PokerStars license delay in New Jersey linked to Amaya probe

Poker fans waiting for PokerStars to finally get a license in New Jersey will have to wait a little bit longer.

In a podcast interview with Global Gaming Business Magazine publisher Roger Gros,New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) David Rebuck indicated that it might take a while before the company gets a license in the state due to the ongoing investigation into its acquisition by Amaya.

PokerStars has been trying to enter the New Jersey market for several years already, to no avail. In 2013, the brand’s application was suspended for two years following a federal indictment against founder Isai Scheinberg. Stars had already settled its Black Friday civil charges with the U.S. Department of Justice for a hefty $731 million in 2012, and Stars spokesman Eric Hollreiser said the department had promised to “resume the review of our application if our circumstances change.”

The company’s circumstances did change after Canada-based Amaya Gaming acquired its parent company, Rational Group, in June 2014. Following the purchase, Amaya asked New Jersey to reconsider PokerStars’ application, and Rebuck said they have been looking into the issue ever since.