PartyGaming to Reopen its PartyPoker brand to US Market?

Rumors have been flying in recent days that PartyGaming will reopen its PartyPoker internet poker room to the US market.  Following President George W. Bush's signing into law a bill that would curb some forms of internet gambling, PartyGaming abruptly pulled its popular PartyPoker site out of the US market.  Many experts believed they did so prematurely.  Rumors of a possible PartyGaming announcement regarding its reemergence in the US market first appeared on the PokerNews.com website. 

The London Stock Exchange trading PartyGaming was the largest IPO of 2005 in the United Kingdom, and was valued higher than British Airways. 

Despite losing approximately 80% of its customer base, PartyPoker is now the number two largest online poker room in the world.  In fact, the poker room, which had been neck and neck with Full Tilt Poker, is now drawing a much larger gap in recent weeks according to PokerSiteScout.com.  

Following a huge drop in its overall share price back in October, PartyGaming is slowly said to be recovering.

PartyGaming is set to become even larger with the acquisition of one time rival Empire Online.

Noam Lanir, owner of the online gambling company Empire Online, is selling his remaining shares in the beleaguered company to arch-rival PartyGaming for $40 million, it was reported today.

According to a report on PokerNews.com, Lanir appears to be finished with the gambling business following his decision to sell his remaining stake in his company.

Empire used to provide online poker to their players through a Party Poker skin (Empire players played with PartyPoker players but under an EmpirePoker banner, similar to how many of the internet poker networks operate today). The two companies were later involved in a well-publicized falling out when PartyPoker decided to cut their numerous skins.

While rumors regarding PartyGaming's re-entry into the US market cannot be confirmed, Gambling911.com can confirm that the company will embark on a new sports betting format exclusive to Canadian customers, slated to begin in January.  The new sportsbook, which would take on the "Party" brand name in some form, was also slated to become a Gambling911.com Endorsed Sportsbook.  Gambling911.com has been in the process of revamping its sponsorship platform by entering into contracts with online gambling companies that only offer full service wagering menus (i.e. those that include betting on a wide variety of international sports, full access to lines, extensive future betting opportunities, original bet offerings and novelty propositions, including professional sports player props). 

Gambling911.com' aggressive search engine optimization program has resulted in its heavy online poker and sports betting exposure, culminating in heavy media exposure over this past year. 

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Christopher Costigan, www.gambling911.com

Originally published December 27, 2006 11:12 am ET