Pokerstars has announced a change to its formal launch date in New Jersey of March 21, revealing that it will soft-launch in the Garden State next week on March 16.
The soft launch characterisation enables the company to restrict the initial number of US$ players to just 500, with an 8-hour play limitation on the first two days, doubling on the third day and then going round-the-clock just before the “official” launch date of March 21.
Players who already hold Pokerstars accounts can carry these over to the New Jersey website, along with loyalty points already earned, which will be converted into the new reward currency StarsCoins at a preferential rate of 1.6. VIP status is also transferable from as far back as Black Friday in 2011.
Our readers will recall that Pokerstars is partnering with the Resorts Casino Hotel in New Jersey online gambling.
In related news, the Swedish online gambling software and games provider NetEnt has announced the expansion of its content agreement in Europe with Amaya-Pokerstars to include the online poker giant’s New Jersey operation as well.
The expanded agreement will see NetEnt supply desktop and mobile games to the PokerStars brand in New Jersey, USA.
NetEnt will be applying for a transactional waiver from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to launch operations with PokerStars, while its application for a full license is still under review.
NetEnt has previously announced partnerships in New Jersey with Borgata/bwin.party, Golden Nugget, Resorts Casino, Tropicana/Gamesys and Caesars Interactive Entertainment (see previous reports).
“I am very pleased that we have been able to extend our successful partnership with Amaya’s extremely popular gaming brand PokerStars to also include the regulated online casino market in New Jersey,” said Björn Krantz, managing director of NetEnt Americas LLC Thursday.
“PokerStars is one of the biggest online gaming power houses in the world, and the agreement is proof of the trust and confidence that exists in NetEnt’s operational and portfolio capabilities.”
Sam Hobcraft, head of casino games at Amaya, said: “Integrating NetEnt’s top tier games will be an important part of developing into one of the leaders in online casino in New Jersey.”