CR83-p32-Poker:SJC-Casino Review 23/8/09 13:20 Page 1
internationalcasinoreview
Illegal machines seized in raids
Forty-two illegal poker machines and
Poker
components have been seized at two
locations in Melbourne, Australia. The
Victorian Commission for Gambling
Regulation says a man is expected to be
charged on summons with illegal
MARKET UPDATE possession of gaming machines, which can
carry a maximum penalty of six years jail.
Far from being considered another spanner in the works for major land-based operators, the
Copag retains
increased propensity for people to play poker both online and in other gaming venues ultimately
has a positive effect on the casino industry, says Graham Wood.
strong poker
brand links
European poker scene
brandingpartnerships
SUPPLIERS
Copag, the Brazilian playing card
‘turns full circle’
manufacturer, has been chosen
by international gaming website
PokerStars to produce a range of
100 per cent plastic playing
cards under the PokerStars.com,
swingsandroundabouts PokerStars.net and European
EUROPE Poker Tour brand names
Developed from surveys of
The European poker scene professional players, dealers
seems to have turned full and croupiers, Copag’s 100 per
circle in the last decade cent plastic playing cards are
with the land-based version manufactured from special raw
of the game inspiring the materials which afford easy
online equivalent, and handling and dealing of the
thereafter the success of cards, as well as flexibility
internet poker - and its inter- appropriate to players’ needs.
action with the major tour- “Copag values highly the
naments such as the EPT
Many people
have woken up to
partnership with PokerStars as it
and WPT - serving to recruit
the joys of playing
underscores the excellence of our
millions (literally) of new
poker through
playing cards,” said marketing
converts to the real thing, pub leagues director Mariana Lopes.
which is nowadays played The company has previously
not only in casinos but in a been chosen as
range of venues. the popularity of the game country’s casinos were able tion of Texas Hold’em. Here, of the game, despite con- official supplier
The French, with their has ensured that it has to offer even high-stakes too, the legislators have centrating in the past on for the World
sophisticated Aviation Club spilled into far more versions of the game but the rewritten the rules to allow their own local versions of Series of Poker
in the Champs Elysée and mundane premises too. French public is free to play, small stakes games to be poker at the expense of for two
dozens of resort-based In the UK, despite the again for small stakes, in organised outside of Texas Hold’em. Spain’s consecutive
casinos, and the British with defeat of the legal challenge “circles” organised on a club casinos. In fact, by the end casinos, too, are looking to years, in addition
their aristocratic private by the owners of the basis countrywide. of the year licensed opera- exploit the popularity of to many others
members clubs and top London-based Gutshot With the introduction of tors will be allowed to the online version of famous
draw venues, ensure that Club, poker is now played online poker in Italy in the organise tournaments and ‘Poquer’ and most of the tournaments in
the game has an air of in thousands of pubs autumn of 2008 proving to cash games in venues pro- autonomous regions that the world.
panache and style. But since throughout the country and be a spectacular success, vided they acquire the control gaming in Spain
the online boom and the small stakes games are a the country’s four official appropriate licence - and have allowed the game to
coverage of major interna- regular feature in many casinos, all based on the pay the relevant taxes. be played in licensed prem-
tional tournaments other public premises. northern fringes of Italy, saw Mediterranean countries ises under their control, and
throughout Europe by In France, it was Patrick a boom in visits and spend - in particular do seem to in Greece as well the casinos
broadcasters such as Sky, Partouche who ensured the all thanks to the introduc- have woken up to the joys have enjoyed the boom.
Mariana Lopes
The reality behind the poker face
viewpoint that poker’s popularity has plateaued. players won money at the event in the Poker Tour has become the largest
PHIL MARTIN At the top end of the market the event with winner 004 license cashing a poker tour in the Asia-Pacific region
figures are still convincing both in the cheque for $13,000. and feeder satellites on PokerStars
Such was the spectacular growth in the online and bricks and mortar sectors. But these records skew the overall give players the chance to compete in
global phenomenon of poker that the Despite the sluggish global economy, poker picture somewhat. In Europe major international tournaments taking
explosive year on year figures were poker enthusiasts from 115 nations and things are slightly dimmer with many in South Korea, New Zealand and the
never going to be maintained. territories descended on Las Vegas this tournament operators claiming the Philippines and Australia, before a
Whilst poker in its most famous tour- summer to break a number of event game’s popularity peaked a couple of HKD$40,000 event in Macau.
nament format is still booming, one records at the 40th annual World Series years ago. The UK has seen several Australia continues to boom with
only has to look at the number of of Poker, including the mark for most card room closures with even the Crown casino hoping its annual Aussie
people turned away from this year’s total player entries. dedicated poker venue Dusk Till Millions poker championship will over-
World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, The 60,875 entries in this year’s 57 Dawn cutting back on the number of take the Melbourne Cup as Australia's
many smaller markets are reporting tournaments eclipsed the previous tournaments it hosts whilst the biggest-paying major event.
record of 58,720 entries established in London Poker Circuit recently Its main event was just $800,000
Russia: doing its best to
2008. The strong showing helped attracted just 23 players and the short of last year’s Melbourne Cup
put poker on hold propel the total WSOP prize pool past British Poker Masters 63.The hammer winner’s cheque of A$3.3m.
$1bn since the tournament’s inception and sickle fell heavily and somewhat The Aussie Millions, running each
in 1970. The total 2009 prize pool sur- unexpectedly in Russia, where poker January in conjunction with the Aus-
passed $174m and, for only the second joined casino games in being ban- tralian Open, is now the world’s fifth
time in WSOP history, every member of ished to four remote gambling zones. largest poker tournament and the
the Main Event final table won $1m or As one of the growth markets much biggest outside the US.
more. The end of July also saw all pre- was expected in Russia but now a All in, the poker market is diversify-
vious online records smashed with offi- host of tournaments have had to relo- ing into areas of strong growth espe-
cials from the Guinness Book of World cate or be cancelled altogether. cially with the internationally renowned
Records confirming that a single tour- The emergence of Asia on the poker brands, and areas of decline for indi-
nament on PokerStars.com was the circuit remains something of a big vidual poker tournaments. This feature
largest online poker event in history. hope. The Asian Poker tour, Asian aims to specify exactly where the
The field of 65,000 players was made Poker Classic and Asian Poker series hotspots are, where poker is suffering,
up from 155 countries with each paying have all taken the game to non tradi- what can be done and, of course, what
the $1 buy-in to the $130,000 guaran- tional markets where games such as new products are easing the headache
teed tournament. A record 16,250 baccarat are the norm. The Asia Pacific of tournament organisation.
32 September 2009 • pokerreport
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