888poker, formerly Pacific Poker, is an international

online poker Online poker is the game of poker played over the Internet. It has been partly responsible for a huge increase in the number of poker players worldwide. Christiansen Capital Advisors stated online poker revenues grew from $82.7 million in 2001 t ...

cardroom A cardroom or card room is a gaming establishment that exclusively offers card games for play by the public. The term poker room is used to describe a dedicated room in casinos that is dedicated to playing poker and in function is similar to a car ...

and network owned by

888 Holdings 888 Holdings PLC, () known commonly as 888, is a public company which owns several popular gambling brands and websites, including 888sport, 888casino and 888poker. 888 is based in Gibraltar. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a con ...

. 888poker was established in 2002, and is based in

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

History

The poker provider was originally launched in 2002 as ''Pacific Poker'' and later rebranded 888poker. The site enjoyed early success due in part to a large number of players who joined from its more established sister site.

United States

When the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

passed the

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is United States legislation regulating online gambling. It was added as Title VIII to the SAFE Port Act (found at ) which otherwise regulated port security. The UIGEA prohibits gam ...

(UIGEA) in 2006, affirming that online gambling in the United States was illegal, 888poker was forced to close its doors to all American players. Changes to online gaming regulations in 2013 in some states has prompted return by 888 to the US market.

Nevada

888poker has partnerships with several private gaming entities in

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

, and

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. Authorities in these states require that

online casino Online casinos, also known as virtual casinos or Internet casinos, are online versions of traditional ("brick and mortar") casinos. Online casinos enable gamblers to play and wager on casino games through the Internet. It is a prolific form of o ...

providers join an offline partner in order to receive an operating license. On March 21, 2012, The

Nevada Gaming Commission The Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. In 1959, the Nevada Gaming Commission ("Commission") was created by the pass ...

granted 888 a license as an Interactive Gaming Service Provider. 888 launched its online activity in Nevada officially on September 15, 2013.

New Jersey

On November 26, 2013, 888 successfully launched its online poker site for online poker players in New Jersey. 888 operates under a permit (permit number NJIGP 13-006 ) issued to its partner Caesars Interactive Entertainment (which is a subsidiary of

Caesars Entertainment Corporation Harrah's Entertainment (later named Caesars Entertainment Corporation, previously The Promus Companies) was an American casino and hotel company founded in Reno, Nevada, and based in Paradise, Nevada, that operated over 50 properties and seven go ...

) to offer online gaming in New Jersey. Its poker offerings are available only in the state of New Jersey and to players who are at least 21 years old.

Delaware

On May 2, 2013 888 announced that it has been selected by the

Delaware Lottery The Delaware Lottery is run by the government of Delaware. Its creation was authorized by the state legislature on May 31, 1974. Its "traditional" games include Play 3, Play 4, Multi-Win Lotto, Lucky For Life, Lotto America, Mega Millions, and Po ...

as its Primary Vendor to operate internet gaming systems and services. 888 has signed a partnership agreement with

Scientific Games Light & Wonder, Inc., formerly Scientific Games Corporation (SG), is an American corporation that provides gambling products and services. The company is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. Light & Wonder's gaming division provides products such ...

, the largest technology provider for electronic lottery gaming in the United States as part of its operating license in the State of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

. The service is scheduled to become available to

residents before the end of 2013.

Europe

Denmark

In Denmark, 888poker was launched as a localized version in September 2015, after acquiring a license from the Gambling Authority. After launch, 888 Denmark manager in Denmark, Simon Ravn, said: "We have a slightly different approach to the Danish poker market than many of the other poker providers; we want to offer value to all our players, rather than focus on sign up bonuses and new customers", adding that "people still want to play poker and we think we can offer a new, fresh experience with us".

Spain

On June 15, 2012, the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), published on its website the definitive list of operators licensed to operate in Spain, including 888 Spain plc. 888poker offers since its online products, combined with a series of live tournaments among which the SuperStack, with events in several Spanish cities in February in which distributed more than €400,000 in prize money during 2014.

Poker games offered and player experience

The 888poker offering includes poker game variations such as Texas Hold’em, Omaha (High & Low) and 7 Card Stud Poker, along with Sit & Go and

Tournament A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...

games. Products are available on all major platforms, including PC, Android, and

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

devices. A new version of the mobile app was launched on Aug 21, 2013, providing mobile access to multi table tournaments. 888poker was the first online poker provider to introduce poker tables with webcam integration to allow its members to socialize more with other players and to make the overall gaming experience more human.

Mobile poker

Following 888poker's upgrade of its

mobile app A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...

in July 2013, the company's then CEO, Brian Mattingly, revealed in an interview that 888poker's strong sales growth comes from the expanding mobile poker market. Mattingly stated that 17% of 888's UK wagers in general are placed on mobile devices and hoped that the company's UK mobile share will double in the next year and a half.

888poker Club

888poker's loyalty programme, the ''888poker Club'', features daily free tournaments and offers players a chance to win $100,000 each month. Players also receive scratchcards for every five levels they climb.

The 888poker team

A variety of professional poker players and celebrities act as brand ambassadors for 888poker. Among the prominent persons who have joined Team 888poker are

Dominik Nitsche Dominik Nitsche (born 1990) is a professional poker player, originally from Minden, Germany but now residing in Edinburgh, Scotland. Nitsche began playing poker online in 2006, amassing winnings exceeding $3 million. In 2009, playing in his fir ...

Martin Jacobson Martin Jacobson (born 30 June 1987) is a Swedish professional poker player, originally from Stockholm, Sweden, but currently residing in London, England. In 2014, he won the World Series of Poker Main Event for $10,000,000, the fifth largest s ...

Chris Moorman } Chris Moorman, (born 12 July 1985) is a British professional poker player. , he is the all-time leader in career online poker tournament earnings crossing the $14 million mark. Career He was among the leaders in the 2011 World Series of Poke ...

, Sofia Lövgren,

Kara Scott Kara Scott is a Canadian British TV personality, journalist and poker player. Born in northern Alberta, Canada, Scott moved to the United Kingdom in 1999 and worked in the UK media until 2009 when she moved to California. Having trained in Mu ...

, Natalie Hof, Parker Talbot, Vivian Saliba former Australian international cricket bowler

Shane Warne Shane Keith Warne (13 September 1969 – 4 March 2022) was an Australian international cricketer, whose career ran from 1991 to 2007. Warne played as a right-arm leg spin bowler and a right-handed batsman for Victoria, Hampshire and Australia ...

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

Welterweight champion George St. Pierre, and the former footballer Denílson. Uruguayan footballer

Luis Suárez Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz (; born 24 January 1987) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Uruguayan Primera División club Nacional and the Uruguay national team. Nicknamed ''El Pistolero'' ('The Gunman'), he is ...

also signed a contract with 888poker in 2014. However, the partnership was dissolved due to the events of the 2014 World Cup.

Live Poker Tournaments

888poker Live and XL Championships Series

888poker hosts the ''888poker Live'' event several times a year, a series of poker tournaments held in several cities around the world. In addition, 888poker organizes three online legends - ''XL Inferno'' , ''XL Eclipse'' and ''XL Blizzard'' - collectively known as the ''XL Championships Series''.

World Series of Poker

888poker is the main sponsor and the exclusive organizer of qualifying rounds for since 2014 ''

World Series of Poker The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada and, since 2004, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker pla ...

'' in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

Super High Roller Bowl

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, 888poker was the main sponsor of the

Super High Roller Bowl The Super High Roller Bowl is a recurring high stakes No-Limit Hold'em poker tournament that takes place at venues across the world. The first edition of the event was held in July 2015 and featured a $500,000 buy-in, drawing a field of 43 playe ...

hosted by

Poker Central Poker Central is a website and service which focuses on poker news, events, live streaming and hosting poker content. It operates PokerGO an online paid subscription channel and streaming service which features multiple poker shows, cash games and ...

at the

Aria Resort & Casino Aria Resort and Casino is a luxury resort and casino, part of the CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. Aria consists of two curved glass and steel highrise towers adjoined at the center. It opened on December 16, 2009 a ...

in Las Vegas. This tournament was a buy-in of US$300,000, the second most expensive and the most expensive 2017 poker tournament worldwide.

World Poker Tour

In November 2017, 888poker and the

World Poker Tour The World Poker Tour (WPT) is an internationally televised gaming and entertainment brand. Since 2002, the World Poker Tour has operated a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting playdown and the fi ...

(WPT) entered into a partnership that immediately enabled all players on 888poker to qualify directly for the WPT DeepStacks in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

. On February 11, 2019, WPT announced a new partnership with 888poker, which will see two new events added to the WPTDeepStacks Europe schedule. One in Malta and one in Portugal.

888 Poker LIVE Sochi

In August 2019, 888poker held 888 Poker LIVE Sochi. It was first event 888poker in Russia. Russian poker player Vasily Tsapko became the winner of 888poker LIVE Main Event and had nearly $200k in cashes.

References

External links

* {{Use mdy dates, date=November 2013 888 Holdings Online poker companies Gambling companies established in 2002 Gambling companies of Gibraltar