PokerStars Macau has announced that it will cease the operation of its events and tournaments at the Casino Grand Lisboa next month, leading to a postponement of its Macau Millions tournament indefinitely.
PokerStars didn’t reveal any information regarding the reasons for not renewing the agreement with Grand Lisboa, part of SJM Holdings portfolio. PokerStars Director of Live Operations in Asia-Pacific, Danny McDonagh, did have something to add on the matter, though. He said in a report by MacauBusiness:
“Our current agreement to operate PokerStars Macau events and tournaments at Casino Grand Lisboa will expire in March. We will provide an update on Macau Millions and live poker tournaments in the near future.”
Nevertheless, The Macau Poker Cup: Red Dragon will still be taking place as planned, commencing 18 February until the 26th.
Over in Europe, however, things couldn’t be more different for Pokerstars. The Pokerstars European Poker Tour Deauville is in full swing and after five days of play, the final table is set. Head over to our news round-up of the event so far to find out more.
In other Macau gambling news, two out of the three gaming operators – Wynn Macau, SJM Holdings and MGM China Holdings – are all waiting for government approval to break ground in Cotai are rubbing their fingers together. That’s because the head of the Lands, Public Works and Transport Bureau, Jaime Carion, said on Friday that the casinos may get the thumbs up at some point this year. Still, sounds a little vague to us.
The operators each applied for land grants in Cotai in 2007 and have been waiting anxiously for an announcement by the government which would approve them. No official statement has set their burning desire alight just yet. But MacauBusiness reported that Mr Carion said his bureau might be able to complete and approve two of the three applications within this year, even if they are “very complex processes” – hence the long time needed to approve them.
