Live Poker In Europe
The World Series of Poker Europe just wrapped up with Phil Hellmuth winning the Main Event for his 13th career bracelet. Throughout the six-year history of the WSOPE a large percentage of the fields have been American, with four of the six Main Event winners being U.S. citizens (Hellmuth, Barry Shulman, John Juanda, and Elio Fox). Thinking about this, I realized that a large portion of the American poker playing public (i.e., recreational players who enjoy poker blogs like these) probably has no idea about what it’s like to play poker in Europe.
From experience, I can tell you that there are plenty of things that are different “across the pond” versus poker play in the U.S. If you ever seriously consider taking a poker vacation to Europe, there are a few things you’d be well advised to keep in mind before sitting down at the felt.
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It Costs More, Understand?
The dollar is worth less than the euro and still less than the pound. Usually, the lowest stakes cash games you’ll find will still be 1/2, but it’ll be in the local currency. The same goes, of course, for tournaments, where the entry fees are correspondingly higher.
So, if you’re a lower stakes player, keep in mind that you’ll generally be playing for stakes that are about 25–50% higher than “normal”. Mid-stakes players can compensate for the unfavorable exchange rates by “dropping down a level”.
You’re also probably used to poker rooms having a rule of “English only at the table”. You won’t have anything to worry about in this regard in England or other Western European countries where English is commonly spoken at a high level. Central and Eastern European poker rooms, however, are far more likely to be frequented by non-English speaking clientele, so be prepared to get a little “lost in translation”.
Bring Your Passport, Pay Up, and Come On Time
The first European poker room I visited was at the Holland Casino in Amsterdam, back in 2007. I got about 10 steps in before I had to turn around and go back to my hotel, as they wouldn’t let me in without my passport. By and large, American poker players know to have an ID on them for proof of age. In Europe, however, the only ID most casinos will accept is your passport.
On top of that, many casinos, such as the famous one in Monte Carlo, will charge you an entry fee just to grace their premises, which tend to range anywhere from €5–€20.
Upon visiting European casino establishments, many tourists are surprised to learn that the poker rooms may only be open in the evening hours and that the casinos themselves may not be open 24/7 except for on weekends. Lesson: It pays to check out the casino/poker room’s website and perhaps even call the establishment in advance to find out these important details.
A Totally Different Atmosphere
Especially if you’re used to playing in the big poker rooms in gaming hubs like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or Los Angeles, be prepared for a totally different ambience inside the poker room.
For one, the overwhelming majority of poker rooms in the U.S. boast no-smoking policies. While the same can be said for many European poker rooms, not all of them have similar policies in place, so be prepared.
Also, tableside food and cocktail service is standard at most well-run poker rooms stateside. While you may on rare occasion have the ability to have food brought to you, it’s practically guaranteed that there won’t be any cocktail or beverage waitresses as far as the eye can see. Moreover, even if you can obtain an alcoholic beverage, it’s going to cost you plenty more than the $1 you’re used to giving a serviceperson as a tip.
And as for masseuses? Keep dreaming…
Conclusion
All told, there’s definitely a difference when playing poker abroad. That’s not to say that playing poker back at home is “better”; just different.
Finally, to our European readers out there, I’d be quite happy to get feedback from you and find out if the impressions I’ve gotten personally and from my friends and colleagues about European poker rooms are correct or mistaken in your opinion as locals. Feel free to comment below.
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Poker is a game that is popular the world over, however in Europe there has been something of a revolution recently in regards to the sheer number of people that do play poker in all playing environments.One of the main reasons for the increase in number of people playing poker is that many TV channels now show live footage from poker rooms and poker tournaments, and that has sparked an interest in people who feel they have the skills and capabilities to play poker, and play it well.If you are based anywhere in Europe then you are additionally going to be blessed with a huge number of different poker sites that will allow you to sign up as a new player, and with so many people playing online these day, you are never going to have any shortages of fellow players to take on and hopefully beat too.This guide is one of many that I do hope you make use of throughout this website, and as such if you are based in Europe and you fancy your chances of being a successful poker player then please do read on, as you will find plenty of hints, tips and advice you will find of great interest and use!Anyone travelling through Europe who wants to gamble online or in a live casino should be aware of the various laws covering gaming in the different European countries. Some prohibit online gambling from sites within their borders. There are also countries that permit online gambling, but prevent their banks from processing any of the winnings.
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Why You Should Play at EU Licensed Poker Sites
Contents
- Frequently Asked Questions
Live Poker Tournaments In Europe 2020
European Gambling Laws
The European Commission (EC) permits internet gambling sites with the stipulation they be licensed by countries in the EU. There are some European countries that don’t agree with this policy. There are also countries that require poker sites to become licensed within their specific country. Many new countries are starting to use that particular method of licenser but asking the poker sites to pay 3-5 years’ worth of back taxes. There are a few poker sites that are ponying up. PokerStars for instance has already paid back taxes in a handful of countries and obtained legally operating and licensed status.What it really boils down to is this though; it’s not illegal to play poker in many countries, and there are no consequences to those who do, however, the poker site itself may face a penalty if they’ve not done all that they need to do to comply with the law. This is a lot like eating at an establishment that doesn’t have a permit to serve food. You have no idea you’re doing it, and you’re probably not getting prosecuted for it, it’s not even illegal.On the other hand, there are countries, like Russia, where gambling is absolutely prohibited. Things are changing there as well with the creating of four new legalized gambling zones, but in the meantime, they’re a prime example of a ‘dry country’ when it comes to land based and online gambling.
Live Poker In Europe Countries
Benefits of Localized Poker Sites
In Finland players can use sites licensed within the EU and not pay any tax on their winnings. In Sweden players can also play tax free if they use a poker site approved by the government and operates inside the EU. France has strict laws to regulate and tax gambling. Poker sites that accept French players must have a .fr domain and get a gaming license. In Russia the government has blocked all gambling sites but has established four gambling zones in the country. People in Norway can use an online gambling site if it has a license within the country. In Northern Ireland online gambling is approved, but the strict laws here make residents go to Ireland to play live poker.
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Norway
Scotland
Sweden
Playing Live Poker in Europe
Europe offers many hot tourist options when it comes to poker play including a plethora of major poker tournament events, like the World Series of Poker Europe for instance. There are also several famous poker rooms located throughout the continent. One major thought to keep in mind is that European poker rooms often feature dress codes and much like poker rooms located in Asia, they often require players to show an international passport.
Deposit and Play in Euros
One aspect of playing poker online in Europe is that you will be much better off playing at a poker site at which you can set your account to use Euros, as that way you are never going to be faced with having to pay any currency exchange rate fees when making a deposit or a withdrawal.You should also try and make use of a deposit and withdrawal option that comes with no additional fees and charges for using them, there will be plenty of them to pick and choose from but many European players much prefer using their debit cards as a way of funding their betting site accounts online.Web wallets are another popular option, and to be fair they often allow for a poker site to pay out their winning player instantly, as soon as they have put in a withdrawal request, however you will also find plenty of other ways of topping up your account and making a withdrawal too.Just try and select a poker site that offers rapid winning pay-outs to their players or you could end up waiting a very low time to get paid out your winnings if you don’t!
Best Places To Play Live Poker In Europe
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are now getting quite interested in playing poker online, and you are based anywhere in Europe, then please do read on, for I am more than confident that you may have a few questions you want answering about doing so, and there is a very good chance those questions will be answered below.