The third annual World Poker Congress (WPC) will meet for two days at the end of this month in Budapest, Hungary. The gathering takes place on October 29th and 30th in the Budapest Marriott Hotel. Big names in the business of both online and traditional brick-and-mortar poker will be present to network, discuss the similarities and differences between online and live poker, and address the issues poker faces today.
The speaker list for this year’s engagement should prove to be very exciting and covers several key topics. Marcel Luske, of the Federation Internationale de Poker Association and also a 2007 WSOP final tablists, will be speaking about international poker rules. Jon Kalmar, a WSOP finalist, will be speaking from a player’s perspective. Some of the other speakers include Patrick O’Brien of Greenberg Traurig, Chris Parker from the Asian Poker Tour, Jim Tabilio of Poker Voters of America, and Tim Klok of Aristocrat Technologies. They and many others will be covering the growing popularity of electronic poker tables, California’s poker initiative, marketing techniques, and the expanding poker market, along with many other things.
Of course, the issue of poker being a game of chance or of skill is going to be addressed by Patrick O’Brien. This is sure to be a hot topic for people concerned with the United States’ market. With the recent happenings in Kentucky and Senator Robert Menendez’s introduction of the Internet Skill Game Licensing and Control Act, it is sure there will be plenty to discuss.
However, the two day event does not just consist of listening to speaker after speaker. Like mentioned earlier, this is a great opportunity for professionals in the business of poker to network and share their ideas. Representatives from businesses just getting off the ground will be able to meet with executives from large companies and establish new connections for future clients. Coffee and tea breaks, lunches, a cocktail hour, and an after-hours off-site party will provide plenty of time to socialize.