PokerStars plans Q3 Portugal return
Parent company Amaya says it plans to launch poker, casino and sportsbook products in the market, pending licensure
PokerStars plans to re-enter the Portuguese online gaming market by the end of the third quarter, parent company Amaya has revealed.
The firm previously said it would be among the “first in line” to apply for a licence when Portugal’s new regulatory framework went into effect in July last year.
And speaking to investors after Amaya published its FY15 financial results on Monday, CEO David Baazov said PokerStars was targeting a Q3 re-launch, pending licence approval.
Amaya had previously remained coy on whether it would launch its casino and sportsbook products alongside its poker offering in Portugal.
However, during the analyst call Baazov let slip that Amaya was planning to roll out its casino and sportsbook products in a number of new jurisdictions, including Portugal.
While Amaya has identified an opportunity to return to Portugal, other operators have exited the market for the foreseeable, including PKR and William Hill.
Portugal’s new regulatory regime has faced criticism from the industry, particularly over plans to tax sports betting operators up to 16% on turnover and 30% on gaming revenues, leading one gaming exec to predict a “very large” black market.