With several events already lined up, the poker room appears set to become a regular stop
Live poker is picking up momentum again in Australia, and a new Melbourne-based poker room is quickly becoming part of that story. PlayLive has launched at the right time, filling the January gap left by the Aussie Millions’ shift to later in the year and tapping into a busy summer sports calendar.
The room has already made waves by announcing a strong ownership group made up of elite poker talent. Alex and Kristen Foxen headline the list, joined by Jeremy Ausmus, Eric Baldwin, and Abby Merk. The group partners with co-founders Josh Abady and Bridges Robinson Roe, both long-time figures in the poker space.
PlayLive describes itself as a room built by players, for players, and early results suggest that approach is resonating. The venue opened last April and is now hosting its first major January series, the Melbourne Millions, just a short walk from Crown Casino along the Yarra River.
Turnout has exceeded expectations. According to Abady, early events have regularly beaten their posted guarantees, sometimes by wide margins. One smaller event nearly matched the guarantee of the series’ Main Event, a result that surprised even the organizers.
The Melbourne Millions runs through February 7 and includes a $1,500 Main Event with a $500,000 guarantee. Multiple starting flights are scheduled, along with a $5,000 High Roller and a Mega Mystery Bounty event. Satellites are available daily, starting at low buy-ins.
Several of the co-owners are on site, with Merk and Baldwin actively playing and sharing updates from Australia. Their presence has added visibility and credibility to the room during its first major test.
