Best Poker Operator of the Year: PokerStars.com

LONDON, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- PokerStars.com was dealt the winning hand
at this year's industry-recognized eGaming Awards. According to Scott
Longley, Editor of eGaming Review, PokerStars.com is "without question the
online poker room to watch at the moment." PokerStars.com is pushed to front
of the rank because of "its diversity of games and uptime stability,"
accompanied by exclusive ambassador programs with the last three World Series
of Poker Champions.
The short list of companies nominated for awards this year included some
of the biggest names in the industry and indicates how far the online gaming
industry has traveled in a short space of time. What sets PokerStars.com
apart from its competitors is its strategic partnerships with the creme of
champions. This proves a very powerful weapon in a highly-competitive market.
Since being founded in 2001, PokerStars.com has dealt over three billion
hands and run more than 14 million poker tournaments, awarding well over $1
billion in prize money. According to eGaming Review, PokerStars.com's
performance has stood out in the past year, as well as its growth, difference,
product and customer retention. The site is the world's largest poker
tournament website, having recently passed the 3.5 million registered users
milestone.
The recent signing of Joe Hachem, the 2005 WSOP champion, gives
PokerStars.com a triple crown. Currently, 2003 WSOP champion Chris Moneymaker
and 2004 WSOP champion Greg 'Fossilman' Raymer both serve exclusively as
PokerStars.com representatives. Hachem, who won a record $7.5 million top
prize at the WSOP in Las Vegas in July, will represent PokerStars.com as a
sponsored player and ambassador.
Consecutive World Poker Champions Raymer and Moneymaker won their seats to
the WSOP by qualifying directly through PokerStars.com. Now with the current
reigning champion Hachem on board, PokerStars.com has locked up the last three
World Champions.

The Judges Decision:

* Judged for its performance of the last 12 months, PokerStars stands
out, although it is not the biggest online site

* Leverage of stars names who emerged from the online scene is a key
differentiator

* Without question the poker room to watch

Tamar Yaniv, Director of European Marketing for PokerStars.com, proudly
accepted the award: "We are honored to be recognized by eGaming for our
performance over the last 12 months. We have worked hard at making PokerStars
the home of the ambitious tournament player and we are proud to have three
World Champion ambassadors -- earning us the trademark Where Poker Stars
Become Champions."

About PokerStars
PokerStars (http://www.pokerstars.com) is the world's most innovative online
poker site. PokerStars was the first site to introduce features that became
industry standard such as sophisticated multi-table tournaments, integrated
game statistics, players' notes, personalized images, time bank for
tournaments and big bet ring games, satellite tournaments, multi-table sit and
go tournaments, and much more.
To date, PokerStars has dealt over three billion hands and run more than
14 million poker tournaments, awarding well over $1 billion in prize money.
PokerStars is one of the world's largest poker rooms, with 3.5 million
registered player accounts. PokerStars' support team is truly unique, as help
and assistance is available around the clock from people who know and
understand the game of poker and the importance of impeccable customer
service.
The PokerStars.com site is also one of the most secure. PokerStars uses
industry-leading security software to ensure the integrity of the system,
including encryption, card shuffle randomness and preventative measures
against cheating and collusion. Money covering player's balances is held in
segregated accounts managed by the Royal Bank of Scotland, ensuring that
PokerStars can fulfill its obligations to players at all times.
PokerStars, an official member of the World Poker Tour, and the title
sponsor of the European Poker Tour (EPT) and the PokerStars Caribbean
Adventure. During the last three years, PokerStars.com sent more players to
the World Series of Poker than any other source or website. A whopping
1,116 entrants qualified to play this year via PokerStars satellites.
PokerStars is the site where the 2003 and 2004 World Series of Poker
champions won entries into the World Series of Poker. The reigning world
poker champion Joe Hachem, has also been an active player at PokerStars since
2001. He recently joined Moneymaker and Raymer as official representatives of
PokerStars.com, thus fortifying the company trademark, "Where Poker Players
Become World Champions."

Press Release, PokerStars.com - 2005-11-15 02:09:19