The Star Entertainment Group has further cemented its position as Australia’s home of poker, announcing The Star Gold Coast will host the WPTDeepStacks™ Tournament in May this year. The announcement will trigger waves of excitement with the 11-day event signifying the return of major poker tournaments in Australia – and the first to offer an estimated million-dollar-plus prize pool since the introduction of COVID-19 restrictions in early 2020.
The Gold Coast icon first rolled out the red carpet for the World Poker Tour® in October 2019, with the historic deal marking the first ever WPT® Australia event held in the country and the beginning of a monumental partnership.
Running from 21 - 31 May, WPTDeepStacks Gold Coast is tipped to generate an impressive $1.8M in prizes and is expected to attract a pool of around 2,700 players, including Australian poker’s finest, from Queensland and interstate. The Star Gold Coast Chief Operating Officer, Jess Mellor, said WPTDeepStacks Gold Coast would provide a much-needed boost to the local economy. Around 50 per cent of players are expected to travel from interstate.
“While prestigious international tournaments like WPT Australia may not be on the cards just at the moment, securing WPTDeepStacks for the city is a really exciting step forward and a promising sign of brighter times to come,” Ms Mellor said.
“May is a particularly stunning time of year on the Gold Coast – we are famed for being the go-to destination as southerners escape the chill for the warmth of our sub-tropical weather, so this tournament is more than just a competition, it’s a chance for poker fans to stay, play and holiday in paradise.”
The Star Gold Coast’s state-of-the-art poker space boasts eight permanent tables and 16 tournament tables, all featuring bespoke technology that allows players to register for cash games via SMS.
With COVID-19 restrictions depriving Australia’s poker stars of real competition, the stakes will be high with players hungry to return to the competitive arena and vie for the Main Event championship title which will be decided on 31 May.
