News

PokerStars receives Estonian activity license

19 August 2010


(PRESS RELEASE) -- The Estonian Tax and Customs Board has issued PokerStars, the world's largest poker site, an activity license in Estonia.

Tomas Larsson, PokerStars Baltics Country Manager, said that the license application was prepared with the utmost diligence and the company is now among the first license holders in Estonia.

"Applying for a license is always a complicated process and I am therefore very happy that PokerStars has successfully met all the necessary criteria to obtain an activity license in Estonia," said Larsson. He also thanked the Estonian Tax and Customs Board for its constructive cooperation and said that PokerStars now turns it focus towards obtaining an operational license in Estonia.

PokerStars has 36 million players from all over the world and is also the online poker room of choice among Estonian players.

Estonia is one of the smallest EU member states, but poker is similarly flourishing and the country remains one of the most significant new markets for PokerStars. Last week, the Estonian capital Tallinn hosted the first stop of the new season of the EPT, the world's richest poker tour. The €4,250 buy-in tournament attracted 420 players from 40 countries. The winner, Norway's Kevin Stani, earned €400,000 for first place.

"In addition to Estonia having excellent players and tournament organisers, Tallinn is also a new and truly attractive destination for many top players," said Larsson. Players attending the first EPT in the Baltic states agreed, with many of the world's top talents, including several members of Team PokerStars Pro, offering the highest praise to the tournament's organisers.

PokerStars has made also significant investments in Estonia during the last few years, contributing to the development of the local sports and cultural life. For instance, PokerStars is the main sponsor of the Estonian national volleyball team which last year battled its way to the final tournament of the European Championship.

Operational License applications have previously been approved in Italy and France. PokerStars.it launched in October 2008, offering Italian citizens the chance to participate in games organised by the world's leading poker operator, in compliance with Italian law. PokerStars.fr, which was granted a license in June 2010, permits similar access for French players. Poker is booming in both countries, with San Remo, in Italy, and Deauville, in France, among the most popular established stops on the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour (EPT).