PokerStars France handed first shared liquidity licence

PokerStars’ French division has become the first company to be given the go ahead to join the shared online poker liquidity project, which encompasses several European countries.

The site’s application was accepted by regulator ARJEL and will be able to link with merged player pools in Italy, Portugal and Spain when the venture goes live.

The authorisation was granted to Reel Malta Ltd, which is a division of Rational Group and operates PokerStars.fr.

ARJEL said the operator must ensure that its brand only shares liquidity within the borders of the jurisdictions that participate in the project. PokerStars’ software must also receive additional approval by the responsible gambling regulators.

The regulator ruled that Reel Malta will also have to inform it of any changes that may occur in future in relation to the operator’s participation in the shared liquidity project.

It is believed that the pool-sharing venture, which is hoped will boost poker revenues in the four countries, will begin in France, Portugal and Spain in early 2018, with Italy to join later.

PokerStars is the only company to be licensed in all four countries, and is currently the sole poker operator in Portugal.

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