PokerStars debuts social poker product on mobile

PokerStars this week unveiled a mobile version of its free-to-play social poker app on iOS and Android, four months after launching the product on Facebook.

PokerStars PLAY is available as a standalone mobile app for mobile and tablet devices and features a number of gesture-based controls to replicate real poker play, Facebook login and sharing functionality, and in-app poker tips.

The Isle of Man-based firm launched its social casino app, which shares player liquidity with PokerStars’ free poker platform PokerStars.net, on Facebook in August following an 18-month beta testing period.

“Now you can get great poker action at the airport gate, your local cafe, or sitting on your back porch with a cup of coffee,” Lee Jones, PokerStars’ head of communications, said. “Poker is meant to be fun and now it can be spontaneous too; wherever you and your smartphone are,” he added.

The mobile app currently has a five-star rating in the UK Apple Store.

PokerStars’ parent company the Rational Group was acquired by Amaya Gaming Group in June for US$4.9bn and following the acquisition Amaya CEO David Baazov highlighted social gaming as one of four growth initiatives.

“While this social poker offering is not real money gaming, Rational has begun to modify this offering through the sale of chips to players with important upgrades,” Baazov said at the time of the acquisition.

“We anticipate social gaming will be an important growth opportunity for the company,” he added.

PokerStars is currently in the process of hiring a new director of social gaming following the departure of Mark Buser earlier this year who left the poker brand to return to the United States after one year in the role.