MONTREAL, April 1, 2016 /CNW/ - Amaya Inc.
(NASDAQ: AYA; TSX: AYA) announced today that the New Jersey
Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has renewed its approval to
operate the PokerStars and Full Tilt brands in the New Jersey regulated real money online gaming
market.
Amaya initially received its approval to operate PokerStars and
Full Tilt in New Jersey on
September 30, 2015, and PokerStars
NJ, the locally operated site of the world's most popular online
poker brand, went live in the State on March 21, 2016.
Amaya currently estimates that since its launch, PokerStars NJ
has contributed to the growth of the New
Jersey real money online poker market and has quickly become
the market leader in online poker, with players responding
positively to the quality of the software, selection of games, and
the integrity and security of the platform. The site has also
seen promising engagement with its casino offering.
"While it's very early, we're extremely pleased with the initial
launch of PokerStars in New Jersey
and the positive working relationship that Amaya has with the DGE,"
said Amaya Interim CEO Rafi
Ashkenazi. "I'm very proud of our employees, including those
we have hired in New Jersey, who
have worked diligently to prepare for the launch of a robust,
stable platform backed by great customer service. We hope to
continue our early positive momentum in the market as PokerStars NJ
continues to roll out additional marketing and promotions."
Like the initial approval granted on September 30, 2015, the renewal is for an
additional term of six months, subject to further renewals.
About Amaya
Amaya is a leading provider of technology-based products and
services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment
industries. Amaya owns gaming and related consumer businesses and
brands including PokerStars, Full Tilt, BetStars, StarsDraft, the
European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American
Poker Tour and the Asia Pacific Poker Tour. These brands have more
than 100 million cumulative registered customers globally and
collectively form the largest poker business in the world,
comprising online poker games and tournaments, live poker
competitions, branded poker rooms in popular casinos in major
cities around the world, and poker programming created for
television and online audiences. Amaya, through certain of these
brands, also offers non-poker gaming products, including casino,
sportsbook and daily fantasy sports. Amaya has various gaming and
gaming-related licenses or approvals throughout the world,
including from the United Kingdom,
Italy, France, Spain, Estonia, Belgium, Denmark, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Romania, the Isle of
Man, Malta, the State of
Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario in Canada, and the State of New Jersey in the United States.
About PokerStars New Jersey
PokerStars NJ is the locally operated version of the world's
most popular online poker site, PokerStars. At PokerStarsNJ.com,
players physically present in New
Jersey can experience and enjoy the same world class
gameplay, customer service, and game integrity that PokerStars has
offered globally for almost 15 years.
PokerStars NJ operates in conjunction with its partner, Resorts
Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, and
offers both poker and casino games online at PokerStarsNJ.com to
players who are physically located in the state.
PokerStars NJ uses globally established age and location
verification protections, player fund protection through account
segregation, and responsible gaming practices to oversee and
control player activity.
PokerStars NJ is indirectly owned by Amaya. Amaya US Services
Limited, a subsidiary of Amaya Inc., is the internet gaming
operator of Resorts Digital Gaming LLC (d/b/a "Resorts"), which is
authorized and regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming
Enforcement.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and
applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, certain
expectations and projections related to the operation of the
PokerStars brand and product offerings in the State of New Jersey. Forward-looking
statements can, but may not always, be identified by the use of
words such as "anticipate", "propose", "plan", "continue",
"estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict",
"potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "would",
"should", "believe", "objective", "ongoing" and similar references
to future periods or the negatives of these words and expressions
and by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to
historical or current matters. These statements, other than
statements of historical fact, are based on management's current
expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties,
and assumptions, including market and economic conditions, business
prospects or opportunities, future plans and strategies,
projections, technological developments, anticipated events and
trends and regulatory changes that affect us, our customers and our
industries. Although Amaya and management believe the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable and are
based on reasonable assumptions and estimates, there can be no
assurance that these assumptions or estimates are accurate or that
any of these expectations will prove accurate. Forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to significant business, economic
and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could
cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or
implied in such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include,
but are not limited to, those identified under the heading "Risk
Factors and Uncertainties" in Amaya's Annual Information Form for
the year ended December 31, 2015 and
"Risk Factors and Uncertainties" and "Limitations of Key Metrics
and Other Data" in its Management's Discussion and Analysis for the
periods ended December 31, 2015, each
available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, EDGAR at www.sec.gov and
Amaya's website at www.amaya.com, and in other filings that Amaya
has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the
future. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks
only as of the date hereof, and Amaya undertakes no obligation to
correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by applicable law.
SOURCE Amaya Inc.