WPT enterprises announced the cancellation of filiming at the popular World Poker Tour circuit stop Aviation Club in Paris, France. Apparentely French government policies have recently become increasingly tighter in recent months and the WPT officials were unsure if they would be granted permission to film the event in time for its start. An official press release from WPT read:
“We regret to announce we have canceled our plans to film the Grand Prix de ParisWPT Charter Member Casino and look forward to resuming our tour stops in France. tournament, which will still be held as announced at the Aviation Club de France, May 6-11, 2007. Due to gaming regulations in France, we did not receive assurances in the time needed to proceed with filming the event. We continue to work with Parisian officials to obtain permission to film at the Aviation Club at a later date. We have a great relationship with the WPT Charter Member Casino and look forward to resuming our tour stops in France.”
Soon after the WPT released their statement representatives from the Aviation Club also voice their anger and dissapointment in the decision:
“This is with sadness and bitterness that we have to announce that WPTE will not be able to shoot the “Grand Prix de Paris” at the Aviation Club de France on May 6th to 11th.
The “Rendez-vous à Paris” festival including the €10,000 THNL “Grand Prix de Paris” will still be organized as announced and promoted. Aviation Club’s partnership with WPTE will stay as strong as ever. Soon the French authorities will concede that the WPTE activities are as legal in France as they are in the US and all over the world. Then ACF and WPTE will commonly announce new dates for a World Poker Tour event at the Aviation Club de France.
We wish that you still come to Paris May 6th-11th to participate (in) the “Grand Prix de Paris” event, who deserve to be successful. »
In their never-ending battle against any gamble who’s not state-owned, French authorities’ new target is now the World Poker Tour, guilty of operating and promoting an online cardroom. Despite the fact that WPTonline.com actually stopped serving French customers a year ago, and is therefore not guilty of any crime on French territory, the decision stood firm.
After Deauville’s EPT cancellation, this news comes as another tremendous blow for poker in France, as the World Poker Tour Paris tournament was the only European stop on the tour, and one of the most popular venues, providing great entertainment for viewers around the world during the past five seasons, including the epic battle between Surinder Sunar and Tony G in 2004.
The Grand Prix de Paris remains on schedule this year, but it’s highly likely that the event will draw way fewer players than the previous years, especially now that the wearing of any sponsored gear is prohibited within French cardrooms.”
While both the Aviation Club and WPT held a positive and hopeful outlook on the situation and maintained that they had a strong relationship, WPT will most likely reaccomodate this venue in the coming year if the issue is not settled by the French authorities.
That is really horrible, the WPT is a great event and that is one of the best stops. Definetely a shame.