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The head of the Australian Poker Tour says the company will await regulatory approval from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) before launching a cash satellite feature on its recently released APT App.
The APT announced in late March the launch of its new app, designed primarily to integrate with the company's live event management console by providing rapid registration and tournament information to its registered player base. However, the APT also wants to include real money satellites into their live events via the app, with players able to deposit cash and buy into satellites, advertised as having an entry fee of $6 per satellite.
Details of the satellite feature have immediately raised questions around its legality, prompting the APT to delay launch while it seeks approval from the ACMA.
'We have put in a submission to [the ACMA] to show them how it all works and make sure they understand it all,' APT CEO David Miles told PokerMedia Australia.
Asked if he was comfortable with the inclusion of the satellite feature, Miles said, 'I can only speak for myself but I am, some of our other shareholders aren't, and that's why we haven't progressed any further with it at this stage while we wait for clarification from ACMA.
'I have also corresponded with the Department of Communications in Canberra but I'm waiting to hear back.
'We've received a legal opinion that there is a section in the Act which prescribes that what we are doing, just offering satellites, can be justified.'
The ACMA told PMA it is 'aware of the APT App' and that it 'continues to monitor movements in the online gambling market and will take action as necessary.'
According to Australia's Interactive Gambling Act, prohibited interactive gambling services include any service provided in the course of carrying on a business using an internet carriage service, any other listed carriage service, a broadcasting service, any other content service or a datacasting service, and where:
- The game is played for money or anything else of value; and
- The game is a game of chance or of mixed chance and skill, and
- A customer of the service gives or agrees to give consideration to play or enter the game.
The APT is basing its push to run online satellites on a legal opinion that 'due to the fact there is no monetary value attached to the app and in currency there are no fees or profits derived through such activities, this can be classified in the field of an interactive game and not fall within Section 5 of the Act.'
The opinion also cites Section 8BB of the Act which makes some exceptions for 'a game of chance or mixed chance or skill where the game is conducted in connection with a competition for the promotion of trade.'
'That's what we are doing, promoting our trade,' Miles told PMA. 'The real event is the live event, not the ones on the app. The idea is that can cash in but you can't cash out, you can only win your way into APT events.
'We don't want to get anyone into trouble, we're trying to do the right thing.'
Miles confirmed the satellite feature will be removed if regulatory authorities fail to give it the green light.
However, the APT will push ahead with launching all other features of the APT App once its live events resume, most likely starting in Brisbane in September. The APT is also hoping to reschedule its APT Sydney event, originally planned for early April before COVID-19 shut down licensed venues, to November 2020.
'The whole idea of the APT app is that it is integrated into our live event management console,' said Miles.
'We want all of our players to be registered on our app eventually, which will take a bit of time but will allow for self-registration and rapid registration into tournaments. It will provide QR codes and tickets with your seat number to streamline the whole process.
'The app will also hold all the information of the event you are playing – blind levels, structures, live streaming where available, all our news, plus a list of chips counts and placings, so it is basically your whole one-stop tournament shop for live poker. It's just a very efficient way for running tournament poker.
'The app can also provide other services – it has links to hotels and travel, hire cars and taxis. In time, we want to integrate those things into the app.'
In the wake of PokerMedia Australia's recent feature on the return of live poker throughout the nation, the Australian Poker Tour (APT) last night announced its first live series since February, with the 2020 APT Gold Coast series to take place from 4 to 6 September at Southport Sharks.
Featuring a schedule of 11 events, many of the APT's most popular tournament formats will return, including the 6-Max Shot Clock High Roller, the Big Bounty and National Teams Event.
The APT Gold Coast Main Event is also changing up blind levels to 30 minutes in duration throughout the entire schedule, with satellites running on demand over the course of the three days.
PMA's Landon Blackhall spoke with APT CEO David Miles about this highly-anticipated return.
Poker Media Australia: David, first off, congratulations on the announcement of the upcoming APT Gold Coast series. What has the reaction been like from your players, staff and affiliates?
David Miles: It's been pretty good, actually! We've had over 8,000 views so far on the APTLive Facebook page, over a hundred shares to other outlets, and our event page already has 80 or 90 people saying that they're attending, with another 200 people interested, so it's caught the imagination of the public pretty quickly.
PMA: In the video, the overall prize pool is estimated at $300,000 total, as opposed to guaranteed which is completely understandable. Will there be any smaller events in the schedule that may have a guarantee?
World Poker Tour
DM: No, [guarantees] won't be a factor at this stage – and I guess that's because in the grand scheme of things, we just don't know what's going to happen.
That's why the Gold Coast will be a really good test run for us, because if we're able to get enough people playing in the Main Event, the side events will fill up as well.
I love it when anyone does well [with guarantees] over the series, whether it's APT, WPT League or APL, because that means there's people out there playing; lots of activity, which is good for everyone, but right now, it would be crazy to set guarantees like we have done in the past, because there's so much pressure on operators to reach them.
That said, I think players will understand, especially given the state of the entire economy, unemployment rates and things like that.
It's something we'll have to constantly monitor and we'll adjust our expectations and business model accordingly, but at least if we're out there trying then something good will come out of it.
Australian Poker Tour Facebook
PMA: Although the full schedule isn't being released until later this week, will the buy-ins be the same based on what was offered in Brisbane earlier this year?
DM: They're going to be very similar, but there will be a slight increase in the buy-in for the Main Event, from $175 to $200, with the same rake ($175 + $25).
'That's what we are doing, promoting our trade,' Miles told PMA. 'The real event is the live event, not the ones on the app. The idea is that can cash in but you can't cash out, you can only win your way into APT events.
'We don't want to get anyone into trouble, we're trying to do the right thing.'
Miles confirmed the satellite feature will be removed if regulatory authorities fail to give it the green light.
However, the APT will push ahead with launching all other features of the APT App once its live events resume, most likely starting in Brisbane in September. The APT is also hoping to reschedule its APT Sydney event, originally planned for early April before COVID-19 shut down licensed venues, to November 2020.
'The whole idea of the APT app is that it is integrated into our live event management console,' said Miles.
'We want all of our players to be registered on our app eventually, which will take a bit of time but will allow for self-registration and rapid registration into tournaments. It will provide QR codes and tickets with your seat number to streamline the whole process.
'The app will also hold all the information of the event you are playing – blind levels, structures, live streaming where available, all our news, plus a list of chips counts and placings, so it is basically your whole one-stop tournament shop for live poker. It's just a very efficient way for running tournament poker.
'The app can also provide other services – it has links to hotels and travel, hire cars and taxis. In time, we want to integrate those things into the app.'
In the wake of PokerMedia Australia's recent feature on the return of live poker throughout the nation, the Australian Poker Tour (APT) last night announced its first live series since February, with the 2020 APT Gold Coast series to take place from 4 to 6 September at Southport Sharks.
Featuring a schedule of 11 events, many of the APT's most popular tournament formats will return, including the 6-Max Shot Clock High Roller, the Big Bounty and National Teams Event.
The APT Gold Coast Main Event is also changing up blind levels to 30 minutes in duration throughout the entire schedule, with satellites running on demand over the course of the three days.
PMA's Landon Blackhall spoke with APT CEO David Miles about this highly-anticipated return.
Poker Media Australia: David, first off, congratulations on the announcement of the upcoming APT Gold Coast series. What has the reaction been like from your players, staff and affiliates?
David Miles: It's been pretty good, actually! We've had over 8,000 views so far on the APTLive Facebook page, over a hundred shares to other outlets, and our event page already has 80 or 90 people saying that they're attending, with another 200 people interested, so it's caught the imagination of the public pretty quickly.
PMA: In the video, the overall prize pool is estimated at $300,000 total, as opposed to guaranteed which is completely understandable. Will there be any smaller events in the schedule that may have a guarantee?
World Poker Tour
DM: No, [guarantees] won't be a factor at this stage – and I guess that's because in the grand scheme of things, we just don't know what's going to happen.
That's why the Gold Coast will be a really good test run for us, because if we're able to get enough people playing in the Main Event, the side events will fill up as well.
I love it when anyone does well [with guarantees] over the series, whether it's APT, WPT League or APL, because that means there's people out there playing; lots of activity, which is good for everyone, but right now, it would be crazy to set guarantees like we have done in the past, because there's so much pressure on operators to reach them.
That said, I think players will understand, especially given the state of the entire economy, unemployment rates and things like that.
It's something we'll have to constantly monitor and we'll adjust our expectations and business model accordingly, but at least if we're out there trying then something good will come out of it.
Australian Poker Tour Facebook
PMA: Although the full schedule isn't being released until later this week, will the buy-ins be the same based on what was offered in Brisbane earlier this year?
DM: They're going to be very similar, but there will be a slight increase in the buy-in for the Main Event, from $175 to $200, with the same rake ($175 + $25).
The structure will have 30-minute levels all the way through now, to not only make it a point of difference compared to other leagues, but also make it a bit more challenging for our players, so instead of maybe bringing back 300+ players on Day 2, it's going to be around 200.
That will also give us the chance to utilise more dealers on Day 2; as soon as tables in the High Roller Events are broken down, we can then push those dealers over into the Main Event, adding more prestige to the tournament.
PMA: Depending on what's happening with the lockdown laws in Queensland, are you expecting to be playing long-handed (i.e. more than six-handed) in tournaments like the Main Event?
DM: Yes. According to our discussions with league operators and the information we've received from COVID Safe, seating poker players at tables is not unlike seating restaurant patrons. The tables are required to be spaced out [at least] 1.5 metres apart, however, you can still have eight people sitting at a table, as long as you are still adhering to the square meterage guidelines.
For the Gold Coast Main Event, we'll be capping each Day 1 flight at around 200 players, and we'll encourage people to book their seat and buy-in ahead of time using the APT App. Once they arrive at the venue, they can check in using their unique QR code and get their table and seat allocation without having to line up at the registration desk.
PMA: Finally, even with the lockdown laws relaxed to a point where long-handed play is permitted by September, which seems likely based on current trends, will there still be increased hygiene and distancing measures enforced by the APT?
DM: For sure. Southport Sharks already have COVID Safe regulations in place, especially with contract tracing; all patrons are already required to register their contact information upon arrival and we'll be in constant communication with them throughout the series.
When players come to the APT registration desk, we'll be asking all the relevant questions in regards to health and well-being, taking temperature checks, offering masks and gloves to players who wish to use them, placing hand sanitiser stations throughout the room and reconfiguring our floor plan, which based on numbers from previous events there, will take it down from 50 to 40 tables.
Our people can rest assured that we will provide everyone a safe environment, give our players the confidence in playing live poker again and then at the end, we can all walk away knowing they've had a great time.
For more information, including the full 2020 APT Gold Coast schedule, log onto www.australianpokertour.com.au or search for APTLive on Facebook.
