Seit gestern ist es offiziell. PokerStars und Full Tilt Poker erhalten von der New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) die Erlaubnis auf den regulierten amerikanischen Poker Markt in New Jersey zurückzukehren. Somit erhält der Poker Marktführer vier Jahre nach dem Black Friday also doch wieder Einzug in dem Land der unbegrenzten Möglichkeiten. Ausschlaggebender Faktor könnte wohl der Verkauf der beiden Poker Plattformen im Sommer 2014 an Amaya gewesen sein, der schließlich einige Blockaden für eine offizielle Rückkehr auf den US-Poker Markt lösen konnte.
Mit dem Verkauf 2014 hatte man sich endgültig von der PokerStars Vergangenheit rund um Isai Scheinberg und seinem Sohn Mark loslösen können. Seither hatte sich Amaya immer wieder zuversichtlich gezeigt, auf den regulierten US-Markt zurückzukehren, jedoch musste man zuvor noch einige Steine aus dem Weg räumen. Nun kommt es umso überraschender, dass alles auf einmal so schnell ging und die Division of Gaming Enforcement Amaya eine Lizenz für New Jersey erteilt. In dem Presseschreiben zeigt sich der Vorstandsvorsitzende und CEO von Amaya David Baazov äußerst erfreut über die positive Nachricht und man sei überglücklich darüber, dass man PokerStars und Full Tilt für geeignet hält, Online Gaming auf einem US regulierten Markt anbieten zu können und New Jersey mit auf die lange Liste regulierter Märkte mit aufnehmen konnte.
PRESSESCHREIBEN
MONTREAL, Sept. 30, 2015 /CNW/ – Amaya Inc. (TSX: AYA; NASDAQ: AYA) („Amaya“ or the „Corporation“) today announced that the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (the „DGE“) has authorized it to operate the PokerStars and Full Tilt brands in New Jersey. The approval follows an unprecedented review by the DGE of Amaya’s acquisition of PokerStars and Full Tilt in August 2014. The approval enables the entry of the world’s largest poker business into the United States.
„We are very pleased to add New Jersey to the long list of regulated markets that have found PokerStars and Full Tilt suitable to offer real-money online gaming,“ said David Baazov, Chairman and CEO of Amaya. „I want to thank the DGE for their thorough and fair review of our business. We look forward to bringing our popular brands, innovative technology, marketing prowess and world-class security and game integrity to the growing New Jersey online gaming market. We anticipate providing additional details of our launch plans in the near future.“
Amaya is currently in an agreement with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City to provide online poker and casino offerings in New Jersey through the PokerStars and Full Tilt brands. Amaya has also previously received approvals from the DGE to provide B2B online and land-based gaming solutions in New Jersey.
New Jersey gaming regulators have a long history of stringent regulatory oversight and enforcement of gaming operations. The DGE’s review of PokerStars was extremely thorough and exhaustive, including a detailed review of Amaya’s operations and technology, sworn interviews with more than 70 individuals and visits to approximately a half dozen international jurisdictions. This stringent review found PokerStars to be under strong, ethical and trusted ownership and management with Amaya, and worthy of participating in New Jersey’s regulated online gaming market.
„Since the acquisition, we have consistently delivered on our stated strategy,“ said Baazov. „Today’s announcement follows the divesture of our B2B businesses for total gross proceeds of approximately US$524.8 million; the launch of casino games on PokerStars, which we estimate has one of the largest active user bases of any online casino; the refinancing of our long term debt and the reduction of our annual interest expense by approximately US$62 million. We are excited about our new product pipeline and enthusiastic that we will experience growth in existing and emerging markets in the future.“
PokerStars is the world’s largest online poker site and Full Tilt is among the world’s top online gaming sites. The two brands combined hold a strong majority share of the global online poker market per industry estimates1, and have more than 95 million registered customers. PokerStars recently started to roll out online casino games in select markets and is already estimated by the Corporation to be one of the largest real-money online casino operators in the world as measured by number of unique players.
