EPT organizer PokerStars has announced the cancellation of the European Poker Tour’s forthcoming Paris festival, which was scheduled for February.
The French capital first joined the EPT schedule in 2023, and crowned a popular winner in Barny Boatman during its last incarnation early this year. Reasons for the sudden cancellation have not been made explicit, but relate to uncertain licensing requirements and issues around gaming regulations.
PokerStars and Club Barrière, the Paris casino located on the iconic Champs-Élysées, have issued a joint statement:
It is with great regret that PokerStars and Club Barrière announce the cancellation of the European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris 2025, originally scheduled for February 2025. This decision comes as a result of unforeseen changes in French government policies and ongoing regulatory developments in Paris, which are entirely beyond our control.
While we are closely monitoring the evolving legal landscape, the current uncertainty surrounding licensing requirements has left us with no alternative but to cancel the February event. We are, however, exploring the feasibility of rescheduling EPT Paris at a later date.
Online package winners invited to get in touch
Players who have qualified online for events due to take place at EPT Paris have been invited to contact PokerStars for further information and to explore alternative options.
The news will be sure to disappoint players after last year’s successful series at Le Palais des Congrès, which drew record-breaking numbers to the French capital.
We reached out to Julien Liarte, Business Development Manager for Live Events at PokerStars, who said, “EPT Paris last year was an incredible success, and we were very much looking forward to returning in 2025 with a packed schedule of events and engaging off-the-felt activities for our players.
“Unfortunately, changes in the regulatory environment, influenced by the current political situation in France, have resulted in the cancellation of the next edition scheduled for February. This decision was made with the deepest regret, as we believe that the City of Lights deserves to host the most prestigious poker tour. We remain hopeful that we will have the opportunity to return to Paris in the future.”
Featured image courtesy of Rational Intellectual Holdings Ltd
