Poker in Hong Kong - Where to Play, Tournaments, School

Poker in Hong Kong has become a fast growing activity in 2007.
In social occaison organized games held in clubs and restaurants in Hong Kong every week. Even though the law in Hong Kong does not allow gambling, there had been found ways to organize and hold professional events.
Starting from weekly meetings the movement has grown to poker events, which last over several month. Pokerpro and event organiser Kelly F. who is also the founder of the Hong Kong Poker League (http://www.hkpokerleague.com) , the www.pokerschool.com.hk and a team member of the Asian Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) support the community.

History:
Even in late 2007 there is only one casino in the “Asian Las-Vegas” Macau, which provides Texas Hold'em Poker. Some of the reasons might be, that there are no professional dealers and missing international support for Poker. But with a non-stop growing interest of the Asian community in Poker more and more casinos plan to integrate poker in to their program. Some of the biggest Casinos already applied a license for Texas Hold'em Poker (underneath them the Sands/Venitian Group and Whynn).

Hong Kong is growing faster than Macau. Since a couple of years there exist private organized poker clubs and periodically hold meetings. At the beginning of 2007 the first sponsored tournament was held in an exclusive members club in Hong Kong, which opened the doors for every poker player and non-members. The sponsoring was brought by a spirits company, which supplied poker chips, tables and prices.
The Tournament, which went over 2 months, showed a great success with over 60 players every week.
Kelly F. who noticed the potential for Poker in Hong Kong, decided to establish professional Poker how it is played at the APPT and WOSP Events. Under his management the Hong Kong Poker League and the Hong Kong Pokerschool was founded. After getting in contact with sponsorships from companys like Tequila Patron, Pokerstars and the Pharaoh Palace Casino in Macau he supplied professional poker equipment, dealers and tournament directors.

The first Event under the management of Kelly F. was held Hong Kongs most famous venue, which just opened for this event on a Wednesday afternoon. It was advertised in the local press such as JUICE and BEATS Magazine and online on Hong Kong Clubbing to name some of them.

Announced is a tournament in the world famous shareholder club M1NT that is waiting for a license to hold a poker tournament. In the upcoming year tournaments and cooperations are planed with Casinos in Macau, Restaurants, Bars and Hotels in Hong Kong and partnerships with events like the APPT.
The Hong Kong Poker League will be open for the public in the 4th quarter of 2007.

Support
Without support and sponsorship professional events are difficult to manage.
The main organizer for poker events in Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Poker League in cooperation with the Hong Kong Pokerschool. Part of this team is Kelly who has his roots in the marketing of action sports. With his concept and presents on all international tournaments he is named as one of the keyfiguers in establishing professional poker on the Asian market. He is also the publisher of a poker magazine called “Under the Gun” in Las Vegas. Through his contacts it was possible to get sponsorships like the world famous online poker platform Pokerstars and Tequila Patron from Las Vegas even in the beginning of Poker in Hong Kong.
To run a sponsored tournament in Hong Kong there is a need of a license from the Hong Kong government, which takes up to half a year to apply. The following article shows a part out of the Gambling Ordinance of Hong Kong.

Law
The Law in Hong Kong does not allow running a casino. Gambling is lawful if the game is played on a social occasion in private premises. This includes the most gambled game mahjong. Everywhere in Hong Kong Bars and Clubs are open to rent out mahjong tables and equipment. An entrance fee is often charged. The government sees in mahjong a social activity, which is permitted and lawful. So is Poker.
The Gambling Ordinance describes gambling as lawful as following:

...
(2) Gaming is lawful if the game is played on a social occasion in private premises and is not promoted or conducted by way of trade or business or for the private gain of any person otherwise than to the extent of a person's winnings as a player of or at the game.

(3) Gaming is lawful if the game is one in which dice, dominoes, mahjong or tin kau tiles, or playing cards are used and-

(a) the game is played on a social occasion in-

(i) premises licensed as a restaurant under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132); (Amended 10 of 1986 s. 32(1))

(ii) premises where intoxicating liquor is sold pursuant to a licence or other authorization granted under any Ordinance; or

(iii) a club-house in respect of which either of the conditions indicated in section 4(2) of the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance (Cap 376) has been satisfied; (Replaced 38 of 1994 s. 3)
...

Still a problem is article (2), which declares gambling just as lawful if it is not promoted, on social occasion and not conducted by way of trade or business. To run a tournament lawfull it must happen “cash-free” (chip value as play money). Though all prices of the tournaments are sponsored prices like flight tickets, seats in international poker events or liquor from the liquor companies.
The Hong Kong Poker League is working on a special permit to allow gambling with real cash value like it is allowed in mahjong or the betting on horses in the Hong Kong jokey club.