From September 7 to 15, Batumi will host the inaugural Eurasian Poker Tour (EAPT) at the Casino Eclipse Batumi. This major poker series in Georgia will feature a total prize pool exceeding $350,000, including a $140,000 guarantee for the main event with a $500 buy-in. The tournament represents the culmination of efforts by the Eclipse Casino team to promote poker in Georgia, achieved through collaboration with Georgian authorities and a special agreement with prominent poker manager Arthur Voskanyan.
Currently, Georgia imposes high taxation on poker tournament winning prize pools, treating poker events as lottery games. Players are taxed 20% on their winnings, while casinos must pay 10% of the total prize pool. These regulations make it difficult to host profitable poker tournaments. Despite these challenges, Eclipse Casino has successfully held two independent tournaments and remains committed to future poker events. The Eclipse team believes that the EAPT Batumi could demonstrate the potential and benefits of such events to local economy, possibly leading to a review of poker tax regulations in the future.
Source: https://t.me/casinosbatumi
