No COVID passes required for EPT Prague

Players who attended the next round of the European Poker Tour (EPT) in Prague will not need to show a COVID pass following the easing of restrictions in the Czech Republic.

PokerStars was forced to postpone EPT Prague last year due to COVID-19. An online event took place in December instead of a live series which was given a tentative date of March 2022, subject to COVID restrictions.

March 5 was finally penciled in as the start date, and with less than a month to go, it’s almost certain the series will take place at the King’s Casino at the Hilton Prague.

Also, with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala bringing his country closer to a state of normalcy, players won’t have to show COVID passes or proof of vaccination to play.

Everything changes in 2022

The change removes the red tape players faced last year when they had to provide a negative test or show they had been vaccinated to play at the WSOPE.

However, with Omicron proving to be less severe than previous variants, European leaders are phasing out national COVID-related restrictions. With this in mind, Prime Minister Fiala announced last week that COVID passes would no longer be a requirement of entry for retail and hospitality venues.

King’s Casino followed this up with a Facebook post confirming that all players can attend EPT Prague without meeting any entry requirements. The only test that will be performed upon entry is a temperature scan.

EPT Prague without restrictions

Prime Minister Fiala also said face masks and other restrictions would be lifted in the coming weeks, with a state of almost complete normality expected to resume in March.

Current rules state that masks must be worn when seated at a table inside King’s Casino. However, this may change as part of the current trend of lifting all COVID restrictions in the Czech Republic.

Finally, there are no quarantine requirements for people entering the Czech Republic if they are fully vaccinated or can present a negative COVID test. Incoming travelers must complete a Passenger Locator Form, but as things stand, entry into the country is almost unrestricted.

EPT Prague ends on March 5 and there will be 57 tournaments until March 16.

In addition to the €5,300 ($6,000) main event, EPT Prague will feature a selection of low-stakes events costing less than €500 ($570), as well as high rollers with buy-ins. -ins of up to €50,000 ($57,000).

Written by

Daniel Smith

Dan Smyth is a poker media buddy who politely reminds CardsChat readers that poker is played all over the world, not just in America.