The Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) is in full swing after lacking a yr, and the PokerStars-led sequence is including a brand new cease. For the primary time, it’s on its technique to Cambodia, the place NagaWorld will host just a few tournaments subsequent month.
Lung Wai Tai celebrates his win in the course of the PokerStars APPT cease within the Philippines. The poker event goes to Cambodia for the primary time. (Picture: Twitter/PokerStars)
PokerStars and the APPT invaded the Philippines this yr, working a sequence of tournaments at Okada Manila. After a profitable run across the APAC area, PokerStars now desires to attempt its hand in Cambodia.
The timing could appear a little bit odd to some individuals. NagaWorld will host the occasions, regardless of nonetheless coping with a strike of a few of its workers. On the identical time, Cambodia is dealing with scrutiny on the worldwide stage for its incapability to regulate unlawful casinos and human trafficking.
Testing the Cambodian Waters
There’s not a lot precedent for poker tournaments in Cambodia, which is a means of claiming there’s no simple technique to gauge the success of the upcoming sequence. The World Poker Tour has been there just a few occasions and has seen an honest response, however nothing extraordinary.
PokerStars will give it a attempt, including 5 occasions to the APPT. The sequence will start on November 3 and wrap up on November 13. To shut every thing out, the Flutter-owned firm will maintain a Cambodia Gamers Get together on November 12 at NagaWorld’s Area Sports activities Bar.
The lead-off occasion is a $300 event with a $50K assure. There may also be a Tremendous Excessive Curler occasion with a $10K buy-in. However PokerStars doesn’t record a assure.
The principle occasion, which is able to run from November 10-13, has a $1,500 buy-in and a $400K assure. The final occasion on the calendar is the Excessive Curler, which has a $5,000 buy-in and no assure.
There will probably be a complete of 39 occasions throughout the sequence, offering loads of choices for poker gamers of just about any degree. By the point the Cambodia cease is completed, PokerStars can have awarded not less than $550K in money.
PokerStars is giving gamers an opportunity to earn a seat on the primary occasion. Taking part in on the operator’s poker platform might result in entry into the event, together with lodging and cash for bills. The overall package deal is price $2,160.
NagaWorld and Cambodia Proceed Struggles
The event comes as workers at NagaWorld proceed to strike virtually a yr after they started. Following COVID-19, the on line casino made a variety of adjustments, together with a number of firings, which have left some workers combating the NagaCorp-owned on line casino.
The strike has led to accusations that the Cambodian authorities is siding with the on line casino in an effort to scare the staff into returning to work. There have been a variety of arrests and allegations of abuse by the hands of the police for the reason that protests started. At one level, the state of affairs was so uncontrolled that the United Nations needed to become involved.
Along with the difficulty outdoors the doorways to NagaWorld, Cambodia can also be coping with a bigger, extra significant issue. Unlawful casinos and fraudulent name facilities have taken over sure components of the nation, counting on slave labor and human trafficking to remain in enterprise.
There could also be tens of 1000’s of employees, in line with human rights teams, who’re nonetheless in digital prison-like situations. Over the previous few months, a whole lot have been in a position to escape, however there are nonetheless others who’re trapped.
The teams rapidly relocate to different areas, in line with Nikkei Asia. They learn to regulate to as soon as once more keep away from detection and decide up the place they left off. One insider, who labored at one of many compounds, stated that the criminals “have slipped out of the park” and are “enjoying a recreation of cat and mouse.”
Cambodia has reportedly begun efforts to crack down on criminality and has raided a variety of compounds over the previous few weeks. In keeping with some human rights teams, the makes an attempt don’t go far sufficient, and enforcement by no means extends to the border areas, which is the place a lot of the issues happen.
