FUTURE OF EPT REMAINS UNCLEAR (Update)
24 July 2009
PokerStars seeks clarity on Russian poker ban
The fate of next month's big PokerStars EPT poker
tournament in Moscow remains uncertain following the
July 20th removal of the game from the list of
recognised Russian sports, bringing it under the current
blanket ban on gambling in Russian cities (see previous
InfoPowa reports).
The Russian Ministry of Youth,
Sport and Tourism announced the arbitrary
reclassification with the tournament only weeks away on
August 17th, relegating poker operations to four newly
designated and largely undeveloped gambling zones, all
in remote rural areas.
PokerStars Press Officer
Donna McLoughlin told reporters that the company was
still investigating the Russian ban but had no new
developments to report. Satellite qualifiers for the
Russian tournament have been running at PokerStars for
some time.
Dmitry Lesnoy, president of the
Russian Sports Poker Federation issued a statement
expressing regret that Russian poker's image has been
diminished by the reclassification, which could see the
cancellation of the EPT Moscow
"It will be a
great pity for us if Russian poker stars move abroad to
play under the flags of other countries. But we have to
accept the inevitable," he said.
Samuil Binder,
deputy executive director of the Russian Association for
Gaming Business Development, said that the decision to
no longer classify poker as a sport underscored the
haphazard regulation of Russian gambling in general.
“It’s hard to understand the logic and decisions of
dilettantes,” Binder observed. “We have a really silly
situation in Russia — it is total chaos.”
Binder
went on to reveal that the July 20th reclassification
made null and void some 70 poker licences already issued
to his members.
Online Casino News Courtesy of
Infopowa
More news here.
Top of page |
Home |
News |
Forum |
Webcast |
Vortran |
Accredited Casinos |
Evil Ones |
Pitch a Bitch |
Online Gambling Resources |
Poker
|
