Amaya eyes second listing for PokerStars

Amaya eyes second listing for PokerStars

Amaya eyes second listing for PokerStarsAmaya Gaming CEO and Chairman David Baazov has big plans in store for PokerStars, including a secondary listing on either the London Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange.

The Sunday Times indicated Amaya’s intention to add to its existing listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange after conferring with Baazov. The Amaya CEO hasn’t made any decision on where the secondary listing is going to be, saying only that a dual listing is in the cards for PokerStars’ new owners in the not-so-distant future.

Already considered the biggest online gambling site in the world with over 85 million users, PokerStars, together with Full Tilt Poker, was recently purchased by Amaya Gaming for a staggering sum of $4.9 billion, or about £2.9 billion based on current exchange rates.

With the poker site now in its fold, Amaya is making yet another play to establish itself as a heavyweight in the online gambling industry, a remarkable achievement for a company that’s only 10 years old. London and New York are ideal places for Amaya to list the company’s new toy. London has already established itself as a hotbed for listed gambling companies, including Bwin.party and 888.com. But before Baazov can make any decision, Amaya’s purchase of PokerStars still needs the approval of company shareholders.

Entry into the US is a step in the right direction for all parties concerned. PokerStars and Full Tilt already own two-thirds of the online gambling market and this latest deal would potentially increase their profile all over the world.