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Online Poker Kicks Off in Italy

Gioco Digitale Paved the Way with First Real-Money Online Cash Game Yesterday

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With the seal of approval from Italy’s gaming authority AAMS, virtual cards were shuffled up, and real-money games played out for the first time on Italian licensed website Gioco Digitale yesterday afternoon. GamblingCompliance.com today reported that two tables with buy-ins of €0.50 kicked things off, with 18 enthusiasts reserving their seats in six seconds, and completing the games in 90-minutes.

President of Gioco Digitale Carlo Gualandri said that the company was very satisfied to be the first operators in Italy to offer real-money poker. With hopes for what this could now mean for the industry, he later added that over the past few months the company processed 50 million play-money hands of poker in 1.5 million tournaments.

As real money online poker can now make its first appearance on Italian gaming sites, expectations are high, with the government speaking of the business being worth €400 million in its first 12 months.

Poker sites are sure to be launched in abundance as interest grows in the Italian online gaming industry. Market leader SNAI has promised that its real-money version will be up and running in October.

 
 
Tags: europe