PokerStars today announced the launch of PokerStars.it (see website here) which signals a landmark development in building an Italian only version of the largest online poker site in the world. This addition to the PokerStars family comes days after the AAMS (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato) granted PokerStars the license to offer online poker in Italy.

This new license will enable Italian players to play online poker tournaments with real money at PokerStars.it within the limits imposed by the Italian law. PokerStars.it will hold exclusive poker tournaments for Italian .

Players on PokerStars.it will have the opportunity to win their entry into famous international poker events like the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

"These competitions require players to have the right mix of skill, training, concentration and luck," said Team PokerStars Pro Dario Minieri.

The online poker phenomenon is growing rapidly in Italy with the success of players like Team PokerStars Pro Dario and Luca Pagano. Market research estimated that during the first year of online poker being legalized, 500,000 accounts will be opened throughout the Italian poker industry creating an estimated 400 million market.

"PokerStars is proud to be entering a flourishing market with this new product. This is a ground breaking time for the online poker industry, and very exciting that the Italian market is pioneering this move," said PokerStars Italian Country Manager Fabio Angeli Bufalini.

This the start of a global template which could potentially be adopted in other markets internationally in the next few years.