PartyGaming's bid to buy Empire Poker has ended, and now Empire Poker will sue its rival after PartyGaming's decision last month to stop allowing Empire Poker players to play on PartyGaming's platforms.
The bid failed after PartyGaming offered to buy Empire Poker for 60 pence a share. Empire Poker's stock was listed at 69.5 pence a share on the London Stock Exchange Nov. 22. The company peaked at 283 pence a share in early
September.
Last month, PartyGaming changed its relationship with companies that ran its poker rooms on software licensed by PartyGaming. It bought MultiPoker.com and the player database of InterTopsPoker.com. The agreement with
InterTopsPoker.com also has PartyGaming running and marketing the site for the next 15 months.
It also ended its relationship with Coral EuroBetPoker and informed Empire Poker that it won't allow its players to play on its platform.
PartyGaming and Empire have been in negotiations since last month, which coincided with PartyGaming's decision to stop allowing Empire Poker to share its platform.
Empire Poker is suing PartyGaming because of the "damage caused to it by the conduct of companies within the PartyGaming group in separating the poker system used by PartyGaming players from that of its 'skins,'" according to a statement released by Empire Poker.
