888 Holdings has signed a sponsorship deal with the World Series of Poker that will give 888Poker exclusive rights to presenting online WSOP Satellites in the UK. 888 already provides the software for Caesars Interactive Entertainment’s online poker operations in Nevada and New Jersey via WSOP.com. The new partnership will make 888Poker a leading sponsor of the WSOP and WSOP Europe in 2015.
The news of the sponsorship and content deal was delivered this morning via a press release out of Gibraltar, where 888 is headquartered. 888Poker’s exclusive WSOP Satellites in the UK are a dominant factor in the deal, but on the whole, the company’s contractual advantages are many.
OnlinePokerRealMoney.co.uk tries to dispel some legal confusions stemming from passage of George Bush's UIGEA of 2006 . Federal status seems to depend on interpretation of the wire act and other laws which were crafted many years ago and which remained high level in nature. The United Kingdom has much clearer laws including their own real money gambling commission .
888Poker will be able to present special content and promotions for the 2015 WSOP and 2015 WSOP Europe across all of its operative regions. However, exclusivity to those promotions will be limited only to jurisdictions outside of the United States, France, India, Italy, Mexico, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Quebec.
WSOP.com will, of course, retain exclusive rights to WSOP Satellites in the US.
The brand has also been given content rights to provide live reporting from World Series of Poker events via WSOP.com and 888Poker (via dual-powered 888 platforms). Never before has the host event website provided exclusive real-time event data, including tournament updates and current chip counts. Players on WSOP.com and 888Poker will be privy to syndicated feeds of chip counts from WSOP events directly from their online poker tables.
Additionally, the broad partnership deal will grant specialized brand exposure for 888Poker at the WSOP and on its ESPN televised broadcasting. 888Poker will appear on background branding boards and on the felt of all WSOP final tables.
“As a true partner with the WSOP on the B2B side where we power their real-money gaming in the United States, this was a logical next step for us to carry the power of the WSOP to our players across all other major markets we serve,” said Itai Pazner, Senior VP and Head of B2C for 888 Holdings. “This broad package gives 888poker players a great opportunity to win their way to WSOP events on our online poker site, plus gives us terrific content and assets to market our brand.”
Ty Stewart, Executive Director of the WSOP, offered his comments as well. “888Poker has been a great partner to CIE for many years now, but 2015 is the year they will go All-In against the WSOP. We’re proud of the comprehensive offering 888poker will have for any player outside the USA who dreams to play in our flagship events,” said Stewart. “We see 888poker’s expanded sponsorship as an important step to qualify players affordably and bring additional prize money to the tournaments.”
WSOP Satellites underway at 888Poker
The online poker operator has already initiated WSOP satellites and other relative promotions across the UK and Europe. Multi-steps satellites with buy-ins starting as low as £0.01 will be running 24/7 at 888Poker, ensuring that everyone has an equally affordable chance to win a seat in the $10,000 2015 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as the €10,000 2015 WSOP Europe, in London, England.
The number one promotion for UK members of 888Poker is the new ‘Double Up’ prize package campaign. WSOP satellites lead into a regular qualifier event that awards prize packages to the 2015 World Series of Poker valued at $14,000.
The package includes the $10,000 buy-in to the 2015 WSOP Main Event (#68), plus the $1,000 buy-in to the first ever WSOP Online Bracelet Event (#64). Winners can use the remaining $3,000 however they wish, but it’s obviously recommended to put that towards travel expenses, accommodations and other needs throughout their time in Las Vegas. It is each winner’s responsibility to make their own flights and hotel arrangements.