With the local authorities in Northern Ireland clamping down on the likes of the Cavendish Club in Belfast, it would appear that poker in Ireland is heading South. However, amid this flurry of seemingly unavoidable closures, Blonde Poker and Poker Europa's Mick McCloskey are delighted to report that the JPC Poker Club in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, will be reopening its doors for business as usual.
Although initially believed to be breaking the laws of the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements Order of 1985, it has recently been discovered that the club's existing bingo license covers them to run poker tournaments. This is particularly good news for anyone who has qualified or intends to play in their next big event, The Northern Ireland Poker Championships.
Whilst this breaking news provides a light at the end of the tunnel, live poker in Northern Ireland remains under threat with many players being forced to play underground in an age that had supposedly left behind the world of seedy backrooms and underhand activities. Let's hope the tide turns soon and the authorities change their perhaps tainted perspective on the world of live poker. In the meantime, why not support live poker in Ireland by attending the Northern Ireland Poker Championships at the JCP Poker Club on Friday 16th of February? Full details of this event can be found in this month's Poker Europa or by logging onto www.jpcpoker.com