The world’s largest poker tournament will be held in Cyprus
One of the most prestigious poker tournaments in the world, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) with a US patent, will arrive in Northern Cyprus for the first time thanks to an initiative by Merit International. Known as the “Poker Olympics”, this legendary tournament will take place in October 2025 at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel. Northern Cyprus is preparing to become a new bright spot on the map of the international poker community, attracting the attention of players and viewers from all over the globe.
Merit International Hotels & Casinos has already established itself as a reliable organizer of global poker events, having previously hosted tournaments such as EPT, Triton, GGPoker and partypoker MILLIONS. The arrival of the WSOP in the region promises to increase the interest of international media, sports tourism and investors. Merit Poker President Songul Bekem called the event the culmination of years of work, stressing that “Las Vegas now lives not only in America, but also in the Mediterranean,” where the heart of poker will beat this fall.
Experts predict that the WSOP will bring a significant economic effect, increasing tourism revenues and strengthening the reputation of Northern Cyprus as the “international poker capital” and “rising star of the Mediterranean”. The tournament is showing impressive growth, with 9,735 players in the WSOP Main Event in 2025 and a record 10,112 players in 2024. These numbers underscore the WSOP’s status as not only an elite poker event, but also a global brand with multi-billion dollar economic clout.
