888 Gets Big Break With Snooker Chain

Tuesday, 6 February 2007

888 Holdings plc, owner of Pacific Poker, has struck a poker deal with Georgica plc, the owner of Riley’s, the UK's largest chain of snooker, pool and poker clubs.
The firms will work together to develop www.

888 Holdings plc, owner of Pacific Poker, has struck a poker deal with Georgica plc, the owner of Riley’s, the UK's largest chain of snooker, pool and poker clubs.
The firms will work together to develop www.rileyspoker.com which will be powered by 888.com. In turn, 888’s poker site will be promoted by Riley’s in its clubs. The arrangement between the parties amounts to a co-operation agreement whereby 888 will use its online poker capabilities to support Riley’s' website and clubs throughout the UK.
Other events planned under the deal include the setting up of poker leagues, regional poker tournaments and a televised national poker tournament.
Georgica plc has already begun holding live poker tournaments in its Riley’s snooker and pool members clubs, and hopes to have live poker operating in around a hundred of its clubs by Easter.
Managing Director of Georgica, Peter Haspel said: “Our move to provide both live and online poker tournaments to the members of Riley’s clubs represents an exciting opportunity for Georgica as part of its continued strategy to grow and expand the Riley’s business. The agreement with 888 for the provision of online poker and assistance with the roll out of live poker gives Riley’s access to the wealth of experience that 888 have in both online and offline poker and online marketing.”
This marks the latest love affair between 888 and snooker. 888.com is the current sponsor of the World Snooker Championship and of some of the key players in the game, including Matthew Stevens, ‘Rocket’ Ronnie O’Sullivan and rising star Ding Junhui.



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