Poker in Italy? A few years ago, the answer would have been “difficult.” But the poker scene has since experienced a tremendous boom, from which casinos in Malta are ultimately reaping massive benefits.
After Campione disappeared from the poker map, the remote casino in Saint Vincent closed its doors, and cards were no longer dealt in Venice, Italians were left with only very rare events in Sanremo or San Marino. The two major casinos in Malta—Casino Malta and Portomaso—benefited, as did the Perla in Nova Gorica (Slovenia). And, of course, the King’s, since Eurorounders brought—and continues to bring—hordes of Italians to Rozvadov.
But now Italy is heading in a new direction, one that’s making the land of pizza, pasta, and tiramisu increasingly attractive as a poker destination. Tournament organizers such as Texapoker and, of course, Eurorounders—as well as Imperium, which is expanding its presence with numerous clubs across Italy—play a key role in this. Imperium’s legal status has not been definitively clarified. According to its own statements, the club is not a venue for “Poker Sportivo” and does not offer gambling for money. So let’s put it this way for now: “They’re more or less exploiting a loophole in the law,” though actual regulation of the clubs is on the table.
Generally speaking, there are four casino licenses—Campione, Saint Vincent, Venice, and Sanremo. And poker is now more or less being played again at all four locations.
Italy
PokerStars Live at Casino Campione
Currently the most active poker casino. Under the direction of Luca Pagano, or rather Pagano Events, the PokerStars Live Room is operated within the massive Casino Campione on Lake Lugano. The Italian Series of Poker (ISOP) has just kicked off its new season, and in October, the second €250 Sunday Million Live (€1,000,000 GTD) will be held. And numerous other events, such as the Italian Poker Masters, the Italian Poker Challenge, and, of course, the PokerStars Open, have already found a home there. There’s a weekly schedule, and as a result, a solid regular crowd has been built up since the reopening.
Casino Saint Vincent
The Casino de la Vallée in Saint Vincent. Just as picturesquely nestled in the landscape as Casino Campione, but definitely surrounded by many mountains. There’s really nothing nearby. Even getting to Geneva or Grenoble takes about 3 hours. And yet, the casino is an ideal venue for events. Texapoker and the IPO have recognized this potential. The French operate the poker room and host events such as the St-Vincent Poker Cup from October 13 to 18. They’ve already announced their partnership with the IPO. From January 29 to February 8, an IPO Festival will be held in the mountains. The Casino Saint Vincent is certainly not your everyday venue, but it’s definitely worth a trip.
Casino Venice
The same goes for the Casino Venice. The lagoon city is always worth a visit, but from a poker perspective, not so much. However, after many years, there’s finally a poker revival at the Casino di Venezia as well. “La Notte Degli Assi” brings poker to the time-honored halls of the Casinò di Venezia – Ca’ Vendramin Calergi. An absolutely unique venue—certainly not your everyday spot. And that’s why, from October 11 to 19, the festival offers a whopping million-euro guarantee with a buy-in of €600.
Casino Sanremo
Not an everyday location for many either, but many have already been there for the IPO when it coincided with the EPT Monte Carlo. Or simply at one of the many events held there in the past. As in Saint Vincent, there’s a partnership between Texapoker and the IPO, and a major IPO Festival is already planned for April 24 through May 4, 2027.
Imperium Milano
The situation at Imperium Milano is somewhat reminiscent of the Concord Card Casinos in Austria. Its legal status is—let’s call it—unclear. And yet, the club is currently shaping the Italian poker scene like no other. Events follow one after another seamlessly, and in October, the club will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Imperium often offers relatively affordable tournaments and generous guaranteed prize pools. International tours such as the Vamos Poker Tour have also made stops in Milan. For example, the €250,000 GTD Autumn Series is currently underway, and the Joker Series, with €400,000 GTD, is set to return in November.
Malta
This Mediterranean island isn’t just the hub of the European online gambling scene—it’s also home to casinos. The poker scene is defined by the rivalry between Casino Malta and Portomaso Casino.
Casino Malta
It has definitely been the top dog for about two decades. The “Battle of Malta” is one of the most popular European tournaments and now draws players to the island not just once a year, but twice. This year’s Autumn Edition is once again offering a €2,000,000 GTD prize pool. Bounty Hunter Days, powered by poker-trip.de, are also part of the BOM. Currently, the WSOP Circuit is making its debut at Casino Malta, with Texapoker on board as a partner. Another collaboration with IPO Events has also been announced for the Battle of Malta, so there are more events to look forward to.
Portomaso Casino
The other casino with the other festival: the Malta Poker Festival. This festival is now held twice a year as well, and although it isn’t quite as large as the BOM, it attracts numerous players from all over Europe to its events. While the dates are spread out in the spring, the two mega festivals clash head-on in late October/early November. Portomaso is also banking on partnerships and, together with Eurorounders, is organizing a €3,000,000 GTD festival this time around. It remains to be seen which festival players will prefer. Since its major renovation last winter, Portomaso has been enjoying increasing popularity; most recently, “The Festival” returned to Portomaso and set record attendance figures for the Midstakes Tour.
Italy is playing poker more than ever before. On top of that, Eurorounders is also bringing massive crowds of players to King’s Resort Rozvadov to celebrate million-dollar events there. Anyone looking for new poker destinations will definitely find plenty of variety in the land of pizza, pasta, and la dolce vita.