Massive Schedule Announced for First-Ever European Poker Tour Event in Malta

Giovanni Angioni Contributor

Dec 19, 2014 2 min read Last updated Feb 25, 2015

The first-ever European Poker Tour (EPT) in Malta boasts an impressive 67-tournament schedule and promises to keep everyone entertained with plenty of special events and cash games available non-stop during the festival.

Running March 18-28, 2015, at the Portomaso Casino in the city of St. Julian’s, the EPT Malta Festival aims to not only become one of the hottest stops of the series' Season 11, but of the entire tournament circuit.

The action-packed calendar of events announced on Thursday by PokerStars shows that the room is determined to do anything to attract as many players as possible to the Mediterranean island.

"Malta is a great destination for an EPT, and we expect strong participation numbers," EPT President Edgar Stuchly said.

"After discussions with players and fellow colleagues, we decided it was time to add a fresh and exciting stop to the EPT schedule."

Together with a €5,300 Main Event set to run between March 22-28, the festival will include other top tournaments such as two high-roller events for €25,500 and €10,300.

Since the EPT Malta somehow replaces the traditional stop in Sanremo, Italy, the festival will merge with PokerSars-owned Italian live poker series, the Italian Poker Tour (IPT).

As a result, the heavy schedule of the events will also feature the €1,100 IPT Main Event, the €330 Malta Cup, and the €2,200 IPT High Roller.

During what already promises to be 10 days full of poker, PokerStars also plans to offer to players the possibility to join six "Flipout" tournaments and four EPT Stud Championship events, which include €1,000 buy-in stud, stud hi-lo, razz, and triple stud tournaments. A junior, senior and a ladies events have been also included on the official schedule.

"Malta is renowned as being a very popular poker destination, and in the last five years Portomaso Casino has proved to be more than capable of hosting large-scale events," said Eros Ganzina, General Manager of Portomaso Casino.

"The EPT is a landmark event for us and we are looking forward to hosting such a prestigious tournament. We are positive that poker players will enjoy the new destination."

As if the massive schedule planned by PokerStars was not enough already, the EPT Malta Festival will also celebrate the 2015 European Poker Awards, the 2015 Global Poker Conference, and the very first edition of the Global Poker Masters — three events organized by the Global Poker Index.

"Malta has been the hub for online gaming and poker for the last 10 years," the GPI Chief Executive Officer Alex Dreyfus said.

"The EPT Malta is a great platform to organize the GPI European Poker Awards and to make it really successful by connecting players and industry stakeholders in such a great place."