Amaya granted renewal of approval to operate PokerStars and Full Tilt in New Jersey

MONTREAL, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Amaya Inc. (NASDAQ: AYA; TSX: AYA) announced today that the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has renewed its approval to operate the PokerStars and Full Tilt brands in the New Jersey regulated real money online gaming market.

Amaya initially received its approval to operate PokerStars and Full Tilt in New Jersey on September 30, 2015, and PokerStars NJ, the locally operated site of the world's most popular online poker brand, went live in the State on March 21, 2016.

Amaya currently estimates that since its launch, PokerStars NJ has contributed to the growth of the New Jersey real money online poker market and has quickly become the market leader in online poker, with players responding positively to the quality of the software, selection of games, and the integrity and security of the platform.  The site has also seen promising engagement with its casino offering.

"While it's very early, we're extremely pleased with the initial launch of PokerStars in New Jersey and the positive working relationship that Amaya has with the DGE," said Amaya Interim CEO Rafi Ashkenazi. "I'm very proud of our employees, including those we have hired in New Jersey, who have worked diligently to prepare for the launch of a robust, stable platform backed by great customer service. We hope to continue our early positive momentum in the market as PokerStars NJ continues to roll out additional marketing and promotions."

Like the initial approval granted on September 30, 2015, the renewal is for an additional term of six months, subject to further renewals.

About Amaya

Amaya is a leading provider of technology-based products and services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment industries. Amaya owns gaming and related consumer businesses and brands including PokerStars, Full Tilt, BetStars, StarsDraft, the European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American Poker Tour and the Asia Pacific Poker Tour. These brands have more than 100 million cumulative registered customers globally and collectively form the largest poker business in the world, comprising online poker games and tournaments, live poker competitions, branded poker rooms in popular casinos in major cities around the world, and poker programming created for television and online audiences. Amaya, through certain of these brands, also offers non-poker gaming products, including casino, sportsbook and daily fantasy sports. Amaya has various gaming and gaming-related licenses or approvals throughout the world, including from the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Estonia, Belgium, Denmark, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Romania, the Isle of Man, Malta, the State of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario in Canada, and the State of New Jersey in the United States.

About PokerStars New Jersey

PokerStars NJ is the locally operated version of the world's most popular online poker site, PokerStars. At PokerStarsNJ.com, players physically present in New Jersey can experience and enjoy the same world class gameplay, customer service, and game integrity that PokerStars has offered globally for almost 15 years.

PokerStars NJ operates in conjunction with its partner, Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, and offers both poker and casino games online at PokerStarsNJ.com to players who are physically located in the state.

PokerStars NJ uses globally established age and location verification protections, player fund protection through account segregation, and responsible gaming practices to oversee and control player activity.

PokerStars NJ is indirectly owned by Amaya. Amaya US Services Limited, a subsidiary of Amaya Inc., is the internet gaming operator of Resorts Digital Gaming LLC (d/b/a "Resorts"), which is authorized and regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, certain expectations and projections related to the operation of the PokerStars brand and product offerings in the State of New Jersey. Forward-looking statements can, but may not always, be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "propose", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "would", "should", "believe", "objective", "ongoing" and similar references to future periods or the negatives of these words and expressions and by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. These statements, other than statements of historical fact, are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including market and economic conditions, business prospects or opportunities, future plans and strategies, projections, technological developments, anticipated events and trends and regulatory changes that affect us, our customers and our industries. Although Amaya and management believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable and are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates, there can be no assurance that these assumptions or estimates are accurate or that any of these expectations will prove accurate. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those identified under the heading "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in Amaya's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015 and "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" and "Limitations of Key Metrics and Other Data" in its Management's Discussion and Analysis for the periods ended December 31, 2015, each available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, EDGAR at www.sec.gov and Amaya's website at www.amaya.com, and in other filings that Amaya has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and Amaya 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.

SOURCE Amaya Inc.