partypoker returns to tough Czech Rep market

GVC Holdings’ property partypoker has announced its official return to the Czech Republic online gambling market in partnership with regional casino operator King’s Resort Rozvadov. 

Closing 2018, partypoker Managing Director Tom Waters revealed that the online poker room had been granted a licence by the Czech Finance Ministry.

The update sees partypoker become the second international operator and online poker room to secure Czech online gambling provisions, following The Stars Group Inc launching BetStars and PokerStars verticals in 2018 and 2017 respectively.

Partnering with King’s Resort, partypoker will abide by strict Czech gambling laws on player verifications, which must be physically conducted at Post Office locations throughout the country.

partypoker informs that King’s Resort will soon be able to fulfil this requirement through its Rozvadov property, allowing players ease-of-access to the partypoker.cz domain.

Tom Waters, Managing Director of partypoker, said: “We are delighted to be working with King’s Resort to offer online poker in the Czech Republic. We have some ambitious and exciting plans for 2019 in partnership with King’s and there will be plenty on offer for Czech players at partypoker.

partypoker’s Czech market movements will be followed closely, with industry analysts monitoring whether the legacy online gambling brand can gain momentum in the stringently regulated market.

In 2017, the Milos Zeman government incorporated a new gambling regime introducing a 35% GGR tax on all forms of casino games, running alongside the Czech Rep’s 19% corporate tax rate.

King’s Resort owner Leon Tsoukernik said: “It is a great honour to co-operate on such an interesting project with such an important partner on a global level for us. We will be able to offer players great connection between the online and live game to maximize their gaming experience.

“King’s Resort is home to Europe’s largest poker room and regularly hosts some of the biggest events in the world working alongside the premier brands in live poker, like the WSOPE, WPT and partypoker LIVE MILLIONS.”