In a game-changing move, the world’s most popular poker platform PokerStars has inked a deal with Italy’s Casinò di Campione spa – Società Benefit to set up a branded poker room and run live poker events at the casino.
On September 10, 2024, PokerStars signed a deal with Sisal, an Italian gaming operator, which is also part of Flutter — the parent company of PokerStars. As per the deal, PokerStars is set to open a poker room in Casino di Campione, which is located in the Italian province of Como near Lake Lugano.
“We look forward to kicking off the partnership with Campione and offering the best poker experience to our passionate Italian audience,” said Cedric Billot, Director, Live Event Operations at PokerStars.
“We are extremely proud to be announcing this agreement, having worked hard to get here, but this is just the beginning of an important chapter for the PokerStars brand in Italy. We will work together with the local Sisal team to make this a successful partnership and offer an epic ‘experience’.”
The deal is meant for four years, with an option to be extended for another three years. The poker room will be open 24/7, offering non-stop poker action. PokerStars and the Casino will reveal the opening of the new poker room in the upcoming months. While it is too early to say, this collaboration may lead to EPT events taking place in Italy again. Italy has not hosted any EPT event since Victoria Coren Mitchell took down her second title there back in 2014.
With this new collaboration, PokerStars is now operating three live poker rooms, including the Hippodrome Casino Poker Room in London, and the PokerStars Live Poker Room at Okada Manila.
Interestingly, Julien Liarte, PokerStars’s Live Events Senior Business Developers Manager for Europe, has also hinted at their plans to expand their footprints across continents by collaborating with other major poker tours.
PokerStars is already a reputed online poker platform in Italy, and many experts believe that this collaboration between PokerStars and Sisal will boost the country’s poker scene. As per the report, PokerStars will offer top-class festivals and events to Italian players, and who knows, it may turn out to be the next hub for poker after King’s Casino Poker Room.
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