• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Friday 9 May 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Macau poker rooms close as confusion reigns over China policy

Ben Blaschke by Ben Blaschke
Tue 8 May 2018 at 07:08
IEC “very, very close” to securing new home for PokerStars LIVE Macau
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Macau’s poker industry has taken a series of devastating blows this month with the closure of two poker rooms and the cancellation of a new tournament series in the wake of a recent crackdown on online poker applications by the Chinese government.

And there could be more pain on the way with the World Series of Poker – which held the very first WSOP China in Sanya late last year – seeking clarification amid rumors that the 2018 event could be cancelled.

In what is undoubtedly the biggest setback Macau poker has suffered in years, the popular PokerStars LIVE Macau poker room at City of Dreams – host of the Macau Poker Cup, APPT Macau and the Asian Championships of Poker – is currently looking for a new home after Melco Resorts & Entertainment chose not to renew its contract. Despite the recent Macau Millions main event attracting a record field of 2,499 players, staff were seen breaking down and removing poker tables just a day after the event finished – bringing to an end PokerStars’ five-year tenure at City of Dreams after first moving there in 2013.

Neither PokerStars nor Melco Resorts replied to requests for comment, however it is believed that a re-imagining of the main gaming floors ahead of City of Dreams’ upcoming Phase II launch is behind the decision. Melco Resorts recently relocated former Studio City Property President David Sisk to City of Dreams to overhaul mass and premium mass.

Inside Asian Gaming has been told that PokerStars spoke briefly with neighbouring MGM COTAI about a possible partnership but that prospect was quickly scuppered.

Meanwhile, Galaxy Macau has also shut down its poker room. The modest eight table room – used exclusively for cash games rather than tournaments – was refurbished and re-launched just over a year ago but failed to gain any real traction with the broader poker community.

Meanwhile, a new event scheduled for the week of 16 to 20 May, the International Poker Tour Macau, has been cancelled as a direct result of China’s poker crackdown.

Organizer Alisports released a statement last week informing players that the event had been postponed “after careful consideration.” IPT Macau’s business model was largely centered around Chinese players qualifying for the tournament via the Alibaba poker app.

In April, Chinese authorities announced that poker would no longer be recognized as a competitive sport and simultaneously banned the promotion of Texas Hold’em via social media applications.

The ban will require all apps offering any form of social poker game to be shut down and removed from app stores by 1 June. Social media channels such as WeChat will also be banned from promoting any form of Texas Hold’em product.

Given that poker in China largely exists via these social media apps, the ban was always expected to be a devastating blow for players and the companies that enable them. Among the companies likely to be hit hardest are Ourgame – owners of the World Poker Tour – and Boyaa Interactive, whose Boyaa Poker Tour relies heavily on players qualifying via its app.

Boyaa’s 2017 Annual Report indicated a 73% increase in “average revenue per paying user” via its mobile Texas Hold’em Games – the biggest jump across any of the company’s segments. It is understood that Texas Hold’em games account for up to 70% of Boyaa’s interactive revenue.

Likewise, Tencent was quick to remove its Tencent Poker app from app stores after the announcement last month, however rumors circulating on Chinese social media this week that WSOP China has also been cancelled are wide of the mark.

The WSOP signed a historic 10-year partnership agreement with Tencent in 2017 that saw them host the inaugural WSOP China at the Shangri-La in Sanya in December – a series of 12 “free to play” events in which all players qualified via the Tencent app.

A WSOP spokesman confirmed to IAG on Monday that there had been no announcement made on the future of WSOP events in China but added, “We’re all waiting for clarity from the Chinese government to see what the impact may be.”

The WSOP and Tencent had announced last year their intention to host similar events to the inaugural WSOP China in major cities around the country.

In the meantime, Macau is currently left with just one regular tournament poker venue – the Macau Billionaire Poker Room – which last week hosted the APT Macau Championships 2018 at Babylon Casino.

RelatedPosts

Galaxy Macau to host 2025 Annual Conference of the FIA – world motorsport’s governing body

Favorable VIP hold pushes Galaxy Entertainment Group’s 1Q25 profit to US$412 million

Thu 8 May 2025 at 14:03
Solutions Showcase: Angel – Tech Minded

Baccarat side bets now contribute close to 50% of Macau baccarat revenues

Thu 8 May 2025 at 13:32
House of Dancing Water returns to City of Dreams Macau with spectacular premiere

House of Dancing Water returns to City of Dreams Macau with spectacular premiere

Thu 8 May 2025 at 11:11
G2E Asia 2025: Aristocrat’s Lloyd Robson on latest product pipeline

G2E Asia 2025: Aristocrat’s Lloyd Robson on latest product pipeline

Thu 8 May 2025 at 06:13
Load More
Share8Share1
Ben Blaschke

Ben Blaschke

A former sports journalist in Sydney, Australia, Ben has been Managing Editor of Inside Asian Gaming since early 2016. He played a leading role in developing and launching IAG Breakfast Briefing in April 2017 and oversees as well as being a key contributor to all of IAG’s editorial pursuits.

Current Issue

Editorial – Knife’s edge

Editorial – Knife’s edge

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 15:14

Thailand’s Entertainment Complex journey is at a critical point, with the success or failure of the initiative to be determined...

The changing face of Macau

The changing face of Macau

by Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 15:09

Inside Asian Gaming takes a deep dive into the new, post-COVID Macau where a revenue environment that seems to be...

Born again

Born again

by Pierce Chan
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 14:47

Premiering in September 2010 at City of Dreams, The House of Dancing Water was a visionary creation by artistic maestro...

Richard Howarth – Testing the limits

Richard Howarth – Testing the limits

by Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 13:17

Richard Howarth, Chief Business Officer APAC for global testing laboratory GLI, discusses his career journey and his passion for fast-paced...

Evolution Asia
Aristocrat
GLI
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
Nustar
Jumbo

Related Posts

Galaxy Macau to host 2025 Annual Conference of the FIA – world motorsport’s governing body

Favorable VIP hold pushes Galaxy Entertainment Group’s 1Q25 profit to US$412 million

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 8 May 2025 at 14:03

Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) reported total net revenue of HK$11.2 billion in the first three months of 2025, including gross gaming revenue of HK$10.9 billion (US$1.36 billion) – up 13.6% year-on-year although slightly lower than the HK$11.0 billion (US$1.38...

Solutions Showcase: Angel – Tech Minded

Baccarat side bets now contribute close to 50% of Macau baccarat revenues

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 8 May 2025 at 13:32

Baccarat side bets now contribute between 45% and 50% of Macau’s gaming revenues, representing a generational shift in player preferences thanks to the deployment of smart gaming table technology. Stakeholders told IAG that such side bets previously comprised only a...

House of Dancing Water returns to City of Dreams Macau with spectacular premiere

House of Dancing Water returns to City of Dreams Macau with spectacular premiere

by Pierce Chan
Thu 8 May 2025 at 11:11

After a five-year hiatus, City of Dreams’ epic production House of Dancing Water held its premiere on Wednesday 7 May ahead of an official opening to the public on Friday. The newly reimagined resident show is produced by Giuliano Peparini,...

Grand Korea Leisure extends casino closures until 15 February

Grand Korea Leisure’s casino revenues up to US$26 million in April

by Newsdesk
Thu 8 May 2025 at 07:03

Foreigner-only casino operator Grand Korea Leisure reported casino revenue of KRW36.2 billion (US$25.9 million) in April, up 11.5% year-on-year but down 12.7% compared with March. GKL’s casino revenue comprised an 11.7 % year-on-year increase in table revenue to KRW32.9 billion...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • English