Poker Deluxe, a poker gaming company based in Australia, has announced that the poker fund raiser events it had organized have helped it to generate over $500k, which will be used for the development of local sports clubs in Australia.

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The poker company, which has its headquarters in Melbourne, holds poker tournaments in major cities all over Australia for several purposes, including raising funds for charity. Paul Walvisch, the founder MD of the company, says that the company is delighted to reach this milestone, but considers it to be just the start of a large fund raising drive.

Walvisch said: “Our goal is to raise over one million dollars for sporting clubs around Australia by the end of 2014 and we’re proud to reach the halfway point. Local sporting clubs are already struggling to stay afloat and the odds are against them in many cases. The recent cuts to state government funding in South Australia, and the potential for other states to follow, means that many sporting clubs will need to rely on member support and fundraising opportunities to survive.”

Poker Deluxe has directed the funds it has raised through charity poker tournaments to several local sports clubs, which have used the money to upgrade facilities and purchase new sports equipment. The company has proved that poker is one of the most popular games in Australia and that there are a number of Australian recreational poker players all over the globe.

Poker captured the interest of Australians in late 2003, a development referred to as “The Moneymaker Effect” as it was due to the success of Chris Moneymaker in the World Series of Poker 2003 Main Event. The game became more popular in 2005 when Joe Hachem, the Australian poker player, won the WSOP 2005 Main Event.

Ever since, Australia has been the co-host of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) and hosts an Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) leg in Melbourne. Besides, the first WSOP Asia Pacific event was held in Melbourne early in 2013, featuring renowned poker pros such as Antonio Esfandiari, Bryan Piccioli, Phil Ivey, and Danial Negreanu, who emerged as the Main Event champion. During the WSOP Asia Pacific season, the entire focus of the poker community was on Australia.

Since poker popularity is on the rise in Australia, Poker Deluxe might find it very easy to achieve its fund raising target of $1 million in the near future.