€1 Million poker tournament opens at world’s oldest casino
One of Europe’s oldest poker tournaments has returned to Casino di Venezia, with the La Notte degli Assi festival opening on October 11 and offering a guaranteed €1 million Main Event prize pool.
The tournament marks a significant return of major live poker to the historic Venetian casino, which traces its origins to 1638 and is widely recognised as the world’s oldest operating casino.
The festival runs until October 19, with its principal tournament featuring multiple starting flights and a relatively accessible buy-in structure.
Players can enter the Main Event for €400, with €300 re-entries available under the published tournament conditions.
The schedule also includes a €1,500 High Roller, a €150 No-Limit Hold’em event and additional satellite tournaments offering opportunities to qualify for the main competition.
Organisers have confirmed that the Main Event carries a €1 million guarantee, although the final prize pool will depend on the number of entries.
The tournament is being staged at the casino’s Ca’ Vendramin Calergi property, a Renaissance palace overlooking Venice’s Grand Canal.
Originally established in 1638, the casino relocated to the historic palace during the 1950s and remains one of Italy’s most recognisable gambling venues.
La Notte degli Assi has been part of the Italian poker calendar since 2007, with its latest edition bringing a substantial guaranteed prize pool to a venue more commonly associated with traditional casino gaming.
The tournament also provides another example of the continued importance of live poker festivals to European gambling operators, particularly as online poker competes for players across regulated markets.
The opening flights began on Sunday, with further qualifying sessions scheduled before the Main Event concludes later this month.
