A fourth major poker tournament series has been cancelled after U Series of Poker announced Tuesday the cancellation of USOP Hanoi, which had been scheduled to run from 29 May to 10 June.
In a statement, the organizers said the decision was made on the advice of its local partner, Crown Poker Club, and due to “sudden unforeseen regulatory changes.”
It added that “protecting players’ safety has always been our top priority .. we made our very best efforts to push the series through. We deeply regret the unfortunate circumstances that led to this decision, and we understand the disappointment this brings to everyone. We will work closely with Crown Poker Club to help address the concerns of affected players.”
The cancellation comes just a week after the World Poker Tour was forced to call off its WPT Hanoi series a day before it was due to get underway, with sources alleging it did not have the necessary government approvals. WPT Hanoi had also been due to host the series at Crown Poker Club.
There have now been four Vietnam poker series cancelled in the past six months, sparking concerns of a regulatory crackdown on the game. It has also been suggested to IAG that the cancellations are related to fierce competition between Hanoi poker rooms.
In December, the Asian Poker Tour cancelled the last two days of the APT Hanoi Billions amid allegations the series was being held in breach of local gambling laws.
An Asian Poker Festival series due to be held at Royal Poker Club in Hanoi in partnership with Top Joy Poker Tour was also cancelled in April among very similar circumstances.
Crown Poker Club was involved in a separate controversy in March after players raised concerns over a 10% “tax” the local operator had been charging players on all winnings above VND10 million (US$403).
It later emerged that no such tax existed and Crown Poker Club had been charging the fee to assist with paying its own costs.
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