PokerScout.com, the online poker information and monitoring site, has been acquired by Malta-based Catena Media for a reported $350,000, the latest in a GBP 60 million string of acquisitions by the media and marketing firm.
Whilst some industry observers felt that the consideration paid for such a well-known brand was surprisingly low, others pointed to conflict between the owner and some operators over PokerScout’s assessments of their player traffic.
“The acquisition is made in connection with the passage of gaming legislation in the US state of Pennsylvania, which will open a new market for regulated online poker and casino games,” Catena CEO Henrik Persson Ekdahl said in a statement Thursday.
“We are proud of the acquisition of PokerScout, which is the leading traffic comparison site for the online poker industry. This acquisition is well-timed given that Pennsylvania is set to open their market for online gaming. We hope that more states will follow in Pennsylvania’s footsteps. We have been prepared for a long time and this is a milestone for our continued expansion in the US,” he said.
Catena Media has big plans for the site, which it feels will make a valuable contribution to its US and global activity.