The transaction has been closed for the previously reported $500m price tag, which equates to $250m in cash and a $250m promissory note due five years after the transaction’s closing secured by the WSOP intellectual property assets being sold.

While Caesars has sold WSOP to NSUS, the operator will continue its relationship with the poker brand for several more years, both in a land-based and online manner.

Through the deal, Caesars’ Las Vegas casinos will retain the right to host the flagship WSOP live tournament series for the next 20 years. The live event has been hosted in the Horseshoe and Paris casinos since it moved from the Rio in 2022.

In addition, Caesars Digital will receive a licence to continue operating WSOP online for the foreseeable future in Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

However, the operator did note that it “will otherwise be restricted from operating online peer-to-peer real-money poker operations for a specified period of time and subject to certain exceptions”.

Caesars’ brick-and-mortar poker rooms will continue to feature WSOP branding, while the operator’s destinations will also have preferential rights to host live WSOP Circuit events.

Several WSOP executives will also now take on leadership roles within the NSUS structure, bringing more than 30 years of combined experience to help lead the brand through its next phase under the new ownership.

Ty Stewart has been named the CEO of the newly formed WSOP subsidiary, Gregory Chochon has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer and Erik Eidissen has joined as Communications Manager. 

Back in August, NSUS Group CEO, Michael Kim, commented on the deal, noting that the group intends to expand the poker brand worldwide.

“After collaborating with Caesars Entertainment for years, NSUS Group, the operators of GGPoker, is thrilled to announce their new role in leading the WSOP, the world’s most renowned poker brand,” stated Kim.

“We will leverage GGPoker’s cutting-edge technology and industry expertise to create an exciting future for WSOP, ensuring players have an increasingly improved, safe, and seamless poker experience. Under the new leadership, NSUS intends to expand WSOP worldwide, positioning it at the forefront of poker’s growth.”

Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital, said: “We’ve enjoyed a longstanding and successful partnership with GGPoker that has helped spur the growth of the WSOP brand. 

“This transaction is an exciting step for Caesars as a company and the WSOP brand as it continues to evolve. We can’t wait to see what NSUS has in store for growing the WSOP’s legacy in poker, and we look forward to continuing to deliver an unmatched and familiar experience to poker players going forward.”

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Close to 10,112 runners engaged with the event, eclipsing last year’s record of 10,043 entrants. 

Ty Stewart, Executive Director of the WSOP, commented on the continued growth of the event: “Ten thousand entrants has become the new magic number for the WSOP Main Event. The response has been overwhelming since our move to the Las Vegas Strip. Thank you to our partners, team members, and, most of all, the players for another unforgettable summer.”

Furthermore, the prize pool for the event came in at just over $94m and every player who makes the final table will land a seven-figure payday. 

It means that for the second year in a row, the top prize amounts to $10m in addition to the coveted WSOP bracelet. 

Last year, Georgia poker pro Daniel Weinman topped the field to win the tournament’s top prize and the first eight-figure payday in WSOP Main Event history.

It comes at an interesting time for Poker as many in the sector continue to underline the importance of innovation. 

Speaking at the CasinoBeats Summit in Malta, Amit Berkovich, VP Head of Poker at evoke, emphasised his belief that “the market has become saturated with so many things to compete over players, detailing that online poker is facing competition against “recreational games” on top of thriving entertainment and social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Netflix.

Calling on the experience of a professional poker player was Peter Jesko, Strategic Consultant at Casino Guru, who referred to an existing discussion of whether online poker is dead by stating that it’s still alive, but is offering less opportunities for players to make consistent cash. 

Jesko also referred to the uniqueness of poker as an encouraging factor for the game’s survival, suggesting there are little to no other games that combine gambling and skill-based gameplay as well as poker does.  

The panel then moved onto the presence of live poker tournaments that stem from the online scene. Telly Bartolo, Marketing and Event Manager at Casino Malta, explained that these tournaments offer much more than just a gameplay experience. 

He commented: “Poker players moving from online to live tournaments are looking to travel, they’re looking to meet people form different nationalities and mingle around. It’s not all about the actual game, but it becomes about all the other things in the full experience.”

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The 54th WSOP is set to take place on May 30 through to July 18, 2023, following the 2022 series that took place with 197,626 entrants from over 100 countries. 

“The historic debut of the WSOP on the Las Vegas Strip delivered in a big way, and we’re excited to announce our Summer 2023 dates in time for the holidays,” said Ty Stewart, World Series of Poker Senior Vice President and Executive Director. 

“Poker players and fans can now officially mark their calendars and maybe even book their loved ones or themselves a trip to the WSOP as a holiday gift. We’re glad to be back at Paris Las Vegas and the future Horseshoe Las Vegas for another exciting chapter in the tournament’s history as these two resorts raised the bar in hosting last year’s event.”

The 2023 WSOP will feature its established main event, a $10,000 no-limit hold’em world championship along with new events and the return of ‘timeless classics’. 

Opening the event, a $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament featuring mystery bounties ranging from $1,000 to $1m for each knockout will welcome players to Paris Las Vegas, with a guaranteed first prize of $1m. 

Jason Gregorec, SVP and General Manager of Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas, added: “With more than six months to go from the start of the next WSOP, you can already feel the anticipation building at our resorts.” 

“The tournament delivered unforgettable moments during its debut on The Strip, and we’re excited to welcome back poker’s premier event of the year. We can’t wait to see the first WSOP Main Event champion crowned at the new Horseshoe Las Vegas.”

Noteworthy tournament dates have already been confirmed including the main event world championship, which will take place on July 3, with the full schedule to be announced in the new year.

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WSOP Online 2022 will represent the third year of the digital contest, which is praised as breaking “several records in its first two years of existence,” and will feature offerings across WSOP.com in the US and exclusive partner site GGPoker for all international jurisdictions.

An array of gold bracelet tournaments will be a key feature of 2022’s series, which will feature action via GGPoker from August 14-September 27 and WSOP during September 10-October 18.

Each bracelet winner from the latter, both international and domestic, will earn a seat at the Tournament of Champions during the 2023 WSOP in Las Vegas.

For the third time, GGPoker will play host to the $5,000 WSOP Online Main Event, which is lauded as still holding the Guinness Book of World Records mark for prize pool in an online poker tournament, that will again feature a staggering $20m prize pool guarantee.

GGPoker will display 33 bracelet events with buy-ins ranging from $100 to $10,000, with online satellites for all such international competitions to run via the group.

“Online bracelets are just as prestigious as live tournament bracelets,” said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador and winner of six WSOP gold bracelets. 

“I’m glad that we’re creating a new tradition to celebrate the online game, and I’m striving to add my first WSOP Online bracelet to my collection.”

WSOP Online, available to players physically located in Nevada or New Jersey, created prize pools of more than $25m in both 2020 and 2021.

This year, the action is expanded to Michigan and Pennsylvania for the first time with six weekly bracelet tournaments each, for players geolocated within those state borders, in addition to the 33 bracelets that will be awarded on the Nevada and New Jersey shared liquidity network. Daily satellites for all will also be run via WSOP.com.

“No one wanted to see this year’s WSOP come to an end,” added Ty Stewart, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the World Series of Poker. 

“However, in many ways, the return of WSOP Online is even more exciting. Together with GGPoker, we have a clear vision to make this festival annually the biggest deal in online poker so that the WSOP offers players the marquee event in both live and online poker each year.”

In total, the 2022 WSOP live events saw a total of 197,626 entries from over 100 countries with a record-breaking $347.9m total prize pool, eclipsing the previous record from 2019 of $293.18m

The 2022 main event attracted a total of 8,663 entries, making it the second largest in WSOP history. It also welcomed participants from 87 countries competing for the $10m first place prize.

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Joining Pennsylvania, Nevada, and New Jersey, WSOP.com in Michigan will feature various live-action games from No Limit Hold’em to Pot Limit Omaha. Moreover, WSP Online will also offer guaranteed tournaments, exclusive 2022 WSOP satellites to gold bracelet events in Las Vegas, and Blast Poker. 

“With two world champions coming out of this state, Michigan is a special market for the WSOP,” said Ty Stewart, SVP of the World Series of Poker at Caesars Entertainment. “We’re sorry it’s taken so long, but WSOP.com is ready to make up for our late entry with industry-leading promotions, the biggest weekly tournaments, and player appreciation benefits like freerolls to the Main Event in Las Vegas.”

WSOP.com is said to be the only online site in Michigan where players can earn entry into its offline events, including pokers’ world championships, known as the Main Event, which will be hosted on The Las Vegas Strip for the first time this summer. 

To commemorate the Michigan launch, WSOP.com players will receive $50 free with $25 immediately playable and $25 upon first deposit. Players can also claim a deposit match up to $1,000 and receive access to welcome week freerolls after making their first deposit.

WSOP.com has also signed a partnership with 2009 Main Event champion and Michigan resident Joe Cada as a local poker ambassador. Cada will host live streaming sessions from the site, participate in bounty events, and host live tournaments around Michigan.

“It’s go time in Michigan,” Cada added. “I know a lot of local players are excited that WSOP.com is finally live in the state and I’m personally looking forward to getting to know all the great poker players at tournaments and online events soon. Game on!”

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In recognition of making its maiden entry into the market, the platform is launching with special sign up promotions, newly announced bracelet events and weekly tournaments for the region’s players, and daily satellites with buy-ins as low as $1 that provide an opportunity to win a seat at The Main Event in Las Vegas later this year.

“We are thrilled to be opening up WSOP.com to the state of Pennsylvania,” said Ty Stewart, SVP of the World Series of Poker at Caesars Entertainment. 

“The real winners in this expansion are the players who join us at WSOP.com. Our team is laser-focused on providing the most value to poker players in the state and are confident in the potential of our online poker product. 

“With our industry best sign up promotions and the special bracelet series catered specifically to players in Pennsylvania, we welcome all players, from the casuals to the professionals and everyone in between.”

After WSOP secured its latest manoeuvre in the US, online gambling group 888, which powers the poker platform, has praised the expansion as being of “significance” for the firm.

“I am delighted that, in partnership with our long-term, strategic partner Caesars, we have launched the market-leading WSOP brand into Pennsylvania, which represents 888’s fourth state in the US market,” stated Yaniv Sherman, SVP head of US 888.

“The success of this long-term partnership is a strong endorsement of our proprietary technology and our US development strategy through both B2C and B2B channels.

“New states coming online represent an opportunity to our unique interstate poker network, which helps to significantly increase liquidity of poker players across our award-winning poker platform. 

“This enhances the overall user experience and also helps us to continually refine our offer to provide an engaging and hyper-relevant product

“Further expansion in North America continues to remain a key strategic priority for 888 and as part of our continued growth strategy, we’re looking forward to continuing our relationship with Caesars to gain a presence in other newly regulated states.”

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Beginning in 2021, the sports division of the US television network will be the exclusive domestic home of the WSOP, featuring 15 hours of Main Event coverage and 36 hours of 18 additional Gold Bracelet events, which it says marks “a new high for the historic poker festival”.

“CBS Sports has long been a pioneer in covering a broad range of championship sports,” said Ty Stewart, WSOP executive director. “We couldn’t be more excited to see increased television coverage of the WSOP in the coming years and benefit from their growing media platforms.”

This collaboration sees CBS Sports and the WSOP rekindle a past partnership, with the former the first to broadcast poker in the US and the WSOP Main Event on its CBS Sports Spectacular program throughout the mid-1970s. 

It is added that additional coverage details will be announced in the coming months via the release of the full WSOP schedule, as well as coverage across other ViacomCBS platforms, including Paramount +.

“Following our past success with PokerGo, we are excited to expand our relationship with the highest-profile and richest event in competitive tournament poker featuring the best players in the world,” said Dan Weinberg, executive vice president of programming at CBS Sports. “This deal fits perfectly in our strategy to combine best-in-class events with our CBS Sports brand.”

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2

Dutch regulator, Kansspelautoriteit, has documented a further delay in the implementation of the country’s Remote Gambling Act, with March 1, 2021, now stipulated as the anticipated date of entry.

This represents a two month delay from a revised January 1, 2021, date, which itself was pushed back six months from July 1, 2020.

Six months after the new debut date, on September 1, 2021, the Ksa says that the online gambling market will open, as well as the Central Register of Exclusion of Gambling (CRUKS) also coming into effect for both online and land-based providers of games of chance.

It was commented that the extra delay was done to ensure that there’s more room for all parties involved to prepare for the impending new law that regulates the online offer of games of chance in the Netherlands.

3.1

Gaming Realms is targeting an expanded network of distribution across the US during the next 18-24 months, as the firm grows revenue by two thirds during the first half of the year.

The developer and licensor of mobile focused gaming content saw revenue finish H1 at $5.2m, representing a 66 per cent increase from $3.1m. Growth benefited from the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, however, the company says that it has maintained similar levels of growth post period-end, giving the board confidence in its future performance.

Breaking down that figure further, the firm’s licensing segment grew 104 per cent to £3.4m (2019: £1.7m), driven by an increase in distribution and an expanded games portfolio.

Social revenue increased 29 per cent from £1.4m to £1.8m due to heightened Slingo production, improved player management and new player engagement features.

3.9

The World Series of Poker is toasting its 2020 success after a number of long-standing records were smashed over the course of the 54 event series, which saw almost $150m in cash won.

The flagship WSOP live poker tournament in Las Vegas was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and, as a result, an online series of events took place at GGPoker from July 19 to September 6.

Among the records to tumble was that of the biggest online poker tournament prize ever awarded, which saw Stoyan Madanzhiev, winner of the event 77 WSOP Online 2020 Main Event, scoop $3.9m.

In total, 54 WSOP bracelets were claimed in the WSOP Online 2020 series, with the tournaments representing the first time that players located outside the US were able to compete for official WSOP bracelets online.

150

Cryptocurrencies created specifically for the gambling sector now have a combined value in excess of $150m, according to research from CryptoGamblingNews.com.

The data is provided by a newly-launched tracker, which reports the value of gambling-dedicated cryptocurrencies in real time, as well as providing sector wide insights and data.

With a total gambling cryptocurrency sector value of $161.83m at the time of publication, gambling-focused cryptocurrencies, such as FunFair Technologies’s $FUN token, are shown to be remaining popular among crypto traders.

Currently, the most valuable gambling cryptocurrency by market capitalisation is $WIN, a coin used to power the decentralised WINk casino, which stands at $35.7m.

585.1

Rank Group has expressed encouragement at the first few weeks of trading since reopening, however, the group acknowledged that any full recovery could take some time.

During July and August Rank has reopened 72 of 77 Mecca venues, which it says are achieving 70 per cent of prior year revenue with visit numbers now typically at 55 per cent.

Grosvenor casinos, which were only permitted to reopen throughout England on August 15, sees venues outside of London reported to be achieving 75 per cent of prior year revenue levels and consequently are cash positive. Weak trading in London sees revenue sit at around 40 per cent of prior year levels.

Driven by the groups transformational programme, Rank states that it “entered lockdown with significant momentum to revenues and profits” as well as a tightly controlled cost base and a strong balance sheet.

Group underlying net revenue for the year ending June 30, 2020, closed at $585.1m, a 15 per cent drop from £685.1m. Underlying digital NGR rose 23 per cent to £145.3m (2019: £118.5m), with underlying venue NGR dropping 22 per cent to £439.8m (2019: £566.6m). Underlying operating profit decreased 32 per cent from £75.7m to £51.1m.

20,000

The Swedish gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has issued a warning and penalty fee of SEK 20,000 to Liseberg following a breach in gaming responsibility which saw minors accessible grabbing machines.

It is said the Liseberg, which was granted a license in April 2019 to provide land-based commercial gaming, gaming machines at its Gothenburg venue, “has not been aware of the regulation regarding age limits in the Gaming Act”.

The machines, also known as a claw cranes among other monikers, are classified as a goods gambling machine in the country; a gambling machine that pays out winnings in the form of goods as opposed to currency.

“Due to a tip, the Swedish Gaming Inspectorate carried out a covert inspection of Liseberg on July 16, 2019,” the regulator explained.

“The results of the inspection showed that no signs about the age limit were available on the playground and that minors in the company of an adult have been seen using the grabbing machines that are in the gaming hall.”

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The first external operator signed for the poker product, powered by the Microgaming Poker Network (MPN), is to offer more than just its core product upon integration.

One such example is ‘casino in poker,’ which pits the player against the casino and not against other players, in addition to further third party casino content.

Robin Reed, CEO of GiG, explained: “We are delighted to have signed our first poker agreement with OneTimePoker, to help further their ambitions.

“They have made such a positive impact on poker over the years, representing some of the biggest names in the industry, in addition to contributing to so many industry publications.

“We look forward to supporting the expansion of its brand into further GiG product verticals within our ecosystem through 2019, offering their poker community one stop access to all their entertainment needs.”

OneTimePoker has represented in excess of 500 professional poker players since being founded, which includes several World Series of Poker (WSOP) champions and bracelet winners.

Randall S Kasper, CEO of OneTimePoker, commented: “We are finally getting to build for ourselves what we built, quite successfully, for others for over a decade. It’s a dream team of executives and poker experts.

“Our goal is to be the next big name in poker, to be completely transparent to, and trusted by, players, and to customise their experience with the absolute best practices we have learned over the years.

“We couldn’t be more excited about our partners at GiG, they are the most professional organisation I have run across in the industry during my career.”

GiG states that the offering is expected to go live during the first quarter of next year, with revenue contributions expected to increase through 2020 and beyond.

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Set to join ElkY (Bertrand Grospellier) on the European team of ambassadors for the newly created role, the Frenchman is to use his 30 plus years of experience to share player feedback directly with the partypoker LIVE team, to help shape the schedules and products for the GVC holdings brand in Europe.

Based in Paris, Fitoussi has countless experience across varying television shows at hundreds of poker tournaments, and said of his latest role: “I am thrilled to join the partypoker LIVE team – partypoker has always held a special place in my heart, so to be working with them is a great privilege for me.

“I have a vast wealth of industry experience that I am excited to share, and I look forward to getting involved with all aspects of the business.”

Dubbed ‘The King of Europe,’ Fitoussi has enjoyed success in a variety of top poker tournament, most notably triumphing in the World Heads-Up Poker Championship (1st edition) in 2001, beating Amarillo ‘Slim’ Preston in the final.

Also amongst his accomplishments is finishing as runner-up of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Horse $50K (Players Championship) in 2007, 15th in the World Series of Poker WSOP Main Event in 2003 and being nominated four times for the WSOP Hall of Fame.

Ahead of his first tournament in his new role, Millions UK, Fitoussi added: “I can’t wait to come back to Nottingham to Dusk Till Dawn for Millions UK, and the Caribbean Poker Party in The Bahamas is a ‘must do’ for any poker player. To end 2018, I will head to Deauville for the WPT Deepstacks in December [3-9 December].”

Millions UK is to take place at Nottingham’s Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club from 29 September – 7 October 2018.

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