(Click Here for the Latest Online Poker News Stories)
Copyright 2005 The Courier Mail
Queensland Newspapers
August 9, 2005
HEADLINE:
Jupiters Casino deals in to poker mania
Author:
Greg Stolz, Gold Coast bureau chief
BODY:
JUPITERS Casino has moved to cash in on the international
poker craze whipped up with the help of Aussie poker
king Joe Hachem and celebrity card sharps such as Ben Affleck.
Jupiters and its sister Treasury Casino in Brisbane will soon
add poker to their array of gambling options.
The move is in response to the booming popularity of poker,
which is attracting a rapidly growing following around the world,
with devotees including Hollywood actor Affleck.
Last month, Melbourne father-of-four Mr Hachem added to the hype
when he beat more than 5500 players to win the World Series of
Poker in Las Vegas and pocket a record $10 million.
Poker has become
a surprise television hit and various internet
poker sites attract a legion of cyber-gamblers.
Plans to introduce poker
to the Jupiters and Treasury casinos were announced last week
at a sod-turning ceremony for a $53 million expansion at the Gold
Coast casino.
Jupiters gaming operations manager Robbie Vaile said poker had
proven popular at Melbourne's Crown Casino – where Hachem
first made his mark – and at Sydney's Star City which Jupiters-owner
Tabcorp also controls.
"Poker is growing
enormously in popularity around the world and it's getting an
increasing following in Australia," Mr Vaile said. "It's
not as lucrative as our other games but it's a game you want to
offer to bring people in."
Mr Vaile said Jupiters was awaiting approval from the Office
of Gaming and hoped to start nightly poker
games at both casinos within a month or two. Initially, he
said, there would be two poker
tables at Conrad Jupiters and four at Treasury.
Downloaded from
the World Wide Web on August 9, 2005:
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/
0,5936,16181709%255E3122,00.html
|
(Click Here for the Latest Online Poker News Stories)
|