The WSOPE has been held at King's Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic, for ten years. But in 2025, it became apparent that the series was losing popularity, sparking a new wave of online discussions about whether the event should be reformed and moved to another location. In this article, we'll explore what the future holds for the WSOPE.
There's a high probability that this year's World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) could be the last series held at King's Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic. As a reminder, the WSOPE has been held there every autumn since 2015.
In 2025, many tournaments were less popular than the year prior. On social media, some professional players seriously discussed the possibility of rescheduling the series to 2026.
How many players did the 2025 WSOPE Main Events attract?
Throughout WSOP history, six bracelets have been awarded in tournaments with fewer than 40 entries, four of which took place in Rozvadov.
Amid declining interest in the WSOPE, rumors have surfaced that the series could move to Prague. The Czech capital offers more comfort, hotels, and infrastructure, and has hosted numerous major poker events.
This year, Mustafa Kanit was the first to raise the issue, writing that he was surprised that the series keeps coming to the same location year after year. He added that Prague isn't ideal for him either: "Any place where it's hard to call a cleaner and warn Martin Kabrhel isn't my idea of a decent place."
Shaun Deeb, who won his sixth GGMillions bracelet, supported Kanit and stated that this is his last year in Rozvadov.
It is known that Leon Tsoukernik, the owner of King's Resort, sold his stake in the gambling business in 2024 and retired. Without his personal influence and connections with the WSOP organizers, Rozvadov's position has clearly weakened, and the likelihood of a global change in the series format has become very high.
The World Series of Poker (WSOPE) has extensive experience organizing live festivals, so several scenarios are possible for reforming the European branch.
Organizers may reduce the number of tournaments, increase buy-ins, and add online satellites and new formats. This approach will keep the location but could also increase player interest.
The sharp rise in popularity of Omaha events is significant in this regard. For example, this year's €2,000 PLO event attracted 406 entries, while the €5,000 event attracted 200 entries, compared to 229 and 141 entries last year, respectively.
Some tournaments, primarily the Main Event and GGMillions, may be held in Prague, while smaller events and satellites will remain in Rozvadov. This approach will gradually attract audiences to a new location without a sharp break with the past.
If the decline in popularity continues, the WSOPE could completely change location. Prague appears to be the leading candidate, but other options are also possible—for example, Vienna or Monaco, where poker traditions and infrastructure are well-developed.
Following the acquisition of the WSOP by NSUS (owner of GGPoker), it's logical to expect experiments with hybrid formats: Day 1 held online, and the finals held live. Such collaborations are already known and been practiced.
Barry Carter, winner of the 2025 Global Poker Awards for "Best Book" and "Twitter Personality of the Year," proposed the concept of a "travelling tour." It involves moving the series to different countries to showcase the best of European poker.
It would be wonderful to see WSOPE Spain or WSOPE Italy, and players from the US, among others, are willing to travel to such countries. Clearly, Europe has more legal restrictions, but there are plenty of venues that could host a fantastic WSOPE festival.
While the series is officially staying in Rozvadov, it's clear the event is in a transitional phase. Declining attendance, a change in ownership, and the growing role of GGPoker make a move, if not inevitable, then at least highly likely.
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