This event was a women's event, and the dealers were all male.
You might think, "Well, at least it looks like they hired fit, young dealers to do this."
Look again at the picture above. Notice the guy in the background.
Let's take a closer look at him...
So how did this happen?
Reportedly they offered this event to male dealers only, and said that a requirement for dealing was the willingness to do so with your shirt off. They did not discriminate regarding age or looks. Any male dealer willing to do this was accepted. Most of the guys agreeing to this were young and at least somewhat fit, but as you see above, there were some outliers.
For their willingness to participate, these dealers were paid an extra 50 euros.
For those also willing to do a "dance on center stage" prior to showing up to deal, they got an additional 50 euros.
The women in the tournament were not impressed. There were accusations that this was "sexist", "degrading for the men", "embarrassing", and "disgusting". Apparently one woman even complained that she was a lesbian, and didn't like being forced to look at topless dudes while playing poker.
This decision was rashly made about an hour before the event. It was not promoted as a topless male dealer event. It's not clear why they decided to do this.
This event was part of "The Battle of Malta", and the buyin was 110 euro. It took place at Casino Malta.
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