Irvine Times | News | IRVINE - THE NEW LAS VEGAS?

Wednesday, 7th January, 2009

Published: Wednesday, 26th March, 2008 14:00

IRVINE - THE NEW LAS VEGAS?

By John Martin Fulton

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IRVINE could be the new Las Vegas as pub landlords are being pestered by representatives from national poker leagues - and the odds are that that council won't object.

Publicans and politicians meeting at the area's licensing forum heard how organisers of gambling events - including the Nuts Poker League from TV's Dragons Den - had been approaching premises in the area.

Christopher Watson, who runs two pubs in Irvine and chairs the forum, said: "A guy phoned me up about running a poker league.

"I think it would be a good idea to run one through the week but we had to check out the official position.

"We get the public coming enquiring about it because it's more socially acceptable now.

"It's not like the old days when it was all played in back rooms with £1,000 per head to play."

He added that the rules governing gambling had been relaxed over the years.