Bulgaria is one of the most popular countries in poker games, especially in Europe. Bulgaria has made poker legal in casinos, attracting poker players across the European continents. In this article, you will get to know about the legalization of poker in Bulgaria, top live poker rooms in Bulgaria, as well as some of the most popular poker pro players from the nation.
Is Poker Legal in Bulgaria?
Many other European countries have prohibited poker, but Bulgaria didn’t. Poker is legal in Bulgaria, but enthusiasts can’t play poker outside a casino.
The Government of Bulgaria has classified Poker cash games as a game of luck, whereas tournaments are a game of skill. Making it hard to play cash games or poker outside of a licensed casino.
The government enforced The Gambling Act in 2012, which classifies poker as a game of chance along with blackjack and baccarat. But all the national casinos with licenses host poker tournaments and cash games frequently.
In case you are traveling to Bulgaria, be sure to play at authorized and licensed casinos, and completely avoid playing poker on other premises. Here are the top 5 live poker rooms in Bulgaria.
Top 5 Live Poker Rooms in Bulgaria
1 – International Poker Club, Varna, Golden Sands
International Poker Club is a poker room situated inside the International Hotel Casino & Tower. It is one of Bulgaria’s most popular poker rooms, and it attracts both tourists and locals. Alongside poker, the casino offers other casino classic games.
The International Poker Club hosts daily cash game tables, in-house tournaments, and major international poker series. The club has hosted the Eureka Poker Tour and Unibet Open. There aren’t many details available regarding buy-ins of the International Poker Club, so I recommend that you message them on their official Facebook page.
Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/InternationalPokerClub
2 – Casino Ritz, Plovdiv
Casino Ritz is one of the largest 5-star casinos in Bulgaria. The casino is divided into two floors, with slot machines on the first floor and live table games on the second. The casino offers Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha and organizes daily cash games, daily tournament poker, along monthly freerolls on Friday.
Tournaments start at 6:00 pm with buy-ins starting from 10BGN to 110BGN on Saturdays. Besides regular poker, Casino Ritz offers Texas Bonus Poker, Three Card Poker, Casino Hold’em Poker, Russian Poker, and Caribbean Stud Poker. With gamblers having ample choices to choose from.
Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/Ritzstarcasinopoker
3 – Platinum Poker Room, Bansko
Platinum Poker Room is part of the Platinum Hotel & Casino Bansko. A casino located in Bulgaria’s mountain town, Bansko. The casino has always been a hotspot for tourists, as it is the only casino situated in the Bansko region.
Platinum Poker Room offers Texas Hold’em, Omaha Poker, and other popular variants of poker. In addition, they also host daily cash games and in-house tournaments. Furthermore, it also offers blackjack, roulette, and slot machines. Besides the poker and casino games, Platinum Hotel & Casino is known for organizing ski games.
Facebook page – Not available
4 – Platinum Poker Club, Sunny Beach
Platinum Hotel & Casino has two casinos in the country, one on the mountain (Bansko) and one on the beautiful black sea coast of Bulgaria. Although the Platinum Casino in Bansko hosts daily cash games, poker is more lively in the Platinum Hotel & Casino Sunny Beach branch.
They even have a Facebook page, which keeps players updated regarding tournaments. Platinum Poker Club organizes monthly tournaments. It previously hosted the IPC Poker Tour and will host the Smart Poker Tour from September 2 – 8, with a €100,000 Main Event guarantee.
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/Pokerclubplatinum/
5 – Palms Royale Sofia Poker Room, Sofia
Situated in the capital city of Bulgaria, Palms Royale Sofia (PRS) Poker Room boasts 20 poker tables. And host everyday cash games with 1/2, 2/5 blinds for Texas Hold’em and 2/2, 5/10 blinds for Pot Limit Omaha. High-stakes poker is available and can be upon request.
Located in the city center, the PRS Poker Room has always been the hotspot for poker in Bulgaria. It organizes poker tournaments frequently, as well as weekly. The premium poker room is gearing up to host the 2024 Vamos Poker Tour on October 21 – 27, with €300,000 GTD.
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/PRSPOKERROOM/
Famous Bulgarian Poker Players
Several poker players in the fraternity hail from Bulgaria and one of them is Dimitar Danchev. Dimitar Danchev has over $8.5 in live career earnings and currently holds the 1st place in Hendon Mob’s all-time money list.
In addition to the earnings, Bulgarian Poker has one online WSOP bracelet, along with a European Poker Tour. Dimitar Danchev has cashed in 16 EPT tournaments with 3 final table finishes, and earned over $3 million. Some other famous Bulgarian players include Simeon Naydenov, Atanas Gueorguiev, Aleks Dimitrov, and the list goes on.
One of the most popular Bulgarian players in recent years is the Young Gun Boris Angelov. Boris Angelov made a 5th place finish in the 2024 WSOP Main Event. He is currently competing at the EPT Barcelona and won the EPT Barcelona €10,200 NLH Mystery Bounty event a few days back.
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