Philly.com – Saying they have confirmed that one or more people used “a significant number of counterfeit chips” at an Atlantic City poker tournament, state casino regulators Saturday canceled the tainted match and ordered all prize money frozen until an investigation is complete.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement canceled the first event of the Borgata Winter Poker Open. It had suspended the game Friday after suspicions about the use of fake chips arose. No charges have been filed.
“Thus far, investigators have found that one or more tournament entrants improperly introduced a significant number of counterfeit chips into the tournament, gaining an unfair advantage and compromising the integrity of play for the event,” Tom Ballance, the Borgata’s president and chief operating officer, said Saturday.
Ballance said the Borgata has thoroughly examined its remaining stock of chips, which were cleared by investigators for use in dozens of other events in the poker tournament, which will be played as scheduled.
It was not immediately clear what would happen with the entrance fees paid by participants.
New Jersey State Police said Saturday the investigation was ongoing and no arrests had been made.
The event under scrutiny is the tournament’s “Big Stack, No Limit Hold ‘Em” event. It began Tuesday and had a $560 buy-in. There were 27 people remaining in the contest when play was suspended.
