Rational Group targets Italian online casino market
Expansion of Full Tilt casino brand continues as Rational seeks to add Italian licence to recently obtained Spanish permit
PokerStars owner Rational Group is preparing to launch its Full Tilt online casino in Italy for the first time as it continues to extend the brand across regulated Europe.
It is understood that Rational has applied to the Italian regulator for the necessary permit and, if successful, will launch the casino via the fulltilt.it domain, which is currently a holding page for the site.
However, when asked to comment on the licence application, a spokesperson for Rational remained tight-lipped on the prospect of entering the Italian market.
“We continually review our offering in all markets and make adjustments in accordance with customer demand and commercial considerations. We have no announcements regarding new services or new licences in Italy at this time,” the spokesperson said.
Rational, which recently agreed to a US$4.9bn takeover deal with Amaya Gaming, launched its first Leander Games-powered casino products earlier this year in the UK and selected dot.com markets through its Full Tilt brand.
Last week, the operator confirmed it had applied for the relevant licences to launch Full Tilt casino products in Spain.
And following the deal with Amaya, which should expedite its re-entry into the US market, the operator is also expected to launch in New Jersey later this year as part of a B2B deal with Resorts Casino.
The move into casino marked Rational’s first foray outside of the poker vertical with the operator set to continue its diversification with a sportsbook launch in 2015.