Ladbrokes plans poker event
UNITED KINGDOM -- Ladbrokes, the bookmaker and gaming operator, is to invest £3 million in its Poker Million tournament next year in an effort to turn the event into a European competitor to Las Vegas's World Series of Poker.
"This year's World Series of Poker, which is owned by Harrah's Entertainment, the US casino giant, was the biggest live poker tournament so far, with about 8,700 players competing for more than $82 million (£44 million) in prize money.
"But John O'Reilly, managing director of Ladbrokes's e-gaming division, said that more than half the players had qualified on the internet and future events would be hit by the US ban on online gambling transactions introduced last week under the aegis of the Safe Port Act…"