Key Takeaways
- The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has issued its conditional approval to new operator California-based Pala Interactive.
- Pala has teamed up with the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which is the partner of partypoker in New Jersey. CEO of Pala, founded by the Pala Band of Mission Indians, is none other than Jim Ryan, former CEO of partypoker.
- The company’s palacasino.com site should go live within a fortnight assuming it passes its five day test period, and it will be followed in early 2015 by palapoker.com.
- Phil Ivey signed on as brand ambassador for Pala in July last year. The Borgata is currently suing him for $9.6 million, which may strain relationships.
- Having approved Jim Ryan as the CEO, the DGE can hardly deny PokerStars a license based on the track record of its senior staff—none of them were the CEO of PokerStars or Full Tilt when it was operating in the US market.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has issued a transactional waiver approving the partnership between the Borgata Hotel and Casino and Pala Interactive. In an order made public on Wednesday, Director David Rebuck cleared the path for the first regulated tribal igaming operator in the state.
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is also a partner of partypoker in New Jersey. Pala Interactive was founded by the Pala Band of Mission Indians and its CEO is none other than Jim Ryan, former CEO of partypoker.
