by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Mar 17, 2020 | Updated on Mar 17, 2020
As the world continues to deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has affected hundreds of thousands, prominent members of the American poker community, centered in Las Vegas but spread out throughout the U.S. have come out in support of social distancing in quelling the spread of COVID-19.
Some of the most prominent US poker players are now advocating that all live poker events must be cancelled, at least until the outbreak subsides.
Social distancing guidelines are difficult, if not impossible, to enforce in poker venues, which is why many in the poker world are simply calling for cancellation to prevent any undue event that could sully the game of poker in the media.
Foremost among the advocates of banning all live poker for the meantime are Ari Engel, World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, Daniel Negreanu and Katie Stone.
Engel who also holds eight WSOP circuit gold rings says that live poker events should be cancelled for at least a month until one can ensure that COVID-19 will not spread across all poker rooms.
The time has come to cancel all poker events for the next month+ #savelives #beresponsible https://t.co/d8PRY3EPSD
— Ari Engel (@AriEngelPoker) March 13, 2020
Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu who is one of the most recognized faces in poker has stated that the cramped conditions of most poker tables can only exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 if just one positive player sits and interacts with others.
All poker operators: stop.
Suspend all tournaments and cash games now.
There isn’t a more infectious environment imaginable than a poker table.
Shut it all down.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) March 12, 2020
Stone who is from the East Coast, and is sponsored by partypoker as well as Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino is also spearheading a movement to encourage poker players to take the threat of spreading COVID-19 seriously.
I am taking a break from poker to work on getting the events within my community and the surrounding areas cancelled, because a lot of people in my area are not taking this as seriously as they need to.
— Katie Stone (@KatieStonePoker) March 12, 2020
Smaller Poker Events Must Also be Cancelled
Stone pointed out that, while major poker events have been cancelled, smaller poker events are still continuing to run—perhaps as a result of their lack of financial freedom to cancel events that have already been planned. Stone is asking the operators of such events to reconsider their actions to serve the interest of all in quelling the spread of COVID-19.
The major poker events cancelled due to the social distancing guidelines enacted to slow the spread the COVID-19 include the WPT DeepStacks Championship in Sacramento, California, the Heartland Poker Tour Mini Series in Toledo, Ohio and the RunGood Poker Series Horseshoe Bossier City, in Bossier City, Louisiana.
At least two poker series have cancelled their events midway – the two WSOP Circuit stops in Atlantic City and Los Angeles!
With all the cancellation why not stay at home and try your hand at some of our legal poker sites
