PokerStars Battles the US Casino Industry
Last month a senior executive of Caesars Entertainment proposed selling certain assets of the company to PokerStars, including the Rio Casino in Las Vegas.
As more states legalise online poker the competition between rival operators becomes fiercer.
According to a PokerStars spokesperson, Eric Hollreiser, “Caesars suggested that this acquisition would give us a better relationship with Caesars and would help PokerStars gain a license in Nevada.” However, Hollreiser said that PokerStars declined the offer as it “had no plans to acquire another casino in the near term.”
Caesars and PokerStars are the two most prominent companies in the battle for online gambling in New Jersey. PokerStars operates the world’s biggest online poker network while Caesars in one of the US’s leading casino companies and it has invested a great deal in online gambling.
Recently PokerStars agreed to buy the Atlantic Club casino in Atlantic City, this would give it an way into the state’s online gambling market. However, the American Gaming Association filed a petition with the New Jersey Casino Control Commission arguing against the acquisition as PokerStars “was operated as a criminal enterprise for many years” and it “cannot demonstrate the good character, integrity, and honesty required by New Jersey law.”
This is the latest round in the on-going battle between PokerStars and the US Casino industry, and the battle is likely to grow as more states legalise online poker.
