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PokerStars Players Championship Makes History as Richest and Biggest-ever $25,000 Poker Tournament
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Ground-breaking PokerStars event generates record-breaking $26,455,500 prize pool including life–changing $5.1 million top prize
PokerStars, the flagship poker brand of The Stars Group, has shattered live poker records as 1,039 players entered to compete in the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC), generating the largest-ever prize pool for a $25,000 buy-in poker tournament. The PSPC will award more than $26,455,500 to 181 players, including $5.1 million for the winner, who will be crowned when the tournament concludes later this week. The final table alone will produce a total of six millionaires.
“Passion and interest in poker is alive and well in 2019, and this tournament highlights the global excitement for the game,” said Eric Hollreiser, PokerStars Director of Poker Marketing. “Tens of thousands of players participated in a year of unique promotions leading up to the event and that enthusiasm delivered one of the most exciting events in poker history.”
Players descended upon the Atlantis Resort & Casino on January 6 and 7 and were registering up to the very last minute to participate in the historic event. The massive field is comprised of diverse players from all over the world and a spectrum of experience from some of the game’s best professionals to novices who won entry through one of the dozens of low buy-in and free-to-play competitions and giveaways PokerStars held in 2018. Over the past 13 months, PokerStars awarded 320 Platinum Pass packages, each worth $30,000, covering the player’s buy-in, travel and accommodation.
“This tournament has been in the works for over a year and it’s been super exciting to follow the journey of the many Platinum Pass winners,” said Daniel Negreanu, PokerStars Ambassador. “I had a chance to meet many of them, and their excitement for this event is truly what poker is all about. The turnout was simply unbelievable! Over 1,000 players in a $25k buy-in. PokerStars did a fantastic job making this event happen, and the players themselves had input into everything from the blind structures to the payouts. It’s truly been the No-Limit Holdem Players Championship.”
The tournament broke records without counting the 320 Platinum Pass winners, smashing the previous attendance record for a $25,000 buy-in event, which was 639 entries, and the previous highest prize pool of $15,495,000.
The PSPC has brought together a mix of players who would not normally be found seated alongside each other in an event of this level of buy-in. Highly regarded players from online and live poker communities around the world took their seats alongside some of the finest and most familiar names in the game such as Patrick Antonius, Phil Hellmuthand Erik Seidel, not to mention PokerStars Ambassadors Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu, Jason Somerville, Randy Lew, Jennifer Shahade and Lex Veldhuis, as well as Twitch streamers, poker vloggers, and an abundance of recreational, and even new, players.
Adding some extra sparkle to the first event of its kind are some faces (and voices) well known outside of the poker tables such as the voice of the UFC Octagon Bruce Buffer, who kicked off the tournament by announcing ‘Shuffle Up and Deal’, former NBA star and ESPN analyst Paul Pierce, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, and comedian, actor and writer Norm Macdonald. Golf pro Sergio Garcia also joined the event, although was among the casualties in day 1.
Many colourful, and often emotional, stories have arisen along the way, including those of Jacki Burkhart, Oliver Biles, and Nikhil Segel who all won their ticket to the Bahamas via the Platinum Pass Adventure. Shaun Lennon from Ireland and Dominique Lamy from France were also nominated to represent their country by their fellow countrymen.
Entry to the tournament is now closed. To keep up to date with all live reports from the PSPC visit the PokerStars Blog or watch the live stream daily from 12:30 ET at PokerStars.TV.
For further information, please contact [email protected]
About PokerStars
PokerStars operates the world’s most popular online poker sites, serving the global poker community. Since it launched in 2001, PokerStars has become the first choice of players all over the world, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else and with the best online security. More than 182 billion hands have been dealt on PokerStars, which is more than any other site.
The Stars Group owns or licenses gaming and related consumer businesses and brands, including PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars, Full Tilt, Sky Bet, Sky Vegas, Sky Casino, Sky Bingo, Sky Poker and BetEasy as well as live poker tour and event brands, including the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship, European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour, PokerStars Festival and PokerStars MEGASTACK. The Stars Group is one of the world’s most licensed online gaming operators with its subsidiaries collectively holding licenses or approvals in 21 jurisdictions throughout the world, including in Europe, Australia, and the Americas.
Play Responsibly! For more information on responsible gaming please visit our website at http://www.pokerstars.com/about/responsible-gaming/
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: PokerStars Players Championship Makes History as Richest and Biggest-ever ,000 Poker Tournament

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Swintt extends presence in key markets through Play North partnership
Sought-after software provider joins forces with innovative online gaming company to distribute Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt titles in MGA and NL markets
Rapidly expanding online casino software supplier, Swintt, has doubled down on its mission to increase its presence in regulated markets worldwide after announcing a new partnership with Play North that will share Elysium Studios games with a wide new audience.
With the deal being specifically targeted at MGA and NL-regulated jurisdictions, Swintt will now share its full library of content with Play North brands Kansino and Pikakasino, with a particular emphasis being placed on the newer Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt collection of slots.
This will no doubt be the case for the Elysium Studios title, I Hate Fairytales, which plunges players into a darkly whimsical world where twisted versions of beloved fairytales set the stage for thrilling gameplay
Of course, with Play North’s mission since forming in 2018 being to always put the player at the heart of the action, the new range of Elysium Studios games will assist the group in providing a more engaging experience to customers while helping Swintt raise its profile in two key markets.
David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “Increasing our presence in regulated markets has always been at the heart of Swintt’s growth strategy, so teaming up with an exciting brand like Play North obviously comes as great news for our ongoing expansion plans.
“Like us, Play North are a young company with a firm focus on putting the player at the centre of everything they do – and with a strong presence in MGA and NL-regulated markets, the deal will help us share our exciting Elysium Studios titles with audiences on both of their online platforms.”
Daphne Xerri, Chief Product Officer at Play North, said: “With a mission statement to always put players at the core, Play North is dedicated to bringing the very best in online casino content to customers in MGA and NL-licensed markets – and partnering Swintt will only further this aim.
“In particular, the provider’s popular range of Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt games look to have all the right ingredients to really make an impact with players on both our Kansino and Pikakasino brands and we’re really excited to discover how they perform over the coming weeks.”
The post Swintt extends presence in key markets through Play North partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Evoplay introduces betting-inspired mechanics in new release Instant Soccer
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has released Instant Soccer, a football-themed instant game designed to provide quick, strategic gameplay.
Developed with simplicity in mind, the game blends intuitive mechanics with the thrill of sports betting, allowing players to engage quickly and effortlessly.
By combining the excitement of football with familiar betting-inspired features, Instant Soccer offers a fresh take on instant games that appeals to a broad player base.
The title allows players to set their target multiplier before the round begins, aiming to match or exceed it when the final multiplier is revealed. The more ambitious the target, the greater the risk and reward, with a maximum win of up to 10,000x the bet.
To support a tailored experience, Instant Soccer includes a Chance of Winning indicator based on the selected target and Advanced Autoplay, enabling players to automate rounds with customisable conditions.
A Quick History feature also enhances transparency and engagement, allowing users to track round outcomes and view top player rankings in real-time.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “With Instant Soccer, we’ve created a game that merges the simplicity of instant play with the energy of football and the strategy of sports betting.
“It’s designed to appeal to a wide audience, whether you’re a football fan, a casual gamer, or someone looking for short, engaging sessions. We’re confident it will deliver strong results for our partners across multiple markets.”
The post Evoplay introduces betting-inspired mechanics in new release Instant Soccer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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“Play’n GO will never supply games to sweepstakes casinos” – CEO Johan Törnqvist
Swedish gaming giant confirms its ongoing commitment to regulated markets globally and raises concerns over the circumventing of existing legal frameworks regarding so-called ‘sweepstakes casinos’
Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced that the company’s unmatched portfolio of games will never be supplied to so-called ‘sweepstakes casinos’.
Play’n GO CEO and Co-Founder Johan Törnqvist, said: “Sweepstakes casinos do not operate inside a regulated framework and that’s not something we support. Our commitment to regulated markets is absolute. We will never supply our games to sweepstakes casinos.”
The announcement comes as so-called sweepstakes casinos are increasingly under scrutiny by regulators and lawmakers, especially in the US.
Shawn Fluharty, Head of Government Affairs for Play’n GO, added: “Sweepstakes casinos threaten the regulated market model that many of us in the industry have worked so hard to achieve, which protects players first and foremost, and delivers much-needed revenue to jurisdictions.
“Regulators across the US in particular are rightfully beginning to crack down on these unregulated operations. And I can say with confidence that regulators have long memories – anyone doing business with sweepstakes casinos today will find it very difficult to do business in a future regulated market.
“Additionally, lawmakers certainly have an interest in protecting licensees and state revenues going forward.”
Play’n GO has been a vocal advocate for increased regulation in the online gaming space for many years.
The company was the first supplier in the industry to publicly rule out producing ‘bonus buy’ games, now banned by the UK and Dutch regulators and under discussion by many other regulators too.
In a further sign of the increasingly rapid divergence between regulated and unregulated spaces within the industry, Play’n GO was recently recognised as a priority partner by German casino operator Tipico. The partnership programme sees Tipico give Play’n GO games increased visibility and promotional spaces while, crucially, removing games entirely produced by other suppliers who serve both the regulated and black market in Germany.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer of Play’n GO, commented: “It’s no secret that with this decision – much like with our stance towards Bonus Buy games – we have been, and continue to leave a lot of money on the table. But everyone in the industry has a choice about what kind of industry we want.
“We want to see a fully regulated and sustainable industry that protects players, promotes innovation, and ensures that we actually have an industry in the future.
“We are starting to see both regulators and operators, such as with Tipico in Germany, recognise that the future of the industry is through regulation. It’s time for other suppliers to do their part too and I’m delighted to see Play’n GO leading the way once again.”
The post “Play’n GO will never supply games to sweepstakes casinos” – CEO Johan Törnqvist appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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