Poker Stars to Buy Into the Hippodrome Casino in London

London's Hippodrome Casino released details to online gambling news in United Kingdom about the deals with Microgaming and Poker Stars.

US online poker giant Poker Stars has acquired a minority share in the London terrestrial casino ‘The Hippodrome’. Percentage, price, other considerations or details were undisclosed.

Famous British father and son bingo entrepreneur, Jimmy and Simon Thomas had invested earlier at least GBP 40 Million into the acquisition and re-modeling of London’s iconic gambling venue after selling their bingo empire. The building is now home to "The Top Deck" poker room and offers 24/7 cash poker games.

Poker Stars will refurbish and rebrand the "The Top Deck" to create the firm’s first example of British poker rooms. From 2013 on, the casino will host a wide of tournaments sponsored by Poker Stars, as well as special events to promote the world’s leading online poker site.

In the meantime, Microgaming is to build the Hippodrome’s online and mobile presence in accordance with British gambling laws. Online poker on the site will be hosted by Poker Stars. Details are not known how the new online poker room can be reached by the company’s customer base of 50 million registered players

Simon Thomas, founder and chairman of the Hippodrome Casino commented: “We are delighted to welcome Poker Stars and Microgaming into the Hippodrome Casino family. They bring unrivaled online profile and expertise that will allow us to harness the true potential of a bricks-and-mortar venue and its online presence.”

Poker Stars Group Strategy Director Guy Templer assured: “Poker Star’s expertise and success in both online and live poker makes partnering with Hippodrome a natural. The Hippodrome has dramatically raised the quality bar for the UK casino industry.”

Templer added: “Together we will give poker players the same great poker experience, live 24/7 in the heart of London that they get from Poker Stars online. We are looking forward to unveiling some great new live events for the UK poker market in 2013.”