Singapore Ends Gambling Ban with Betfair Asian Poker Tour

Singapore will be hosting an international poker tournament touted by its organizers for the first time ever in the city-state.

Britain-based betting exchange, Betfair, has partnered up with Capital Events, a local operator, for the Betfair Asian Poker Tour, a 6 day poker tournament.

Over 370 poker players have joined the $5,000 buy-in Main Event slated to begin on Wednesday, November 15th at the Meritus Mandarin Hotel.

Qualifying begins on Sunday, November 12th, where players from all over the world will vie for the prize pool, which is now at an estimated $2 million.

"Betfair has become the first gaming company permitted to present a poker tournament in Singapore," Betfair said.

Oliver Chong, an Official of the Singapore Tourism Board, has been quoted as saying that the Betfair Asian Poker Tour will bring "significant opportunities to profile Singapore."

Singapore is a majority ethnic Chinese country where wagering is permissible only through official outlets. In 2005, despite strong opposition from the public, Singapore did away with a ban on casinos that spanned 4 decades. The city-state took an official stand that the 2 proposed casino projects would benefit tourism.

Singapore has already given Las Vegas Sands the license to build one casino development set to open next month. The winner of the next license is yet to be named.

12/24/2006, Sunday
Todd Sanders

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