New Jersey Politics May Have Pushed PokerStars World Cup of Poker X to Play Money Tables New Jersey Politics May Have Pushed PokerStars World Cup of Poker X to Play Money Tables
Key Takeaways
  • The Tenth PokerStars World Cup of Poker (WCP) will for the first time end without a live tournament play off between the final two national teams—this year, it is being played entirely online and for play money.
  • The decision to turn the WCP into a play money event looks like it might have arisen from the delays to PokerStars getting a New Jersey license.
  • Had PokerStars launched by now, the WCP could have been held as a real money event, with a live final table in New Jersey to create a real buzz about the company’s return to the US.

The Tenth PokerStars World Cup of Poker (WCP) will for the first time end without a live tournament play off between the final two national teams this year, as it is being played entirely online and for play money.

Since 2009, the WCP has ended in the Bahamas, scheduled as part of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA). The final two teams have previously played for up to $200k in prize money after surviving grueling rounds of preliminary knockout events.

Play Money Means US Can Compete

The switch to a play money format does allow players from countries such as the US to take part, and for play money players, the format ensures a competitive environment where the poker will be taken seriously. PokerStars is also adding 200 million play chips to the prize pool for the final, and 50 million play chips for third place.

This year’s WCP kicked off on November 22 and will end with the last two national teams fighting it out for the championship on December 20. Ninety-six national teams are competing, and the whole event should provide an additional marketing boost to PokerStars play money poker tables.

PokerStars has spent the last two years turning its play money poker into a money making business, with sales of play chips providing substantial revenues.

Was the Plan to Have a New Jersey Final Table?

The decision to turn the WCP into a play money event looks like it might have arisen from the delays to PokerStars getting a New Jersey license.

After Amaya bought PokerStars, many assumed that it would lead to approval by the Division of Gaming Enforcement and a New Jersey launch well before the end of the year.

Such hopes were recently dashed as pokerfuse first reported—and the DGE later confirmed—that PokerStars would not be launching in New Jersey in 2014. No reasons have been given for the delay, but imminent US elections—in other words politics—appears to bear the blame.

Had PokerStars launched by now, the WCP could have been held as a real money event, with a live final table in New Jersey to create a real buzz about the company’s return to the US.