As reported by BILD.de, the poker partner of the German-language TV channel Sport1 is reportedly no longer permitted to broadcast poker programs. But what are the reasons for the TV channel, which was created in 2010 from the merger of Sport1.de and Deutsches Sportsehen (DSF), to completely remove poker from its program?
Regional traditions and customs are often very special. This is also the case in the Hessian town of Laubach, which belongs to the district of Giessen: here, the locals get into a real dice fever at the turn of the year. Throughout the town, people gamble in cafés, bakeries, restaurants and pubs. Young and old are involved. It's all about gaming tables, croupiers, bets, luck and (often tasty) wins. Real gambling for everyone - or just a nice, fun leisure activity?
Things can get heated in poker - and some people don't shy away from using questionable means to implement their own strategy. It was precisely to these people that poker veteran Phil Ivey recently issued a clear warning: You'd better not mess with him, according to the quintessence that could be read in the press. It is interesting to note that Ivey himself actually had to pay back millions in winnings because he allegedly cheated in several casinos.
Professional poker has written heaps of curious, amazing and sometimes unbelievable stories. Most of them involve big winnings. Sometimes, however, as in the case of Vladimir Korzinin, who only started playing a few months ago, it doesn't take a big win to make a truly sensational appearance. The newcomer really made the global poker elite sweat at the Triton Invitational in Monte-Carlo.
What is always decisive for successful gambling? Of course - luck! Despite all the strategies, tricks and gimmicks, a good dose of luck is often the most important factor in winning at slots, sports betting, lotteries, etc. It doesn't work without luck - and luck often comes from being lucky. Or does it? What is the state of luck in Germany? The SKL Glücksatlas answers this question year after year. The latest edition actually shows a clear positive trend. Germans are apparently returning to the happiness levels of the 2010s before the pandemic.
At the end of the day, professional poker is about a whole lot of cash. So it's no wonder that the industry keeps detailed statistics on the successes and winnings of its best players. In this context, there was an interesting milestone from a German perspective at the beginning of November: TheHendonMob.com announced that Fedor Holz from Saarland had cracked the 40 million mark after a good third place in the ‘Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo’. There are only a few professionals in this class.
In 2018, the so-called Hagen gambling hall family made headlines. The brothers Sami and Alican S., together with their accomplice Aslan H., are alleged to have evaded tens of millions of euros in taxes in numerous gaming arcades in North Rhine-Westphalia. Seven tonnes of small change alone were seized at the time. The head of the gang, Sami S., went into hiding after his conviction and has only now been arrested.
Well-known poker events are always enriched by the appearance of celebrities. Boris Becker is no stranger to the scene - in fact, he has already gained some experience at the felt table in his life. After a long break, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) recently announced his comeback. Becker will be taking part in the WSOP Paradise 2024. The jackpot of 50 million dollars makes the competition the biggest poker tournament of all time.
Professional poker often involves huge sums of money - but for the players, it's much more than money that counts: it's the bracelets that symbolise long-term triumph at a major tournament and are always immediately mentioned in the same breath as the best players on the scene. Comparable to the medals at the Olympic Games, they have a high value both materially and emotionally and exude a special aura. They usually remain in the possession of their winners. Now, however, German poker icon Eddy Scharf has announced that he will sell his WSOP Gold Bracelets at the end of his career.
A man in Dornstadt near Ulm caused several tens of thousands of euros worth of damage while parking. After manoeuvring back and forth several times, the 57-year-old accidentally stepped on the accelerator and drove at high speed into an amusement arcade in front of the car.
There is sometimes a fine line between legal gambling or card games in a private setting and illegal rounds. However, in the case of the poker meeting that has now been uncovered in the Bavarian capital of Munich, the authorities should not have to check for long whether it was on the borderline or not. A lavish setting with professional equipment, exquisite catering and lots of cash, which came to light after lengthy investigations, leave little doubt about a profit-oriented and ultimately illegal background.
In Brake, Lower Saxony, the so-called amusement tax was recently increased by a quarter. Specifically, the tax on gaming machines is to be increased from 20
% to 25 %. The local amusement arcades are fuming and complaining that it is not possible to operate economically with such a high tax burden. In the end, the black market could benefit once again.
Because a gambling provider is alleged to have fuelled a player's addiction, the player is now demanding absurdly high damages of USD 250 million. Such high claims are not uncommon in the United States. But how good are the gambling addict's chances of success and what other curious claims for damages for pain and suffering have been made in the USA so far?
Every poker fan has thought about what it would be like to be a professional, turn their hobby into a career and have the chance to win huge jackpots in international tournaments time and time again. But what does the everyday life of such a top player actually look like? How do they prepare for their matches? And what attitude is important? Bild asked German WSOP player Quirin Heinz these and other questions, providing an interesting insight into his life.
Paul Gauselmann will be celebrating his 90th birthday on 26 August this year: to mark the occasion, Germany's oldest active gambling entrepreneur is giving a number of interviews, drawing attention to his company with charity campaigns and generally doesn't appear to be getting tired of old age. In an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper, the Westphalian even chatted about his own gambling habits and said that gambling is not addictive.