Exclusive to poker industry persons, the Asia Gaming Industry Championship Event opens APT Championship 2026
All the APT Championship trophies are not exclusive to the player base, with the Asia Gaming Industry Championship offering casino employees and poker industry persons–including organizers, operators, and media personnel as well as poker celebrities, influencers, and vloggers–a chance to compete for an iconic APT Championship Lion Trophy and earn their place among the festival's champions.
Taking place one day before the official start of the festival at Red Space, Taipei, the Asia Gaming Industry Championship returns to the APT Championship 2026 on Thursday, 12 November, offering those who normally work behind the scenes an opportunity to take centre stage at the poker tables.
Winner of the Asia Gaming Industry Championship 2025 Hsiang Wang Bo
Unlike other tournaments on the APT Championship schedule, the Asia Gaming Industry Championship is exclusively open to individuals working within the gaming and poker industry. The tournament provides a unique opportunity for familiar faces from across the industry to come together, enjoy some friendly competition, and experience the excitement of APT tournament poker – and to win the first trophy of the festival!
The TWD 13,000 Asia Gaming Industry Championship Freezeout gets underway at 2 PM (CST) on Thursday, 12 November, with players receiving a starting stack of 30,000 chips. Registration will remain open until 5:50 PM, and eligible participants looking to join the action simply need to present their industry credentials on the day of the event and complete their buy-in at the venue.
Adding a meaningful charitable dimension to the occasion, APT owner Daren Yoon and special advisor Victor Chong have pledged a minimum contribution of TWD 500,000 to charity, while David Tai, CEO of Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker (CTP) Club, and Raymond Wong, CTP's Director of International Marketing, have committed a further TWD 100,000. All four will also donate 100% of any prize money they win in the tournament on top of their respective pledges, with the contributions going towards the Taiwan Alzheimer's Disease Association (社團法人台灣失智症協會), a Taiwanese organization dedicated to supporting people with dementia and their families through prevention, care services, education, and policy advocacy.
Last year's inaugural edition attracted 76 entries, with local Hsiang Wang Bo emerging victorious to claim the championship title and TWD 225,109 (~USD 7,285) in prize money. In a memorable conclusion to the tournament, Bo defeated his own boss, David Tai of Chinese Texas Holdem Poker (CTP) Club, in a friendly but fiercely contested heads-up battle.
David Tai, CEO of Chinese Texas Holdem Poker (CTP) Club enjoying his run at the Asia Gaming Industry Championship 2025
With the APT Championship 2026 set to welcome players and industry personalities from across the region and beyond, the Asia Gaming Industry Championship once again offers those who help bring the game to life a chance to shine in the spotlight. For eligible participants, it is an opportunity to swap their usual roles for a seat at the tables, compete against their industry peers, and perhaps walk away with an APT lion trophy of their own.
Find out more details here.