LAPT on Shaky Legs

PokerStars.com LAPT Nuevo Vallarta event was well under way when the tournament was suspended on Day 1 by local gaming officials. Then next day, the tournament was cancelled totally.

The $2,500 main event championship had 242 players take part at the Marival Resorts and Suites in Neuvo Vallarta. Amongst the players were several American pros as well as some of the best players in Latin America. Players like Greg Raymer and Victor Ramdin were among the chip leaders when the event was cancelled and there were only 89 players left.

These remaining 89 players will be splitting the prize money. Each player will receive $5,000 and the remaining money will be split up based on the chip counts. Another $500 is then going to be given to each player over and above the prize pool.

The tournament was on level 9 of play when at 10:30PM local, the gaming officials decided to rescind the LAPT gaming license. All players, officials and media were then asked to leave. Mike Ward, the tournament director, announced that the tournament was now suspended until further notice. Players waited and then at midnight they were told to return at noon the next day for an update. Mid afternoon on Saturday, the players were informed that the tournament was in fact cancelled.

This cancellation of a major LAPT tournament has led speculation to whether there will be future tournaments in Mexico. The shaky legal environments in Mexico may make it sometime before another tournament will be scheduled.

LAPT released this statement shortly after the confirmation of the cancelling of the tournament:

The Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) confirms that it is cancelling the poker tournament in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, due to an indefinite suspension served on one of its local partners.

The LAPT states it has cooperated fully and in good faith with the requirements outlined by the Mexican government. The LAPT respects and abides by local regulations in each market.

LAPT's partner in Mexico obtained a formal ruling from the Mexican Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) allowing the event to take place. As the LAPT compiled with every rule stipulated by the Code of the Mexican Federal Law of Games and Raffles, the reasons for suspension are being reviewed by lawyers of all parties.