On an earnings call today covering Amaya’s 1Q15 results, CEO David Baazov reiterated that PokerStars NJ remains “on track” for approval and launch in the third quarter of 2015 as outlined in Amaya’s last call.
Baazov’s statement echoes sentiments expressed recently by New Jersey regulators and the owner of PokerStars’ NJ partner Resorts AC.
View the release here. Listen to a replay of the call here (registration required).
Baazov offered somewhat mixed commentary on California, sounding both positive and non-committal notes that lacked specificity (understandable given the muddy waters surrounding the issue).
“We’re very pleased with the efforts and what we see,” said Baazov, adding that “we’re very very excited about what momentum we see” but that the company lacks a “crystal ball” and that “I guess we’re going to have to stay tuned.”
In contrast to the last Amaya call, Baazov’s tone regarding the company’s plans for DFS was a bit more subdued.
The issue was only addressed in response to questions from analysts.
“I would say that the goal” is to launch by the start of the NFL season, Baazov said. But he added that the company was pushing the make sure a launch happens by the end of 2015.
Baazov declined to answer questions regarding possible DFS acquisitions and indicated that DFS was not baked into Amaya’s current guidance.
Amaya offered a few metrics and other notable bits for casino adoption at PokerStars and Full Tilt.
Other key points: