The new year is the best time to change your life. You can tell yourself to quit smoking, promise yourself (once again) to start going to the gym, or you can make a much more drastic solution. For example, move to another country. All in all, the most valuable thing in a poker pro’s life is freedom. It’s the freedom not to answer to anyone and organize your day the way you want as well as the freedom to live where you want and work from any spot in the world. 2CardsCollege has chosen several perfect countries for professional poker players.

Canada

General overview
A perfect option in almost every aspect, Canada is a highly developed and comfortable country with high living standards. For many years, the country has been gladly welcoming emigrants, so you won’t be the odd man out no matter your skin color or native language.

How about poker?
Many American poker pros moved to Canada after Black Friday, so the occupation of “online grinder” surprises the locals no more. Vancouver suits live players best, while online players may feel free to choose any other city. Poker in Canada is not taxable by any special taxes.

What else?
The climate in Canada is kind of “recherche”: it will be snowing, raining, or just cold. But as a rule, poker players are homebodies, so it won’t be a problem for most of them. Anyway, overall comfort with a not-too-high cost of living will repay these disadvantages with interest.

Australia

General overview
It is obviously a far more exotic option, but that doesn’t make it less lucrative. You’ll find excellent weather and nature (ocean, ocean everywhere), rich culture, and very high living standards. But you’ll have to pay for all this.

How about poker?
After Joe Hachem won the WSOP Main Event back in 2005, Australia saw a poker boom, so you won’t be alone with your hobby. The poker capital of the country is Melbourne, with its gigantic Crown Casino and annual Aussie Millions. Just like in Canada, poker is not taxable.

What else?
Australia is a paradise on Earth, but with very expensive entrance tickets. The minimum labor compensation amounts to $16/hour, which means living standards are very high. Before buying tickets, examine your ROI and bb/100 closely. If it still doesn’t make you change your mind, you won’t regret it.

Thailand

General overview
Stunning beaches, summer year-round, parties every day, delicious food, and beautiful women — no wonder that for many years Thailand has been a favorite place to move for the main category of poker players: young men.

How about poker?
Most kinds of gambling are restricted in Thailand, but it does not apply to online poker. Winnings are not taxable. But, if you prefer live games, you’d better look for some other option.

What else?
They say you have to pay for the pleasure. Well, that does not apply in Thailand. The average annual income here amounts to $6,500. It means that by earning $1K a month, you can indulge in every pleasure, which is affordable even by micro-stakes players. It is a perfect option for cash grinders with a medium but stable income.

How about the Old World?
The first place that comes to mind is Prague, one of the most beautiful and ambient cities in the world, with excellent restaurants and relatively low prices. The center of the city is filled with casinos where you can find games at almost every stakes, starting with the lowest and going up to the pretty high ones.

If you prefer a sunnier option, Barcelona is your choice. Life is more expensive here, but the landscapes are more vivid as well. Playas, excellent weather, and Spaniards as opponents in live games: a poker life you can only dream of.

It would be a crime to forget about London. Yes, living is horribly expensive in London and it’s hard to emigrate there, but it does not keep the city from being a gambling capital of Europe. Luxurious casinos, freedom from any government claims (in UK, poker is considered a gambling game and is not taxable), and legendary culture, all this is waiting for those who can afford such a high level of comfort.

Bottom Line

We live in times where residents of advanced countries call themselves cosmopolites and have the opportunity to live, study, and work in any country they want, but mostly in theory. Usually, we are still bound to the place where we were born even if we don’t really like it. And even the majority of professional poker players (at least of low- and mid-stakes) are infrequent travelers, though it’s only fitting that we should see the world and enjoy life since we don’t have to keep our noses to the grindstone 24/7 for some evil boss. So, maybe it’s high time to make up a goal and start packing your stuff?

Happy New Year, dear friends. Let it be the best year of your career. And if you’re not sure that you can steadily win in poker lying on the beach with a laptop on your belly, become a 2CardsCollege student. We’ll show you how it’s done.

Enroll here.