Turnout at EPT Barcelona station is falling
Just before the EPT began, Spanish authorities recognized poker as a sport and taxed it. EU citizens now have to pay 19% and non-citizens 24%. PokerStars announced that these percentages would not be deducted from tournament winnings, leaving many in the poker community with questions about how the new tax regime would work.
Before the EPT, the Casino de Barcelona hosted a national tournament. Sponsored by the Red Spades, they turned out well and surpassed last year’s mark. That gives hope to the flagship EPT, which will still attract a large audience despite the new rules. However, something went wrong.
The EUR 10,200 Mystery Bounty Kickoff had only 79 entries and a prize pool of EUR 371,300. Uruguay won the title for the second year in a row – this time it was Matias Duarte who took home the trophy and €192,000 (including prize money).
By comparison, the 2022 EPT has 91 participants, with Uruguay’s Francisco Benitez taking the title. Even more telling, however, is the one-day event for high rollers.
Many high rollers will not miss EPT Barcelona. Last year, 50 people signed up for the €25,000 high-roller launch. Only 28 players signed up for the 2023 EPT. As a result, participation in expensive tournaments dropped by more than 40%.
Only one of our countrymen, Russian Eduard Barseghyan, took part in the €25,000 High Roller. He won heads-up but was unable to beat Brazil’s Felipe Ketzer for second place and €164,700.
The sample size is too small to call a truly serious loss. But even with two games to go, we can understand the unclear tax situation keeping many players off. Meanwhile, the high rollers have little choice: the Tritons have just played in London and the Omaha event in Rozvadov will start in a few weeks.
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This text discusses the impact of new tax regulations on the European Poker Tour (EPT) in Barcelona. It highlights a decrease in participation in expensive tournaments and suggests that the unclear tax situation may be deterring players.