BY TOM SOMACH

Just days before the 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is set to begin in Las Vegas, one of its main organizers has abruptly resigned.

Robert Daily, who had been the WSOP’s tournament and events director, announced he is resigning from the WSOP to take a job with DG Holdings, Ltd. (DGH), a British investment group.

Daily is to become a member of the DG Holdings, Ltd. board of directors.

The company’s gaming division, formed over four years ago, develops state-of-the-art gambling platforms that enable fully-integrated online gaming operations, according to the company.

Daily worked for Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., which owns the WSOP, for 11 years in various capacities, including 2005 WSOP event manager and 2006 WSOP tournament director.

The positions were later combined and he became 2007 WSOP tournament and events director.

“I have greatly enjoyed my years with Harrah’s, and especially the World Series of Poker,” said Daily in a statement released by his new employer, DGH.

“I have every confidence this year’s WSOP will run smoothly and efficiently and if I did not feel strongly that the tournament was ready, I would not have left at this time,” he said.

“After my resignation, DGH approached me to join their group as a board member to provide leadership to their online gaming platform, especially poker, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” Daily continued.

“I have made many great friends within the poker industry and I look forward to working with them in the future from a different perspective.”

A DGH spokesman said: “We’ve had our eye on the industry’s ‘poker czar’ for some time. Bob is the perfect person to provide our board with the needed gaming insight and to lead our online gaming initiative into the future. With the launch of our first licensed poker site next month, we feel the timing of his appointment and this announcement could not be more perfect.”

The 2007 WSOP is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2007, at the Rio hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)