Banco Casino’s Jan Packa Talks to The Festival
As Marketing Director at Banco Casino Bratislava, Jan Packa has been the driving force behind the venue’s growth. Opened in 2015, it rapidly became one of Europe’s major international poker destinations and was where the very first edition of The Festival Series was held, in 2021.
Situated on the edge of the historic city’s old town, Banco Casino is the perfect location for The Festival’s famous mix of poker and off-the-felt activities. The setting for several memorable moments in The Festival’s short history, Banco Casino recently closed the 2025 season with the most extensive schedule that the tour has ever seen.
Perhaps the most significant moment came in the Main Event, when defending champion Sebastian Kotowicz from Poland became The Festival Series’ first ever double champion. He picked up €78,100 for the win, adding to the €77,000 he scooped 12 months earlier in the same event.
It’s the only venue that has hosted a Festival Series event every year since the series began and has been the launchpad for some of Franke’s boldest ideas, like the Mixed Games Main Event, which debuted in 2023, adding Sviten Special to the usual H.O.R.S.E rotation, to create H.O.R.S.E.S. The recent record breaking European Chicago Championship was another first for The Festival Series that also debuted at Banco.
Originally from the historic eastern Slovak town of Bardejov, Jan Packa moved to Bratislava in 2015. He’s spent his entire working life in poker, has been with the casino since its opening and today serves as its Marketing Director. He’s been a great partner for The Festival Series over the years, never afraid to experiment with the new ideas that Franke comes up with, helping to turn them from mere concepts into reality.
We recently caught up with Jan to ask him about his journey in the poker world and to find out more about the Banco Casino story.
Discovering Poker as a Teenager
Packa’s route into poker is straight out of the boom‑era playbook: a teenager glued to sports channels, discovering a game that suddenly felt bigger than anything happening locally. He first built a bankroll and learned the basics online, long before he thought about a career in poker management.
When did you first discover poker and what attracted you to the game?
I discovered poker when I was a teenager, during the big poker boom. At that time, poker stars like Daniel Negreanu were appearing on sports TV channels, inviting people to “play with the stars“. I also clearly remember seeing the famous photo of Joe Hachem winning the WSOP in 2005, sitting in front of stacks of money in our local newspaper, which my parents bought every week. I immediately fell in love with poker - first online, where I learned the basics and built a bankroll, spending hours every day playing. Soon after, I discovered live poker. At that time, it was the very beginning of the poker era in Slovakia.
From Player to Operator
Moving to Bratislava to work with Banco turned Packa’s passion into a profession. Nowadays he is more focused on work, but still finds time to play from time to time, preferring cash games to tournaments.
What prompted you to make a career out of poker management?
I love everything about the poker world. As I mentioned, I started playing online, then became a PR manager and live blogger for the biggest Slovak poker website at the time. After I moved to Bratislava, I started working for Banco Casino essentially from the very opening of the casino.
It started as a part-time job, but very quickly turned into a passion. In the beginning, the idea was to be a poker player while also helping with some marketing activities. But that changed completely, as I truly found myself in this role. I am very grateful for the opportunity and trust that the owner of Banco Casino, Marek Krupar, gave me.
If you were not working in poker, what else could you see yourself doing?
Honestly, I have never really thought about a backup plan. Always all-in!
What you like most about Bratislava and what you would change if you were the mayor?
Bratislava still has great potential to become an even better city and to offer much more. At times, it feels like the city is standing still, and some decisions are, in my opinion, irrational - such as banning gambling in the city. If I were the mayor, I would allow casinos again, focus strongly on tourism, and on creating more things to do for visitors. We have many great places, restaurants, bars, and attractions, but I believe we can still do better. On the other hand, Bratislava is a safe and clean city, with an amazing cardroom located right in its historic centre.
The Banco Team
Banco’s success is built not just on big guarantees, but on a tight‑knit, experienced team and strong regional partnerships. As Poker Director, Packa is responsible for the game in Banco’s Bratislava and Košice casinos.
Speaking about how the operation is managed at Banco Casino, Packa explains:
I must admit that we are very lucky to have a highly experienced team - professional, friendly, and passionate about poker. Each casino has its own poker managers. At Banco Košice, the managers are the couple František Koval and Petra Koval, who are also from Bardejov - pure coincidence.
The Poker Manager at Banco Bratislava is Michal Borovský, and it is hard to imagine anyone better suited for that position.
We all work closely together and support each other in bringing the best possible events to Slovakia, building the poker community.
Banco Casino and the Growth of Poker in Slovakia
Before Banco Casino opened its doors, Slovak poker was largely a local affair, with small events for die‑hard enthusiasts, scattered across the country and few of an international standard. Banco’s opening in the heart of Bratislava changed that with flagship events like Banco Casino Masters headlining and a busy festival schedule all year round.
Why did Banco decide to focus heavily on poker?
This was essentially a vision strongly supported by Mr. Krupar, who opened the casino and had already built a famous cardroom in Košice, the second-largest city in Slovakia. Before Banco opened, poker in Slovakia existed mostly on a local level, with small events for true enthusiasts. I remember that time well, as I worked as a live blogger and loved it.
After Banco Casino opened, Slovak poker completely changed direction. We started creating international events very quickly, first with our own brand, such as Banco Casino Masters, which in January 2026 will reach its 43rd edition as the longest-running regular tournament, with a €250,000 guarantee ,for just €170.
Later, we welcomed great partners on board, such as Martin von Zweigbergk, known as Franke, with his Cash Game Festival, the Polish organiser Dawid, and many others. Together, we built something special and became not only business partners, but also friends.
A Poker-Only room in the City Centre
Earlier this year, as a result of municipal regulations that banished casinos from the city centre, Banco Casino was forced to give up its gaming tables. It was faced with a difficult choice of relocating or transforming the venue into a poker only location, as peer-to-peer card games were exempt from the ban. Gladly, Banco decided to stay put, replacing their slots and table games with even more poker tables and it’s now one of the largest poker venues in Europe.
Is it still business as usual or have there been any significant changes in the way the business is managed?
We definitely changed our business model when the traditional casino games were removed. Some poker players welcomed this new era of Banco Bratislava, while others did not. Today, we are a fully non-smoking environment focused purely on poker and events. We have fully joined the poker community and are trying to deliver the biggest and best poker events in Slovakia.
In the long term, is it sustainable to run a poker-only business in the centre of Bratislava?
We are the only cardroom of this size in Europe located directly in a city centre, which makes us unique. It is a unique project with full support from the owners in every possible way.
What’s on the poker schedule at Banco Casino when there’s not a festival running?
We run daily cash games for local players, and on selected days we also offer tournament action. We start with buy-ins from €20, which is very important for the community. It is not only about big events - the whole environment needs new players too. We understand that when you are starting with poker, you don’t jump straight into Super High Rollers.
On 2026, Growth and Attracting New Players to Poker
Talking about the future, Packa is openly optimistic about what 2026 holds for both Banco and the wider regional market.
What can players exepect in 2026 at Banco Casino?
As always, our schedule will be as busy as possible for poker players. We will have new events, established events, and returning events with improved elements, such as The Festival 2026 Winter Edition.
The 2025 Festival in Bratislava has only just ended, but it will be returning sooner than expected, as the 2026 edition will be in February/March. What is different about Bratislava at that time of year, is it a good time to visit?
I am very excited that we will be hosting The Festival Series in the winter. It will be a special Winter Edition with one extra highlight, Franke’s birthday party. 🙂
Banco hosts many different poker series, some are your own, while others are established events and series run in conjunction with other operators. How important is it to the business for Banco to host external events?
It is essential and extremely important. No one wants to eat the same soup every day. Our mix of events is exceptional, with outstanding partners, for which we are truly grateful
Do you have any goals regarding breaking your own attendance records for some of the bigger events?
Year after year, we are setting new records. It is always satisfying to break previous numbers and even set international records, but it is not only about record-breaking. We focus on improving schedules, bringing more fun into poker, creating a great atmosphere, and offering extra experiences for everyone who joins us. That is what matters most.
Do you think live poker is still growing, or has it hit a ceiling?
I believe it can continue to grow, especially in our region. There is still strong potential. We have seen growth over the past few years, and we expect that trend to continue into next year as well.
What, if anything, needs to be done to continue to attract new players to play poker?
We need to raise awareness that poker is not just a gambling game, but also a social one. More home games, small clubs full of enthusiasts, and communities that then move into poker rooms and international tournaments are essential. The whole ecosystem has to work together.
The Festival Series & Mixed‑Games
Our final questions for Jan were about Banco’s relationship with The Festival Series, in particular, the impact it has had on the mixed games scene in Bratislava.
What stands out about The Festival Series, compared with other poker events at Banco. Is it different in any way to other events?
None of the other events are as diverse as The Festival. The community around and behind The Festival Series is truly special. I would say that more mixed-game players than pure Hold’em fans attend The Festival Series. It brings back joy to the game in all formats, which is very much needed. From my perspective, it is great to see players enjoying different formats. There is always a friendly and respectful atmosphere on every occasion. That is something very special.
Have mixed games always been popular at Banco? Do any of the mixed game formats that The Festival Series introduced here get played at other times of year?
I can definitely say that before The Festival Series, there was no mixed-games culture in our region. What The Festival Series has created is unique, and I am proud and happy that it is happening at Banco Bratislava.
What do you think about the Chicago format that was introduced here at the recent Festival Series, having its European championship?
I was sitting in the front row and could clearly see that the players were having a lot of fun playing Chicago. It is a very friendly game with a high competitive level, which makes it an excellent combination. Even players who had never tried it before enjoyed it, and it was great to watch. I believe everyone should include at least one non-traditional poker format in their repertoire, whether for fun or for serious competition.
The partnership with The Festival Series has had a clear cultural impact on the poker scene in Slovakia. It has introduced and normalised mixed games in a region where they previously barely existed, positioning Bratislava as a must‑visit stop for mixed games enthusiasts across Europe.
For our final question, be honest, what’s it really like to work with The Festival Series?
Franke and his team are always smiling. They are constantly in a great mood, have a very professional approach and show genuine joy in what they do. This perfect mix leads to great results, and the success of The Festival Series is proof of that. We are also very excited that the upcoming edition in February will bring a brand-new experience for the players.
The first stop of the 2026 Festival Series will be the Bratislava Winter Edition, which takes place from February 23rd until March 1st, 2026. Further details about the next Festival in Bratislava event can be found here.
Feature Photo by Vojta Kubek, courtesy of NM (Norges Mesterkapet)
