Amaya to Acquire PokerStars and Full Tilt for $4.9 Billion

Amaya to Acquire PokerStars and Full Tilt for $4.9 Billion
June 13, 2014 
http://winsgame.com/poker

Amaya and PokerStars come to terms in the late hours on Thursday June 12, Amaya Gaming publicly announced that they would agree to terms to buy-out 100% of Oldford Group’s Rational Group, which includes PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker (including issued and outstanding shares) for $4.9 billion.

As part of the deal, PokerStars CEO Mark Scheinberg and Isai Scheinberg will no longer be associated with the company.

The structure of global poker as we know it will surely be altered thanks to this major acquisition.

Major Details about the Acquisition

Amaya will become world’s largest publicly traded online gaming company, according to the press release (Amaya + Oldford pro forma revenue of $1.3 billion combined in 2013)
Amaya and Rational will combine as complimentary businesses
Rational Group will keep all executive management pieces the same, but all shareholders (Rational and Oldford Groups) must relinquish all shares to Amaya
Reaction

Amaya CEO David Baazov, clearly excited about the aquistion, had kind words for Oldford Group CEO and Founder Mark Scheinberg: “[He] pioneered the online gaming industry, building a remarkable business and earning the trust of millions of poker players by delivering the industry’s best game experiences…”

Scheinberg responded to these comments by reminiscing on the success his company brought: “I am incredibly proud of the business… creating the world’s biggest poker company and a leader in the iGaming space.”

Scheinberg also expressed his best wishes to the company as well as saying that the company is in good hands with a CEO like Baazov at the helm.

Additionally, Executive Director of the Poker Player’s Alliance John Pappas called the acquisition encouraging news for American iGamer’s who have been eagerly anticipating the return of PokerStars to the US Market. He also believes the move will unite many parties of the industry together (tribes, casinos, card rooms, etc.).

New Jersey Online Poker

The impact of the move will surely create a wide-open opportunity for New Jersey Online Poker to make strides in the iGaming industry. Complications with DGE requirements in New Jersey hindered the growth for the Oldford Group’s PokerStars campaign to be at its best. With new ownership, the sky it the limit for PokerStars in New Jersey and rest of the U.S. markets as they open up.

More Info to Come

Amaya Gaming is soon to come out with more details as they finished a conference call early in the morning on June 13.

You can also monitor updates from NJPokerOnline, which will be providing breaking news and updates on these developments.

PokerStars to Buy Full Tilt Poker

PokerStars to Buy Full Tilt Poker
4/24/2012


Following the news that Groupe Bernard Tapie’s proposed deal to buy Full Tilt Poker has been derailed after both parties failed to agree terms regarding the repayment of player funds, it has emerged that PokerStars has reached an agreement to acquire its former competitor.


According to several reports circulating this afternoon, PokerStars has agreed a settlement with the US DoJ that will lead to the purchase of Full Tilt Poker and, importantly, the repayment of all players still owed money after the closure of the Full Tilt site.


Groupe Bernard Tapie had been the front runner to finalise a deal for the former online poker giant until negotiations reached an impasse earlier today. A fee in the region of $750 million is rumoured to have been agreed for the acquisition and settlement to the DoJ, although we await confirmation of the finer details.

PokerStars premieres UK mobile service

PokerStars premieres mobile service
2/15/2012
http://winsgame.com/pokerstars


PokerStars has announced that players in Great Britain can now enjoy a range of real and play-money games while out and about using their iOS and Android-enabled mobile devices.


Dubbed PokerStars Mobile and offering real and play-money games of Texas hold’em, Omaha and Omaha hi-lo, the new service also allows players to participate in their favourite multi-table tournaments, cash and sit-and-go games while all competitors will automatically become a part of the operator’s global pool with no separation.


“PokerStars Mobile is more than just the migration of the existing PokerStars game product to the mobile platform,” said Jeffrey Haas, Director of New Platforms for PokerStars.co.uk.
http://winsgame.com/pokerstars


“It’s an intentional product designed specifically for the form factors of mobile and tablet devices and the different ways people play games on them. This is the best authentic poker experience available for mobile devices today.”


PokerStars.co.uk stated that ‘one unique aspect of the PokerStars Mobile offering’ is its multi-table optimisation that allows users to ‘easily join several tables at the same time’ while the service’s ‘intelligent auto-switch technology’ and ‘flick navigation’ ensure that mobile competitors ‘never miss a hand’.


“PokerStars Mobile is going to transform where and when I play poker,” said Liv Boeree, a member of the Team PokerStars Pro squad of sponsored professional players.
“I now have access to the biggest tournaments and all my favourite cash games even when I’m not in front of my computer. I plan to play all the upcoming UKIPT events and will now be able to play some poker when travelling to or from a tournament.”


Just like its desktop counterpart, the games lobby for PokerStars Mobile comes complete with filters allowing competitors to locate all available games quickly alongside player and tournament search functions. Those playing while on the move will also earn VIP player points and frequent player points in the same way and at the same rate as desktop players.