Despite the country of Russia's ban on the game of poker, PokerStars announced that the European Poker Tour stop in Moscow will still go ahead. The Russian Ministry of Youth, Sport and Tourism approved an order on July 20th, 2009 that removing the game of poker's status as a sport, effectively outlawing the game to Russia four newly designated gaming areas, which are all located outside of Moscow.
The PokerStars European Poker Tour had previously plan to start its 6th poker season in the Russian capital on August 17th, 2009 until August 23rd, 2009 and PokerStars Press Officer Donna McLoughlin states that despite the ban on poker, those plans have not changed a bit.
McLoughlin said that as far as she knows, the European Poker Tour Moscow stop is still pushing through. She added that they are currently reviewing the current legal situation in Russia and plans to adapt to the problems that they will encounter.
But the President of the Russian Sports Poker Federation, Dmitry Lesnoy, is less optimistic about the whole situation. Lesnoy that they are very sorry to lose their standing in the eyes of the global poker community that was hoping to see the EPT held in Moscow this year.
He added that it will be a great loss for the country if Russian poker players move abroad to represent other countries but with the current situation, they have no choice but to accept that fact. Satellite events for European Poker Tour are still being offered on PokerStars daily.
08/06/2009 21:55 PM