WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPTE) announced today the official
launch of its new online real money and "play for fun" gaming site,
WorldPokerTour.com. WPT executives are in London to celebrate the
launch and invite players from around the globe to register and
receive the $1500 "You Play, We Pay" bonus program, one of the
industry's largest bonuses ever offered.
Five years ago televised poker sparked the global poker boom and
skyrocketed the online gaming business into a multi-billion
dollar-per-year industry, yet gaming laws prompted WPTE to tailor its
rules accordingly and not accept US bets. In April, WPT moved its
online global gaming platform to develop a new site with leading
software developer, CryptoLogic, whose shared network offers a
constant, substantial player liquidity.
"The launch of WorldPokerTour.com allows us to strengthen our
brand with the unveiling of a comprehensive and robust online gaming
platform," said Steve Lipscomb, President, Founder and CEO of WPTE.
"Our strategic partnership with CryptoLogic offers our users a stable,
secure and proven platform while the flexible infrastructure can meet
the demands of our growing business."
Lipscomb continued, "WPT played a very key role in the global
poker boom and remains one of the most visible and respected poker
brands today. By moving our online global gaming platform to
CryptoLogic and securing immediate liquidity, we are poised to make a
major impact in the online gaming industry and create a significant
financial opportunity for our company."
Fans who have played on WPT's original gaming site, WPTOnline,
will enjoy a new look and feel as they migrate to WorldPokerTour.com.
The site offers a host of popular poker games, including No Limit
Texas Hold 'Em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud and Holdem Blackjack; as well as
unique tournaments such as Headhunters, where players are rewarded
during a tournament for each opponent they eliminate. What's more,
WorldPokerTour.com is built into CryptoLogic's global shared
network--one of the largest in the world that does not take US
bets--where thousands of players are continuously online, ensuring WPT
fans can find a game at the level and stake they want, in the currency
they want, whenever they want it.
In London for the launch of WorldPokerTour.com, actress,
competitive poker player and WPT board member Mimi Rogers said: "It
seems fitting to launch WorldPokerTour.com in London, the new poker
capital of Europe*. It's great that we can help the growth of the game
with our new site; it offers the professional look, feel and security
expected by experienced players like me, while offering new players a
chance to hone their skills in a fun, free environment."
WorldPokerTour.com does not take bets in the United States or in
other territories where online gaming is restricted. Players must be
18 years of age or older.
Notes to editors
* Yesterday Bluff Europe, the most widely read poker magazine,
named London as Europe's poker capital (see
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.
jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070627005491&newsLang=en)
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and paste it into your Internet browser's URL address field. You may
also need to remove an extra space in the URL if one exists.)
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About WPTE
WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE) is a company engaged in the
creation of internationally branded entertainment and consumer
products driven by the development, production, and marketing of
televised programming based on gaming themes. WPTE is the creator of
the World Poker Tour(R), a television show based on a series of
high-stakes poker tournaments that airs on the Travel Channel in the
United States and is scheduled to begin broadcasting on GSN in early
2008. WPT is licensed for broadcast globally. WPTE also operates a
real-money online gaming website, www.worldpokertour.com, which
prohibits wagers from players in the U.S. and other restricted
jurisdictions. WPTE currently licenses its brand to companies in the
business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing,
electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino
games, and giftware. The company is also engaged in the sale of
corporate sponsorships. For show information, tools for improving
poker play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to
www.worldpokertour.com. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned
subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO). Photos and
media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com/media
WPTEG
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a
"safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information
included in this press release (as well as information included in
oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by WPT
Enterprises, Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking, such
as statements relating to the expansion of WPTE's brand licensing, the
development of new television and film projects, the development of
WPTE corporate sponsors and other business development activities, as
well as statements regarding other capital spending, financing sources
and the effects of competition. Such forward-looking information
involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly
affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such
results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking
statements made by or on behalf of WPTE. These risks and uncertainties
include, but are not limited to, WPTE's significant dependence on the
Travel Channel as a current source of revenue and GSN as a future
source of revenue, and the risk that GSN will not exercise its options
to air season of the WPT series beyond Season VI; difficulty of
predicting the growth of our online gaming business, which is a
relatively new industry with an increasing number of market entrants;
reliance on the efforts of CryptoLogic to develop and maintain the
online gaming website in compliance with WPTE's business model and
applicable gaming laws; the potential that our television programming
will fail to maintain a sufficient audience; the risk that competitors
with greater financial resources or marketplace presence might develop
television programming that would directly compete with WPTE's
television programming; the risk that WPTE may not be able to protect
its entertainment concepts, current and future brands and other
intellectual property rights; risks associated with future expansion
into new or complementary businesses; the termination or impairment of
WPTE's relationships with key licensing and strategic partners; and
WPTE's dependence on its senior management team. For more information,
review WPTE's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
