New Jersey regulators shut down the first leg of a poker tournament at the Borgata in Atlantic City after confirming that counterfeit chips had been snuck into the event.
The Division of Gaming Enforcement said “a significant number” of chips were involved, and one or possibly more than one player had introduced them, forcing the cancelation on Friday of the Borgata Winter Poker Open.
A State Police investigation was ongoing, according to The Associated Press, focusing on a no-limit Hold ’Em event called “Big Stack” which carried a $560 entry fee. Twenty-seven players were still in when the game was canceled.
Borgata COO Tom Balance said, “We will work diligently with DGE investigators to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. The integrity of our games and the confidence of our players is of the utmost importance to us.”
It was not immediately clear what would happen with the entry fees paid by people who participated in the tainted match. The Borgata said the state ordered “that all unpaid prize money be held in trust until more details and resolution can be determined.”
Mr Ballance said the casino had thoroughly examined its remaining stock of chips, which were cleared by investigators for use in dozens of other events in the poker tournament, which will be played as scheduled.
The 18-day event is a regular feature at the Borgata. The championship event, slated to begin on 26th January, includes a $3 million prize guarantee.
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