The world’s leading online poker room, PokerStars will be back in the US online gambling market next month, according to a report today. PokerStars, now owned by Amaya Inc. will open a regulated online poker and casino room in New Jersey, after it was granted an operating license recently. The date of the company’s launch in the Garden State is March 21st.
The Chief Executive Officer of Amaya, parent company of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, David Baazov said: “Poker Stars is the global leader in online poker and trusted by its customers for its robust and innovative technology, world class security and game integrity. We are honored and excited to now bring these experiences to New Jersey.”
PokerStars halted its business in the United States in 2011 after the Department of Justice froze the assets of the site and a number of others. The group eventually paid the US government a multi-million dollar payout but did not admit wrongdoing for not abiding to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
The company tried twice in the past to obtain a gambling license from New Jersey authorities but each time was turned down.
For several years, New Jersey has allowed legal and regulated online gambling via licensed companies whose servers are located in Atlantic City casinos. PokerStars will be competing with a number of well-known operators who are already established in New Jersey’s market, such as Bwin.Party and 888.com.