Partypoker seems to be advancing its operations at a good pace. Despite a minor snag hit during the Caribbean Poke Festival, elsewhere the company stands tall. Now, a newly-acquired Czech license adds to its successes
Bringing Poker Back in the Czech Republic
In 2017, the online gambling law in the Czech Republic began reformation, which necessitated from any card room or operator to apply for a license. With partypoker then being an offshore card room, the company had to temporary withdraw from the market, but that really didn’t quite stop the company in the slightest.
As it broke the news, partypoker also clarified that the company had applied for a license and it was expecting to return by the end of 2018. The operator has been correct in its estimate with partypoker now returning under a freshly-minted license by the Czech Ministry of Finance.
More interestingly still, the online room will be managed by Leo Tsoukernik who’s head at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, one of the preeminent venues for poker action in the Czech Republic which reunites players every year.
We're adding #MILLIONSOnline tickets and seats to our ADDED value satellites instead of simply guaranteeing them to make these tournaments even better value. Want to know more? Follow this link: https://t.co/vHsQknzeET 18+. Play responsibly. begambleaware pic.twitter.com/BciRNAZPSH
— partypoker (@partypoker) November 14, 2018
With the license issued on November 10, the platform is now legally allowed to run in the Czech Republic, and the domain “partypoker.cz” is also accessible. A minor drawback here is that the website hasn’t gone live yet, so you will end up on the main page of the company instead for the time being.
One worry has been that partypoker could see its hand forced in streamlining its platform not only from a technical standpoint, but also from the standpoint of local laws which have proven rather more taxing for the average poker company’s taste.
Not a Smooth Sailing
Even though partypoker sought to obtain a license very early on, it was the exact same regulations that made the card room doubtful whether it was truly worth it. Before the license issued on November 10, partypoker had temporarily applied for a new permit, but then had had a change of heart and put its application on the back-burner.
Meanwhile, the future choice of head of partypoker’s operations is not quite surprising. As the head of King’s Casino, Tsoukernik is in a unique position to bring the best practices partypoker stands by.
He has had experience during important and large-scale poker competitions throughout the years, namely partypoker LIVE and MILLIONS. Tsoukernik also helped organize and run dozens of satellite events, which were directly linked with the operations of the company.
Even if he has had the practical experience, Tsoukernik is still said to owe $3 million in a gambling debt, which definitely doesn’t help his credibility. At the same time, partypoker seems to have no such qualms, drawing on the fact that they have worked with him for years now.
Meanwhile, the preparation of the online portal continues at full speed and it’s no easy task. From a legal standpoint, there are multiple taxes that need to be addressed, including the 35% online casino tax on all revenue, not to mention 19% corporate tax and others.
Partypoker, however, is determined to return to a market that it considers to be one of the important destinations for international poker.
