PokerStars expects to add sports betting in April

PokerStars is further expanding into online gambling beyond poker: an official business updated released by Amaya Gaming confirms that PokerStars is going launch its sports betting platform by the end of April 2015, much sooner then expected.

Amaya Chief Executive Officer David Baazov already commented on the matter earlier in June 2014: "with the continuing trend of online gaming regulation around the world, the company has in front of itself an enormous opportunity to leverage its brand recognition and customer loyalty to diversify into other gaming verticals as casino, sports betting and social gaming."

In the newest release PokerStars states that the launch is "ahead of schedule".

New feature will launch the same way as casino games - it will roll out in few, chosen countries at first, and after the tests go well - it will become available globally.
"The sports betting product will launch within the PokerStars poker client in certain markets and PokerStars will gradually add more markets as well as web and mobile versions throughout the year," Amaya wrote.

Amaya getting real greedy. Turning Pokerstars into Bovada zZz

it'll be like green friday

Slots coming up soon obv...

My guess is that in 5 years there will be a proper poker-only site that keeps comissions fair

Greediness makes you blind.

As a poker player, wouldn't you support this? Stars is going to cross-promote sports bettors into poker, bringing in more fish into the poker ecosystem. Highly doubt sports betting will cannibalize the easy monies if you argue that sports betting might attract all the casual players.

^^^ although im only interested in sports betting i think thisll be good for poker as well, unless they realize they can make more money with the sportsbook and treat poker players even worse than they have so far

i hope it will bring more fish

but hard to say without seeing some numbers from other sites that have poker+casino and sportbetting

On January 21 2015 18:04 MadeInPolanD wrote: i hope it will bring more fish but hard to say without seeing some numbers from other sites that have poker+casino and sportbetting

yea but pokerstars has such a strong brand name. everyone trusts it. i bet you tons of people will switch

i think this is really good news, assuming they dont add other casino games

the site is still called pokerstars, meaning that even casual people will get to pokerstars because of poker. Afterwards, these people may find that they can also do sportsbetting there.

if part of the depositors' funds goes to sportsbetting, that's less $$ to poker.

I disagree with this being good news

I think it's the exact opposite and will really hurt the recreational player base

I don't mind. Maybe I'll finally try my hand at betting MMA since most sportsbetting sites are blocked in korea ;d

On January 22 2015 02:59 TianYuan wrote: I don't mind. Maybe I'll finally try my hand at betting MMA since most sportsbetting sites are blocked in korea ;d

... until PS is blocked in korea too :D

On January 22 2015 00:52 TimDawg wrote: I disagree with this being good news I think it's the exact opposite and will really hurt the recreational player base

agree

I do think sports betting is much more in line with poker than any of the casino games are. You can actually beat it. Please, please have competitive lines. If they can compete with the lines at Pinnacle I would be so happy.

I honestly have no clue if the casual games bring casuals to poker or take them away.

Now governments and monopolies have a good chance crushing pokerstars away from their list of competitors as it can be now viewed as a 100% gambling site.

This was the thing that separated PS from its competitors.

Defending poker as a game of skill is now much harder as it is now nearly always linked to gambling.

On January 22 2015 07:06 Rande wrote: Now governments and monopolies have a good chance crushing pokerstars away from their list of competitors as it can be now viewed as a 100% gambling site. This was the thing that separated PS from its competitors. Defending poker as a game of skill is now much harder as it is now nearly always linked to gambling.

Sports betting is not a problem, nor are casino games, every country can exclude those "adjustments" and let only poker platform be legal.

It would be good in the first years, but in the long run its bad.

On January 22 2015 03:41 ggplz wrote: Show nested quote + On January 22 2015 02:59 TianYuan wrote: I don't mind. Maybe I'll finally try my hand at betting MMA since most sportsbetting sites are blocked in korea ;d ... until PS is blocked in korea too :D

their website already is xd

But client is safe for now.

The good news is that adding sports betting should decrease the odds of aggressive rake increases.

Carbon does this too, and I'm ok with it because it's convenient for me to make a sports bet(I'm fish tho), and it helps ensure the longevity of the site.

It's just speculation, but I have a feeling that the sports betting world is larger than the poker world.

On January 22 2015 05:02 Nazgul wrote: I honestly have no clue if the casual games bring casuals to poker or take them away.

+1.. both have been said but there's no real evidence one way or the other afaik. I think most people settle it on how soft the tables feel

On January 22 2015 10:28 TianYuan wrote: Show nested quote + On January 22 2015 03:41 ggplz wrote:   On January 22 2015 02:59 TianYuan wrote: I don't mind. Maybe I'll finally try my hand at betting MMA since most sportsbetting sites are blocked in korea ;d ... until PS is blocked in korea too :D their website already is xd But client is safe for now.

Was the website blocked before this was announced or did it just happen? Must be kinda scary.