Sugal & Damani and The Stars Group Announce April Launch of Pokerstars.IN

KOLKATA, India and TORONTO, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Sugal & Damani Group and The Stars Group Inc. today announced that PokerStars.IN will be available to customers across a majority of Indian states beginning on April 17.

Sachiko Gaming Pvt Ltd, a Sugal & Damani Group company that focuses on games of skill, will operate PokerStars.IN with The Stars Group licensing its brand and providing certain support services.

PokerStars.IN will be available on desktop and mobile to a majority of the age-qualified, adult Indian population and will offer online poker to players in Indian Rupees in a number of skill game formats, including No-Limit Hold'em and Omaha variants. PokerStars.IN will also host localized versions of branded series and events, such as the Sunday Million and World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP).

"The popularity of poker in India is growing and we are excited to build the market with the support of the global leader in online poker," said Kamlesh Vijay, Chief Executive Officer of Sugal & Damani Group.

"Pokerstars has helped to make poker one of the most popular skill-based games in the world and we look forward to Sachiko Gaming introducing the brand into the Indian market," said Rafi Ashkenazi, Chief Executive Officer of The Stars Group.

PokerStars.IN will offer industry-leading responsible gaming, player protection and fraud detection mechanisms to help ensure the integrity of games and the safety of players. In line with local regulations, players residing in Indian states which do not permit participation in real money skill games will be prevented from playing.

About Sugal & Damani Group 

Sachiko Gaming Pvt Ltd is an online skill game provider that will operate the PokerStars.IN online poker room and website and is a part of Sugal & Damani Group. Sugal & Damani Group is a leading business house primarily dealing with lottery and gaming businesses and is the largest state government lottery operator in India. It is also one of the major players operating another game of skill, rummy, under the brand name khelplayrummy.com. Apart from lotteries and gaming, Sugal & Damani Group also has interests in information technology, e-commerce, payment services and real estate.

About The Stars Group  

The Stars Group is a leading provider of technology-based products and services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment industries. The Stars Group directly or indirectly, including through its Stars Interactive Group division, owns gaming and related consumer businesses and brands, including PokerStars and Full Tilt, and the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship, European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour, PokerStars Festival and PokerStars MEGASTACK live poker tour and event brands. These brands together have millions of registered customers globally and collectively form the largest poker business in the world, comprising online poker games and tournaments, sponsored live poker competitions, marketing arrangements for branded poker rooms, and poker programming and content created for television and online audiences. The Stars Group, through certain of these and other brands, also offers other interactive entertainment products. The Stars Group, through certain of its subsidiaries, is licensed or approved to offer, or offers under third party licenses or approvals, its products and services in various jurisdictions throughout the world, including in Europe, both within and outside of the European Union, Australia, the Americas and elsewhere. In particular, PokerStars is the world's most licensed online gaming brand, holding licenses or related operating approvals in 17 jurisdictions.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements and Other Information  

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can, but may not always, be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "would", "should", "believe", and similar references to future periods or the negatives of these words and expressions. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Please refer to The Stars Group's most recent annual information form and annual and interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for more information about the factors, assumptions and risks that may apply to The Star's Group's forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and The Stars Group undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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Eric Hollreiser: Press@starsgroup.com