Albania - SOMUCHPOKER

Albania had two major ideological influences working against a regular gambling market throughout its history.

Between 1946 and 1992 the country existed as the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania. Under the Communist regime, gambling was prohibited and regarded as an “idle bourgeois pastime”.

In 1992, that regime fell. However, in the new republic, the majority (according to the latest figures, 56%) of the population returned to their Islamic religion – Islam has been the most dominant religion in Albania since the Ottoman conquest of the late 14th Century.

Islam, just like Communism, frowns upon all sorts of games of chance. The texts refer to them as “maisir” and they’re strictly forbidden.

Despite all that, gambling was actually legal in Albania from 1992 up until a bill passed in October 2018 banning almost all kinds of gambling, both land-based and online. However, the Albanian legislature didn’t cite ideological reasons for the prohibitions. They claim they passed the bill to stifle gambling addiction in the country; as well as to tackle match-fixing in local sports and protect the finances of Albanian households.

However, they will allow gambling in “casinos in large hotels”. Also, the national lottery and the televised bingo games got special permission as well, as Reuters reports.

Famous Albanian Poker Players

Muhamet Perati sits on top of the Albanian all time money list on Hendon with $584,893 in live tournament earnings. At the 2012 WSOP, he made it to the final table in the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em event. He eventually busted in 7th place and won $64,414. That is the biggest single live tournament cash of his career to date.

As for online poker, a player from Albania who plays under the screen name “Jetize” on PokerStars and “znachit_a” on Bwin has cashed for $424,183 in MTT’s throughout his career.