Caesars Entertainment has agreed to sell the rights to the World Series of Poker brand to NSUS Group Inc., the owner of GGPoker, for $500 million.
Despite the move, not much is going to change for Michigan online poker players, since Caesars retains the rights to continue running the online product. It should remain business as usual for players.
WSOP MI recently launched an interstate pool with New Jersey and Nevada because of the state’s involvement in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which shouldn’t change, either.
Caesars to receive license to operate WSOP online
While a deal worth half-a-billion dollars is astronomical, most of the pieces are going to remain in place. That means, players don’t have to worry about many changes.
The agreement includes Caesars receiving a license from NSUS to keep operating WSOP in four states, including Michigan. However, Caesars will be restricted from offering peer-to-peer operations for a period of time.
President of Caesars Digital, Eric Heisson, said in a press release:
“We’ve enjoyed a longstanding and successful partnership with GGPoker that has helped spur the growth of the WSOP brand.
“This transaction is an exciting step for Caesars as a company and the WSOP brand as it continues to evolve. We can’t wait to see what NSUS has in store for growing the WSOP’s legacy in poker, and we look forward to continuing to deliver an unmatched and familiar experience to poker players going forward.”
The retail vertical also remains the same, too. Caesars has secured the right to continue hosting live tournaments at its Las Vegas casinos for the next 20 years. Its land-based locations will continue to display WSOP branding in poker rooms.
Michael Kim, CEO of NSUS Group Inc., offered his thoughts on the deal:
“After collaborating with Caesars Entertainment for years, NSUS Group, the operators of GGPoker, is thrilled to announce their new role in leading the World Series of Poker, the world’s most renowned poker brand.
“We will leverage GGPoker’s cutting-edge technology and industry expertise to create an exciting future for WSOP, ensuring players have an increasingly improved, safe, and seamless poker experience. Under the new leadership, NSUS intends to expand WSOP worldwide, positioning it at the forefront of poker’s growth.”
WSOP remains part of MSIGA
Back in May, Caesars and the Michigan Gaming Control Board announced WSOP’s recent launch of an interstate pool with New Jersey and Nevada, which remains unaffected.
“The best is yet to come for WSOP Online tournaments, and we’re thrilled to bring Michigan players into the fold with Nevada and New Jersey, resulting in a better experience, more value, and the biggest prize pools of the year,” Danielle Barille,Vice President of Online Poker at Caesars Digital, said in May.
Michigan players can still expect the same platform with the same features, promotions and player pools, which are sure to be bigger post-launch.
The MGCB has authorized Caesars to “offer Texas Hold’em and Omaha Internet poker games, along with variations of those games. Any new Internet poker game(s) must be submitted to the MGCB for approval.”
All in all, many things should remain the same for poker players in the Great Lakes State.
