Amaya, the parent group for Pokerstars, announced the launch of its new sports betting brand, BetStars in select jurisdictions on Friday, identifying its domains as Betstars.com, Betstars.eu and Betstars.uk, and advising that mobile operations are now offered through dedicated iOS and Android applications.
“This is the next stage of development of PokerStars’ new sportsbook offering, which will continue to be rolled out during 2016,” the announcement noted.
BetStars will be supported by the launch of an external customer acquisition campaign in the first half of 2016, the statement advises, revealing that as part of this marketing campaign, BetStars intends to introduce an innovative new betting product on the platform which will distinguish the brand from competitors.
“We’re very excited about the launch of the BetStars brand, and expect it to be one of the most talked about sports betting sites in 2016 as it continues to evolve with new products and features that we believe will set us apart as a betting brand for the true sports fan,” said Rafi Ashkenazi, CEO of Rational Group.
BetStars will initially offer a range of betting options across more than 25 sports, including football, tennis and basketball, as well as specialty offerings such as eSports and poker.
More sports, including horse racing, are intended to be added throughout 2016. The brand will also feature a range of in-play betting options and exclusive offers and promotions that sports bettors expect from a world-class online sportsbook.
PokerStars anticipates the brand will expand into additional key jurisdictions throughout 2016, extending its reach to approximately half of PokerStars’ unique active poker customers.
The new operation will be closely integrated with Amaya’s casino and poker assets, with a single wallet for all three services.
British sports betting software developer Amelco, which services major UK companies like Betfair, William Hill and Mybet, is understood to be the technoloogy provider for BetStars.
According to Amaya third quarter corporate reportage, the company’s previous and nascent sports betting operations launched in March this year have attracted at least 100,000 online punters to register, auguring well for further development.