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Several World Poker Tour changes took place at the beginning of 2021. More upgrades of the world-famous brand are coming this spring. What is about to be updated in regards to one of the biggest poker events in the world?
Everyone who takes poker seriously knows WPT as the biggest internationally televised gaming and entertainment brand. Since 2002, the World Poker Tour has been hosting poker tournaments within its Main Tour. However, the brand faced several challenges this year, so its policy may change. What should we expect from the World Poker Tour changes?
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WPT changed its owner in 2021
At the beginning of 2021, World Poker Tour was sold to Element Partners – a private investment company. The deal between Allied Esports Entertainment and EP is worth $68 million as an upfront payment and 5% guaranteed. In other words, it is $78.25 million in total. The deal is going to be completely finished by the beginning of spring. By that time, the WPT activity is temporarily unavailable in some countries.
Which big World Poker Tour changes are coming?
According to the latest online casino news, the new owner of WPT is going to change some key features of the brand. Taking this into account, poker fans have to consider World Poker Tour changes if participating in the event in the future.
Thus, the Element Partners representative announced that WPT will focus on the Asian market in the next few years. Players from Asian countries are the company’s priority at least until the end of the crisis. The main reason for such a decision is obvious: travel restrictions are much weaker in Asia than in America and Europe.
Due to the World Poker Tour changes, the venue of the next events will also be modified. Thus, the first stop of the WPT NagaWorld will take place in Phnom Penh, Cambogia. The start of the series will take place on May 5, 2021.
This is not the first change in the WPT history
As the World Poker Tour emerged almost 20 years ago, it has predictably faced many challenges during its history. Changing the owner to Element Partners isn’t the first time when the brand is sold.
Initially, Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises, started the WPT in the US. Its launch took place in May 2002. Later, the brand became Partygaming’s acquisition in 2009. In 2011, World Poker Tour merged with Bwin and became Bwin Party Digital Entertainment. Four years later, Ourgame International Holdings Ltd. bought the WPT. Finally, the previous WTP owner Allied Esports Entertainment bought the brand in 2019.
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