PokerStars.es Prepares for Launch with New Regulations and Changes

PokerStars held meetings with Spanish poker communities on May 21 and 22 in Barcelona to discuss their plans for the .es platform. Isai Scheinberg, founder and owner of PokerStars, and Steve Day, a key figure in public relations for the company, participated in the first day of the meeting via telephone. PokerStars will work to clarify the taxation issue affecting players directly.

The new gaming law in Spain requires companies to pay a 25% tax on their gross income, which includes the rake minus prizes. Additionally, there is another tax of 0.075% on the volume of play for administrative management. PokerStars aims to share the impact of taxes equally between the room and the player, which means the rake will increase and VIP Club rewards will decrease proportionally.

Players who plan their game annually and reach 200,000 VPPs or more in 2012 on the .com platform will receive compensation from PokerStars. PokerStars will offer a progressive launch plan for the .es platform, focusing on maximizing Spanish liquidity. The 5 Card Draw will be one of the game modes offered on PokerStars.es.