Amaya Faces $290M Judgement Against PokerStars

A 2008 case involving a county in Kentucky and its attempt to seize the international domains of online gambling companies has resurfaced as Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate awards a $290 million judgment against PokerStars and its parent group, Amaya Group Holdings. Amaya certainly intends to appeal the judgement but Judge Wingate settled the 2008 matter and related 2010 case against PokerStars and Full Tilt. Poker Players Alliance joined the suit claiming that the county has initiated this case in an attempt to fill its own coffers. A private legal company representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky pursued the case based on a 73-year-old state statute permitting third parties to take up a case where the losing side or creditor fails to do so providing it is done with specific timeframes. With nearly $300M at stake, Amaya and the state's legal company have sought clarification from Judge Wingate regarding how he arrived at the amount of his judgement as Amaya says that it exceeds the total deposits made to Full Tilt and PokerStars by Kentucky players during the timeframe covered in the case. Since the state pursued the old case, Amaya is contesting whether it can be classified as a 'person' as it relates to the 1942 law. A federal court has already determined that Kentucky can pursue the case as a person despite US District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove's ruling that it has no jurisdiction in this matter as it involves gambling. The appeal could take years before it's settled and could significantly affect Amaya's attempts to obtain licensing in future legalized states according to industry observers.