill vs chance proportion that makes online gambling illegal? I think its the act of placing the bet, which no can deny is a significant aspect of the game of poker.

I don't see a poker exemption coming any time soon. I hope I'm wrong.

Originally posted at blog.pokerwords.com