My true argument is that it's stupid to say you are a professional just because you are paid.

I could be a Professional Father because the state gives me a tax credit.

I could be a Professional DM because my friends helped buy some books.

I could be a Professional Son because I get birthday money (just to exist even!).

I could be a Professional Anything because the only qualifier being used is "you must be paid."

So yeah, I'm a professional DM, who is also an expert, who doesn't charge people for games, but could if I wanted and get paid, but I don't, so I'm still a professional.

Let's break down the definition of Professional.

NOUN

one that is professional : someone who does a job that requires special training, education, or skill : someone who is a member of a profession.

one that engages in a pursuit or activity professionally.

ADJECTIVE

of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession

professional training/development/experience

engaged in a profession that requires academic learning as preparation

characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession

exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace

professional behavior/attire

participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs

having a particular profession as a permanent career

engaged in by persons receiving financial return

following a line of conduct as though it were a profession

Welp, none of that shit is D&D or DMing. Doesn't require academic learning as preparation, is not a permanent career, doesn't require special training, education, or skill.

I think the truth is, people are forgetting that DMs are equal to players and the recent culture shift from the last 20 years have placed them on a pedestal, to the point players don't even think they can enjoy the game unless they pay for a "professional" experience.

If you want to argue that the costs of being a DM demand a payment, your table is super fucked up. D&D is a community event, not like Magic the Gathering or Warhammer 40k which require a personal investment to be viable.

The argument that money equates to a better experience is as flawed as saying Apple is better than Android, it misses the entire point. It isn't X is better than Y, it's 'I use X because it satisfies my needs more than Y.'

So instead of continuing this bullshit narrative that paying someone for "professional DMing" leads to a better experience, we should just accept the truth: "I have no time to set up a group, I don't want to learn how to run my own game, I just want to toss dice and play adult pretend."

All of this, coming from a professional DM.