Pokerstars welcoming poker fans back to ‘The Game’ in Portugal

Pokerstars welcoming poker fans back to ‘The Game’ in Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo is star of PokerStars TV advertising campaign

ONCHAN, Isle of Man, December 2016 – Football superstar and PokerStars brand ambassador Cristiano Ronaldo stars in an exciting advertising campaign that hit TV screens across his home nation of Portugal recently. The campaign, called ‘The Game’, features Ronaldo commanding the poker table with a group of friends and marks the launch of PokerStars, an Amaya Inc. (Nasdaq: AYA; TSX: AYA) brand, the world’s largest poker site, into the regulated Portugal market.

Pokerstars welcoming poker fans back to ‘The Game’ in PortugalEric Hollreiser, Vice President of Corporate Communications for PokerStars, said: “It’s great to see the interest for poker in Portugal. Our tables have been busy and we hope to continue the excitement going forward, by potentially sharing many of the new and exciting formats that have launched in other territories.”

Based on initial internal observations, the launch of a regulated Portuguese market appears to have been enthusiastically embraced by consumers. PokerStars.pt, dubbed “Ronaldo’s room” by Record, the second most bought and read newspaper in Portugal, is now one of the busiest online poker sites in the world based upon real money cash game players, according to PokerScout, an online poker traffic ranking and news site. PokerStars.pt has already dealt over 36 million hands across real money cash games, multi-table tournaments and Sit & Go tournaments, as well as awarded more than €11 million to players in MTT’s and Sit & Go’s in 19 days.

Pokerstars welcoming poker fans back to ‘The Game’ in PortugalPokerScout provides estimates of the number of players at cash game tables at the major online operators, which is just one form of real money poker, and does not track liquidity in poker tournaments. For instance, Spin & Go tournaments, which have become one of the most popular formats of poker in the world, are not included in PokerScout’s recorded numbers. Spin & Go tournaments are not currently available in Portugal.

PokerStars.pt offers Portuguese players poker and casino games, such as Blackjack and Roulette (single and multiplayer), on desktop (Windows and Mac) and mobile (iOS and Android). PokerStars expects to seek appropriate approval to expand its offering of poker variants and casino games, including slots, and to offer sports betting through BetStars in Portugal in the future.

About PokerStars

PokerStars operates the world’s most popular online poker sites, serving the global poker community. Since it launched in 2001, PokerStars has become the first choice of players all over the world, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else and with the best online security. More than 155 billion hands have been dealt on PokerStars, which is more than any other site.

PokerStars is the flagship brand of Rational Group, which is ultimately owned by Amaya Inc. (Nasdaq: AYA; TSX: AYA) and operates gaming-related businesses and brands, including PokerStars, Full Tilt, StarsDraft, BetStars, PokerStars Casino and the PokerStars Championship and PokerStars Festival live poker tour brands (incorporating the European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American Poker Tour and the Asia Pacific Poker Tour). Amaya, through certain subsidiaries, is licensed, approved to offer, or offers under third party licenses or approvals, its products and services in various jurisdictions throughout the world, including in Europe, both within and outside of the European Union, the Americas and elsewhere. In particular, PokerStars is the world’s most licensed online gaming brand, holding licenses or related operating approvals in 16 jurisdictions. PokerStars.com and PokerStars.eu operate globally under licenses from the Isle of Man and Malta governments, respectively.

Play Responsibly!  For more information on responsible gaming please visit our website at http://www.pokerstars.com/about/responsible-gaming/

For further information, please contact [email protected]