Piggs Peak has closed its online poker room following a South African court ruling last month that made operating and advertising online gambling illegal in the country.
The Swaziland-based company, that operated an independent poker room using Microgaming software, was forced to block all South African customers following a court decision in October that upheld a previous decision that made gambling online illegal. The court rejected an appeal from Piggs Peak that, as the servers were located outside the country, the law did not apply.
Piggs Peak reported that 90% of its online customer base was from South Africa. As it struggled to stay online, customer support staff were axed and player numbers plummeted.
According to reports yesterday, the poker room has finally closed completely. Customers are pointed towards a page to request withdrawals.
Its online casino, also on Microgaming software, has remained online, open to players outside of South Africa. The company also continues to operate its brick & mortar hotel and casino in Swaziland.
