As U.S. and Israeli strikes continue in Iran, the World Poker Tour canceled a WPT Prime Championship event scheduled for Cyprus on Tuesday.
As the conflict reaches five days, Iran has struck several Middle Eastern countries, including a drone strike on a British base on the island in the eastern Mediterranean. The WPT noted that travel restrictions have made it difficult to hold the championship.
Officials scheduled the tournament for March 5-9 at the Chamada Hotel and Spa and featured a $1 million guarantee. But the ongoing conflict sparked travel concerns. Consequently, WPT decided to scrap its event.
“Due to ongoing flight cancellations and travel uncertainties, WPT team members are unable to attend the event,” the company posted on Twitter/X. “As a result, the $1,100 WPT Prime Cyprus Championship event will be postponed and rescheduled at a later date.”
For those traveling to @WPT Prime Cyprus: pic.twitter.com/lw9aVnm2qI
— World Poker Tour (@WPT) March 3, 2026
Side Events Continue
Despite the move, the slate of side events at the property will continue. The property will also hold a $1,100 buy-in tournament. But it won’t have the prize pool guarantee and the WPT Prime branding.
The WPT said the company would reschedule the championship and encouraged players to take precautions when traveling to play in the series.
“As this situation continues to develop, we encourage all players planning to travel to Cyprus to remain in contact with their respective airlines, follow updates from official sources, and stay informed so they can make the best decisions based on the most current information available,” the tour noted.
The 2025 version of the Cyprus Prime Championship easily topped the guarantee, delivering a $1.3 million prize pool with 1,331 entries. Algeria’s Omar Lakhdari came out on top for $190,430.
The conflict has affected other gaming companies as well. MGM Resorts and Wynn Resorts recently took precautions to protect employees working on two casino projects in the United Arab Emirates.
