A total of 190 people participated in the first Icelandic Poker Championship, held at the Reykjavík Hilton Nordica last weekend. The winning prize was ISK 1.6 million (USD 13,000, EUR 8,000).
Police did not interfere, as happened in 2007 when a poker tournament was supposed to take place.
Reykjavík Hilton Nordica. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
However, the organizers of last weekend’s championship had requested that police officers be in attendance to ensure compliance with all laws and regulations, Fréttabladid reports. Gambling is illegal in Iceland.
“We have had good cooperation with authorities and the police, but no police officers showed up,” said one of the championship’s organizers, Jóhann Ólafur Schröder. “This isn’t categorized as gambling but so-called tournament poker, which is of a completely different nature,” he clarified.
Schröder said the championship had been a success. “Poker has become immensely popular in Iceland and not all that were interested could participate.” The championship will be held again next year.
