The Stars Group Announces Launch of PokerStars Shared Player Pool in France and Spain

TORONTO, Jan. 17, 2018 /CNW/ - The Stars Group Inc. announced today that PokerStars, its flagship brand, launched a shared player pool yesterday between locally licensed poker markets in France and Spain. PokerStars is the first online poker operator to offer a shared player pool under license in France and Spain, which enables players from both countries to compete against one another at PokerStars.fr and PokerStars.es.

The launch follows the July 2017 agreement concerning online poker liquidity sharing by gaming regulators in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Portugal is expected to join the combined French and Spanish markets later this year, while regulators in Italy have yet to confirm details of the country's involvement.

"Shared liquidity in these markets will be great for players and the poker category, generally," said Guy Templer, Chief Operating Officer of Stars Interactive Group, the gaming division of The Stars Group. "We applaud the French and Spanish regulators' efforts to facilitate and enable a dramatic improvement in the quality and integrity of the gaming experience in their jurisdictions. With combined liquidity, players from France and Spain can access a larger player pool with bigger prizes, promotions and a better selection of games, all with the confidence provided by a trusted, licensed operator.

"We look forward to extending the combined player pool to Italian and Portuguese players, and we offer our full support to the relevant authorities in those countries to do so."

To celebrate the launch of shared liquidity in France and Spain, PokerStars will be hosting a €5 million guaranteed online poker tournament series, the France Espania Hold'em (FRESH), which will be exclusively available to players based in France and Spain from January 28 - February 11, 2018. As a result of increased liquidity, players will also have access to additional promotions surrounding the FRESH series as well as an enhanced daily tournament offering, bigger prize-pools and guarantees, and potentially larger prizes in the Stars Rewards customer loyalty program.

About The Stars Group
The Stars Group is a leading provider of technology-based products and services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment industries. Through its Stars Interactive Group gaming division, The Stars Group ultimately owns gaming and related consumer businesses and brands, including PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars, Full Tilt, and the PokerStars Festival, PokerStars MEGASTACK, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, European Poker Tour, Latin American Poker Tour and the Asia Pacific Poker Tour live poker tour and event brands. These brands together have more than 115 million registered customers globally and collectively form the largest poker business in the world, comprising online poker games and tournaments, sponsored live poker competitions, marketing arrangements for branded poker rooms in popular casinos in major cities around the world, and poker programming and content created for television and online audiences. The Stars Group, through certain of these brands, also offers non-poker gaming products, including casino and sportsbook. The Stars Group, through certain of its subsidiaries, is licensed or approved to offer, or offers under third party licenses or approvals, its products and services in various jurisdictions throughout the world, including in Europe, both within and outside of the European Union, the Americas and elsewhere. In particular, PokerStars is the world's most licensed online gaming brand, holding licenses or related operating approvals in 17 jurisdictions.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements and Other Information
This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can, but may not always, be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "would", "should", "believe", and similar references to future periods or the negatives of these words and expressions. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Please refer to The Stars Group's most recent annual information form and annual and interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for more information about the factors, assumptions and risks that may apply to The Star's Group's forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and The Stars Group undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE The Stars Group Inc.

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