Marc Joseph has played a key role in elevating and expanding South Africa’s poker landscape, blending his success as a poker player with a visionary approach to tournament organization. In his remarkable career spanning more than a decade, he has garnered huge respect through his consistent performances and several major live victories at major international events, amassing over $512K in live tournament earnings.
Beyond the live felt, he has revolutionized South Africa’s poker scene through the Monster Jam Poker Tour (MJPT). As the CEO of the tour, Marc Joseph has transformed the Monster Jam Poker Tour into South Africa’s richest poker festival, which is attracting both local and international talent, and consistently generating hefty prize pools. He has not only collaborated with Sun International but has also worked closely with Hendon Mob and Global Poker Index, putting the South African players on the global map.
His initiatives such as the “Race to Vegas” leaderboard have created opportunities for local players to compete for international success at the World Series of Poker. With landmark partnerships and plans to collaborate with online poker platforms in Asia, Joseph continues to propel South African poker into a new era of global relevance through MJPT by attracting players from various parts of the world and creating expanded international exposure and opportunities for local players.
Recently, we caught up with Marc Joseph to delve into his incredible journey, his role in revolutionizing the South African poker scene, the “Race to Vegas” initiative, future plan and a lot more. Here are the excerpts:
PokerProNews: Your journey as a player and an operator has been impressive. Take us back to your early days—what inspired you to start playing poker, and how did that evolve into becoming a poker operator?
Joseph: I have been playing poker from a young age – mainly with elders in my home community in home games that were not NLTH.
I have been in sports hospitality and events for 25 years, and when I fell in love with tournament poker, I just wanted to express my passion and deliver a world class event, truly inspired back then by the WSOP and WPT.
PokerProNews: With over a decade in the game and multiple notable titles, what would you consider the most defining moment of your playing career?
Joseph: My playing career is honestly just recreational, but I’d say when I satellited into a WPT High Roller event and won it, it made me believe that I am capable. I’ve been blessed with great results in South Africa.
PokerProNews: The Monster Jam Poker Tour has played a huge role in shaping South African poker scene. What was the vision behind launching this tour?
Joseph: The vision of MJPT was to build a world-class poker tour hosted at world-class venues. South Africa is a beautiful country with magnificent locations. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel the globe for poker and always stay updated with what’s new. Our aim is to be current and relevant on the global poker stage.
PokerProNews: What led to change from the Monster Jam Poker Tour to the SunBet Poker Tour, and how has this re-branding influenced the tour’s identity and overall growth?
Joseph: After operating successfully as the Monster Jam Poker Tour for many years, we signed a new deal with Sun International and sold the naming rights to its online betting platform SunBet
PokerProNews:The prize pools in recent SunBet Poker Tour events have been quite substantial, with 2024’s Time Square series surpassing R14 million. What kind of guarantees and structures can players expect in upcoming stops?
Joseph: We are branded South Africa’s richest poker tour so we will continue to strive for bigger GTDS, our structures are current and align with global trends.
PokerProNews: The upcoming SunBet Poker Tour stop at Carnival City in Johannesburg (14–25 May 2025) is generating buzz. What are the highlights players should look forward to in this series, especially the Main Event?
Joseph: All our events are truly awesome. We cater to every type of player out there. The series includes a freeroll, and the addition of the 40K ($2,250) pure freeze is also very exciting—I’m sure it will be well attended.
PokerProNews: You’ve done a great job integrating South African poker into global circuits. Are there opportunities for international players—particularly from India—to participate in your tour, and are there satellite options for them?
Joseph: Thank you for such a great compliment. We welcome all players from every corner of the world. We would love to partner with a regulated online platform in India that wants to give players the opportunity to visit our beautiful country.
PokerProNews: How would you compare the level of poker talent in South Africa with that of Asia, especially countries like India where poker is growing rapidly?
Joseph: South Africa has some incredible poker talent. Just to name a few standout performances—Ray Rahme finished 3rd in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, Warren Zackey ran deep in the 2022 Main Event, and Ahmed Karrim finished runner-up in the 2022 WSOP Closer. Imraan Bhojani placed 33rd in the 2022 Main Event, and Giovanni Zanette matched that finish in 2024 while also winning two events at the Wynn.
The talent in South Africa is truly amazing. In fact, at the 2023 WSOP in Las Vegas, we had multiple players reach final tables in bracelet events.
While poker is growing at a rapid pace in countries like India, South Africa already has a strong foundation of players competing on the global stage.
PokerProNews:You’ve worked closely with Hendon Mob and GPI to put South African players on the global poker map. How important has that global recognition been for the players and the tour?
Joseph: This relationship is by far the most important for us in gaining global visibility. The ever-popular Cape Town Million THM Championship is now being talked about all over the world.
PokerProNews: The “Race to Vegas” initiative is a fantastic concept. Could you elaborate on how it works and how it’s motivating local players to reach for international success?
Joseph: This was a loyalty program based on results, with the leaderboard powered by The Hendon Mob. The WSOP Las Vegas is a bucket list item for most poker players, and we were delighted to make dreams come true.
PokerProNews: You’ve also been active internationally, with deep runs in Cambodia and wins in USOP events. How has that experience abroad influenced how you structure and run events back home?
Joseph: These trips have had a huge impact on how we run things. As I mentioned earlier, we always strive to learn and stay current. My good friend and WPT Tournament Director, Danny McDonagh, has been truly inspirational—the way he runs his events is as good as it gets.
PokerProNews: Looking ahead, are there any exciting collaborations or expansions on the horizon for the MJPT, particularly in terms of partnerships with online platforms or international destinations?
Joseph: MJPT will strive to be at the forefront of poker in South Africa and across the African continent. We are continuing to forge relationships and partnerships with companies that share our vision for the growth of this incredible, inclusive sport—anybody can play.
Keep following PokerProNews for more such insightful and inspirational conversations with the industry veterans.
