PokerStars owner Rational Group is to end its near 12-year exclusive focus on poker by adding online casino games to Full Tilt.
The Isle of Man-based operator said in a press statement today that it was to expand its product offering “to include casino style games on Full Tilt Poker”, confirming an article published by Online Poker Report yesterday.
Rational emphasised in the same statement that flagship brand PokerStars would continue to be poker-only.
Full Tilt has failed to attain anywhere near its pre-Black Friday market share since it was acquired by PokerStars’ parent company and subsequently relaunched in November last year, with its No 2 sport in the traffic rankings coming under threat from PartyPoker, iPoker and 888, according to cash games tracking site PokerScout.
Rational even even took the unprecedented step earlier this year of attempting to send PokerStars traffic Full Tilt’s way, by offering players a bonus on Full Tilt if they paired their accounts on the two sites.
Operating an online casino platform would also better position Rational to act as a supplier on behalf of casinos and lotteries in the US. It recently announced an agreement to become preferred supplier to the Resorts Casino Hotel in New Jersey, the US state preparing to license and regulate online casino games and poker. Rational also lost out in May on the contract to provide a full suite of igaming products to the Delaware lottery to 888, Sci Games and Williams Interactive.
Article written by Katy Stirland
