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THE MONEYMAKER TOUR RETURNS TO HARD ROCK CINCINNATI WITH MORE THAN $1 MILLION UP FOR GRABS
Following a hugely successful first event in Cincinnati, Ohio in September 2023, the Moneymaker Tour is returning to the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati on September 17 – 30, 2024 with a packed schedule that will guarantee more than $1 million across 15 trophy events.
In September 2023’s inaugural stop at Hard Rock Cincinnati, the $1,500 Main Event was contested by 788 players and won by Joseph Bakun for $208,034. He was joined at the final table by Chris Moneymaker himself and WSOP Champion Joseph McKeehen and as well as the top cash prize, he also took home a crystal Moneymaker Tour trophy and a guitar trophy.
The Moneymaker Tour was created in 2023 by 2003 WSOP Champion and ACR Team Pro, Chris Moneymaker and Moneymaker Tour Executive Manager, Tony Burns. The Tour was conceived as a way for Moneymaker to give poker players opportunities to have their own ordinary to extraordinary moments as he did.
Despite its relative newcomer status, the Moneymaker Tour has made a name for itself, recently being voted the third most popular live poker tournament series behind only the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour, in a State of Poker survey. Since its inception, there have been eight events throughout Florida, Cincinnati and Houston.
The Tour has also recently announced new venues including a first visit to the birthplace of the Moneymaker boom with an event in Las Vegas from June 28 – July 6 at MGM Grand and its first international Main Event at Casino Aruba in October.
“Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati will team up with the Moneymaker Tour for a return in 2024” said Christopher Herbert, Hard Rock Cincinnati Manger of Poker & Sportsbook. “Hard Rock Cincinnati is grateful to be a part of the fastest growing poker tour in 2023. Chris Moneymaker, Tony Burns and their staff delivered an incredible experience for our guests during the 2023 Moneymaker Tour stop. There’s no better place to be in September 2024 than Cincinnati Ohio!”
“After an amazing series last September, we are excited to return to Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati”, said Tony Burns, Executive Manager of the Moneymaker Tour. “Continuing to partner with one of the most recognisable brands in the world amplifies our reach, resonates with our audience, and rocks our business to a whole other level.”
Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.
The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.
Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.
Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:
“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”
The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.
The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.
Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.
*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .
The post Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.
The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.
Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.
Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:
“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”
The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.
The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.
Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.
*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .
The post Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.
The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.
Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.
Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:
“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”
The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.
The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.
Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.
*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .
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