Global Poker Awards to Further Sportify Poker

March 8th, 2019 | by Kaycee James

Stars of the game will align for the first time this year when the inaugural Global Poker Awards takes place on April 5.

The inaugural Global Poker Awards will take place on April 5 inside the PokerGO studio,. (Image: Giroux Glass)

A collaboration between PokerStars, Poker Central and the Global Poker Index (GPI), the new event will see the industry’s leading lights honored during a special ceremony in Las Vegas.

According to the March 7 press release, the Global Poker Awards will merge the GPI’s American Poker Awards and European Poker Awards.

One Ceremony, Multiple Winners

In bringing together the two entities the ceremony will recognize the achievements of 20 industry figures. As well as the usual accolades for poker veterans and tournament beasts, media members, online operators and event organizers will be in the running for an award.

In 2018, tournament director Matt Savage picked up the award for Industry Person of the Year, 12 months after Jason Mercier capped off an epic 2017 with two American Poker Awards.

As part of the move to amalgamate the two ceremonies, the Global Poker Awards will be broadcast live on PokerGO. Taking place inside the platform’s Las Vegas studio, the broadcast will be available to subscribers around the world.

Global Poker Awards Brings Credibility to Industry

The 20 categories and their respective nominees are yet to be announced. Once public, a nomination panel made up of players and industry insiders will choose the winners.

Commenting on the Global Poker Awards, GPI president Eric Danis said it’s a chance for recognize excellence on an “unprecedented scale.”

Founded by Alex Dreyfus in 2011, the GPI tracks the tournament results of more than 450,000 players. By using a unique formula to award points, Dreyfus and the GPI have worked to develop a credible ranking system and, in turn, align poker with sports such as golf.

While the argument over poker’s status as a sport remains up for debate, the GPI has helped define the top tournament players. In tandem with a newly merged awards ceremony, the industry is becoming more accessible to casual fans.

By having a go-to ranking system and a single set of honors, outside observers have a better overview of the game. For now, however, fans of the game will have to wait until April 5 to see exactly which industry insiders are standing in the spotlight.