Amaya moves on daily fantasy sports ambitions

Pokerstars and Full Tilt parent group Amaya Inc., has moved forward on its announced intention to enter the booming daily fantasy sports sector, acquiring the Texas-based DFS operation Victiv and revealing that it plans to rebrand the asset as StarsDraft.

The current Victiv team will manage Amaya’s DFS business, launching at StarsDraft.com in select U.S. markets and later through the PokerStars platform.

A company statement claims that Victiv has received considerable attention among daily fantasy players for its user-friendly and innovative software for fantasy sports enthusiasts.

“StarsDraft will combine Victiv’s innovative platform and experienced DFS team with Amaya’s expansive consumer base and operational excellence as the world’s preeminent online gaming brand,” said Matthew Primeaux, CEO of Victiv.

“We intend to capitalize on what we believe is strong crossover between online poker players and daily fantasy sports. PokerStars is the most-trusted brand in online gaming and brings unmatched security, customer support and technical infrastructure that we believe all players can rely on.”

StarsDraft.com will be powered by Victiv software, which Amaya believes has made the site increasingly popular since its launch last September, particularly among players who are new to the vertical. The company is aiming for the 2015-2016 NFL season as a launch date.

In particular, the Bankroll Builder feature gives new players the chance to learn the game in a risk-free environment. Joining free-to-enter contests new players have a chance to display their sports knowledge and win cash without having to deposit.

Eilers Research has predicted that the DFS market could reach $2.5 billion by 2020.