The chances of live poker tournaments happening in the Isle of Man seem to be growing. The Casino (Amendment) Bill 2012 which covers this has now got past its second reading without any problems.
According to IOM Today (which is a newspaper on the island) Eddie Lowey MLC is the treasury member who is attempting to get the bill through in order for the Isle of Man to reap the benefits of hosting big poker tournaments.
Lowey said that the island would be “doing a disservice to itself” if it didn’t try and take advantage of the good reputation it already has for gaming regulations by trying to cash in on the new possibilities.
Another politician who thinks along the same lines is Alex Downie MLC. He said that if the Isle of Man were to go ahead with live poker tourneys there would be a “significant benefit” to be gained.
Plans for Bigger and Better Events
At the moment there is actually provision for live gaming tournaments to be held on the island. The only problem is that they need to be played within the confines of one of the island’s casinos, which really means that the tournament can only be of limited size. If this new piece of legislation goes through then there will be the chance to host bigger tournaments in other locations in the future.
Of course, many of the world’s top poker players are drawn to exotic destinations such as the Caribbean to take part in big tournaments. Only time will tell whether the Isle of Man can attract the level of event it hopes for.
