Latest News
PokerStars EPT Barcelona Makes EPT History
Main Event and National tournaments also set new records
The European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona has set a new PokerStars record as the biggest stop in the EPT’s 16-year history.
EPT Barcelona drew more than 23,600 registrations over 12 days of live poker action at Casino Barcelona between August 20 and September 1, and awarded more than €52.9 million to players from 95 different countries.
The €5,300 buy-in Main Event field also became the biggest in EPT history when it attracted 1,988 entries. It broke the previous record of 1,931, set at last year’s EPT Barcelona. Swedish player Simon Brandstrom conquered the field to take home €1,290,166 of the €9,641,800 prize pool.
The €1,100 buy-in National event made it into the record books after drawing in 4,882 entries, the biggest turn-out since the event’s introduction in 2012. The previous record was set in 2017, when the National drew 4,557 entries. Markku Komplimaa, from Estonia, emerged victorious to claim the €585,500 top prize.
Just shy of a new record were the Super High Roller and High Roller events, which drew 64 and 540 entries, respectively. Together they awarded €11,447,280 in prize money.
“We are immensely proud that EPT Barcelona has been such a success and that players enjoyed the extensive 51-tournament schedule,” said Severin Rasset, Managing Director & Commercial Officer, Poker. “Barcelona has always been a well-loved stop and this year’s has showcased its increased popularity. We look forward to the rest of the year with EPT Open Sochi and EPT Prague scheduled, and of course next year’s Barcelona event where the PSPC will be a huge new addition!”
PokerStars recently announced the return of the PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC), which will take place at Casino Barcelona from August 20 to 24 2020. The inaugural PSPC broke records as the biggest $25,000 buy-in live poker tournament in history and Spanish gym owner Ramon Colillas topped a field of more than 1,000 players to take home over $5 million. Colillas was one of 320 players who won entry to the event for free via PokerStars’ PSPC ‘Platinum Pass’ campaign.
About PokerStars:
PokerStars operates the world’s most popular online poker sites, serving the global poker community. Since it launched in 2001, PokerStars has become the first choice of players all over the world, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else and with the best online security. More than 200 billion hands have been dealt on PokerStars, which is more than any other site.
The Stars Group owns or licenses gaming and related consumer businesses and brands, including PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars, Full Tilt, FOX Bet, Sky Bet, Sky Vegas, Sky Casino, Sky Bingo, Sky Poker and BetEasy as well as live poker tour and event brands, including the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship, European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour, PokerStars Festival and PokerStars MEGASTACK. The Stars Group is one of the world’s most licensed online gaming operators with its subsidiaries collectively holding licenses or approvals in 21 jurisdictions throughout the world, including in Europe, Australia, and the Americas.
SOURCE PokerStars
Latest News
ECA and AGEM applaud creation of Association Assembly at ICE Barcelona
The news that January’s ICE Barcelona will include a major new feature dedicated to global gaming’s most influential trade associations has been welcomed by organisations in Europe and abroad.
Making full use of the additional space at the Gran Via Fira de Barcelona, the first ICE Association Assembly has been created to enable trade bodies to promote their values and create new opportunities for the gaming community across every sector and geography, including both the Brussels-based European Casino Association (ECA) and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), the global trade association for gaming equipment suppliers with its primary headquarters in Las Vegas.
Erwin Van Lambaart, Chair of the ECA confirmed: “Our members are already planning their week in Barcelona and they will be at this historic edition of ICE in great numbers. ICE is a pivotal event for the global gaming community and having a show floor feature which will enable us to engage directly with all sectors is a unique opportunity.
“Traditionally, our association’s involvement at ICE and its Conference program has primarily centred around networking and product development orientation—connecting with our members, regulators, suppliers, and fellow trade bodies. However, ICE 2025 marks a significant milestone. For the first time, the ECA will have the chance to fully interface with the global industry supply chain in its entirety. We are looking forward to this unique opportunity to articulate our vision for the future to a diverse and comprehensive audience, where innovation, responsibility and significant partnerships for guest and customer centricity will have centre stage.”
Daron Dorsey, CEO of AGEM added: “We represent the interests of our gaming suppliers whose well-known brands are global in reach, so to be given the opportunity to explain our agenda and engage with what is a truly international audience of association colleagues on the ICE show floor is invaluable.”
January’s editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate will occupy 120,000sqm of space compared to the 100,00sqm at ICE 2024. In a major endorsement of the opportunities offered by the relocation to Barcelona 72% of the 25 biggest exhibitors will have an increased stand presence at ICE 2025.
Industry Awards
Blask Wins Prestigious “Startup of the Year” at 2024 Starlet Awards
Blask, the pioneering AI-powered analytics ecosystem for iGaming, has been named “Startup of the Year” at the prestigious 2024 Starlet Awards. The company earned this recognition for developing a groundbreaking market intelligence platform that has redefined how gaming operators leverage data and market insights.
Award Recognition
The award confirms Blask’s revolutionary approach to market analytics and its significant impact on how iGaming companies access and utilise market intelligence. Powered by AI models including Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, Blask analyses billions of data points across 2000+ active brands to provide unprecedented market insights.
The Starlet Awards recognition follows Blask’s recent SiGMA Asia Startup Pitch 2024 Award victory. “Winning these awards affirms our belief that innovation and bold ideas can reshape the iGaming landscape. The recognition underscores the impact of our cutting-edge AI technology and our relentless pursuit to transform data into actionable insights”, reflects Max Tesla, CEO and Co-founder of Blask
Blask provides operators with a strategic edge across multiple critical areas. Its real-time market analysis capabilities deliver instant access to crucial market metrics, while the high-granularity data available at one-hour intervals enables swift, informed decision-making. The sophisticated AI modelling system estimates GGR and FTD by analysing a comprehensive range of inputs, including historical data, third-party OSINT data, market performance, competitor metrics, historical brand performance, market reports, and public company disclosures.
Beyond analytics, Blask offers robust brand monitoring and competitor analysis tools, alongside strategic and tactical planning capabilities particularly valuable for market entry decisions and maximising performance during major events. The recently introduced customer profile feature harnesses AI to generate detailed, country-specific user profiles, adding another layer of strategic insight for operators.
Latest News
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