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PokerStars has announced the launch of PokerStars.fr, a French-only version of the world's largest online poker site, after being granted the licence number 0006-PO-2010-06-25 from the Autorité de Régulation des Jeux en Ligne (ARJEL) to operate in France.
The PokerStars ARJEL application was submitted on May 19, 2010 and met all ARJEL licence specification requirements. From now on, PokerStars.fr will enable French players initially to play free money tournaments and sit and gos. PokerStars.fr will begin running cash games once the regulations of the French government for online poker have been published. This looks likely to happen tomorrow, Wednesday June 30.
The launch of PokerStars.fr signals a milestone addition to the PokerStars family, following on from PokerStars being granted a licence to operate PokerStars.it in Italy in October 2008.
"Players on PokerStars.fr will have fantastic new opportunities, not only to play online but to win seats to famous international poker events like the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas," said Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY' Grospellier. "These tournaments require players to have the right mix of skill, training and concentration, and PokerStars.fr will be the perfect place for players to work on that."
The success of players such as Team PokerStars Pros Grospellier, along with Arnaud Mattern and Thomas Bichon, has fuelled the phenomenal growth in popularity poker has experienced across France, along with major tournaments such as those on the PokerStars European Poker Tour, an event of which is played in Deauville, while the Grand Final takes place in Monte Carlo. In addition, French rugby international Sebastian Chabal and tennis pro Gaels Monfils are ambassadors for PokerStars and play online on PokerStars as well as at live PokerStars events.
"PokerStars.fr aims to be one of the leading online poker operators from the day the French market opens, offering players the best tournaments, promotions and opportunities to win seats at PokerStars world renowned international tournaments," said PokerStars French Country Manager Alexandre Balkany.
For more information, go to: www.pokerstars.fr
