PokerStars awarded Irish betting licence
Operator plans to bolsters its sportsbook offering with new sports such as horseracing in the coming months
PokerStars has become the first major operator to announce it has been granted a sports betting licence by the gaming regulator in the Republic of Ireland.
The world’s largest poker operator confirmed it had been awarded a Remote Bookmaker’s Licence from the Irish Revenue Commissioners, allowing it to offer its sportsbook to players in the recently re-regulated market.
Stars said its existing poker and casino games would continue to be operated under its European licence from Malta, but would pay a local betting duty to the government of the Republic of Ireland.
“We’re very pleased to receive a licence for our sports betting offering on PokerStars in Ireland,” Stephen Fisk, MD of sports betting for PokerStars, said.
“Our operation of poker, casino games, and now sports betting shows that players trust us to deliver a variety of games in a fun and exciting way. We look forward to building on this by operating under this new licence,” he added.
PokerStars said it would bolster its sportsbook offering, which beta-launched at the end of the first quarter, ahead of the European football season with plans to add news sports such as horseracing in the coming months.
The news comes after B2B mobile casino platform supplier Nektan announced it had been awarded a remote betting intermediary licence by the Irish regulator earlier this week.
Operators and suppliers have had to apply for licences under Ireland’s new Point of Consumption regime, which came into force on 1 August and sees operators levied at 1% of turnover.