expert 6.3
Denis Anipchenko

Expert opinion

Amaya company was founded in 2004 and provides players with a wide range of products: sports betting, poker, lotteries, video slots, games with live dealers. The company underwent changes, during which the name was changed, now the company is called The Stars Group. Among the well-known brands owned by the company are poker stars Full tilt. If you are looking for a live casino from Amaya, sometimes the products can be presented under the Ho gaming brand, so in 2012 there was a merger of these developers. The company's games have been widely distributed around the world, so the Stars Group has been licensed in 21 countries and received gambling licenses, including the most demanding from the UK and Malta. The company's offices are located on the Isle of Man and Canada in Toronto.

Best Live-casino Amaya 2024

The company's products are represented in many online and land-based casinos in Europe, Latin America, and the USA. Partners include Sky, Golden Nugget and others.

Amaya Review

Amaya was founded in 2004 in Canada. The company can not be characterized only as a developer of games for online casinos, because it has chosen quite an interesting and productive way of development. Unlike competing companies, Amaya did not dive into the process of developing any unique gaming solutions, Yes it has and has had products for online casinos, but they went the other way. Around 2010, the management decided that it is much more productive to acquire other companies engaged in the development of products for online casinos. And it has borne fruit, just four years Amaya portfolio has grown and began to include:

  • Poker network (Poker Stars and Full Tilt)
  • Slot machine
  • Table games with live dealers 
  • Sports betting
  • Lotteries 

The company grew rapidly, which led to the listing of Amaya shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
There were several high-profile scandals associated with the senior management of the company, after which the Executive Director himself left his post. In 2017, at the meeting of the founders, it was decided to rebrand the company and change its name, currently, the company is called The Stars Group.
Given the scale of the Stars Group, it was simply necessary to obtain a variety of gambling licenses. The company is licensed in 21 countries, including Malta, the United Kingdom, as well as the United States (States in which the company provides services).
It should be noted that although the company is developing new games, the existing ones are of good quality, this also applies to table games with live dealers.

Amaya Live dealers

The predominant number of croupiers are young and pretty girls from Europe. All dealers are fluent in English and smiling. The dealers dress up in a simple closed black dresses.

Amaya History

The company was founded in 2004 and was engaged in the development of gambling on the Internet, this includes various lotteries, video slots. In 2010, management decided to develop by acquiring promising software developers. The first acquisition in 2011 was Chartwell Technologies, a company that produces games for online casinos. This allowed us to significantly expand the portfolio of Amaya products.

  • In 2012, the Ongame poker network was acquired and merged with Ho Gaming.
  • In 2013, an agreement is signed with a number of online and land-based casinos, including Caesars casino, Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino and Bwin.
  • In 2014, the company acquired Rational Group (owner of the largest poker rooms PokerStars and Full Tilt). In the history of the company has not been without scandals and multimillion-dollar fines. But if the fines of various regulators in the gambling industry are quite commonplace, then here is the scandal with the takeover in 2014, Oldford Group raised many questions. In addition, the company's management was accused of manipulation of securities. All this led to the fact that CEO David Baazov resigned.
  • In 2015, Amaya sold its assets (to Chartwell Technology and Cryptologic) to NYX developer, for almost $ 120 million. The deal was beneficial to both parties, Amaya got rid of non-core assets, and NYX acquired companies that correspond to its direction (software development), besides now NYX will supply its products on the Amaya platform. In the same year opens its own betting shop and online casino.
  • In 2015, there is an important event in the history of the company, its shares become available on the Nasdaq stock exchange. 
  • In 2016, there are no major acquisitions or agreements in the life of the company, mainly this year is marked by personnel changes.
  • In 2017, the company is conducting a complete rebranding, thus demonstrating to investors that they are not going to be involved in questionable transactions and scandals again. The name changes, now Amaya is officially called The Stars Group, as well as completely changing the company's website.
  • In 2018, Sky Betting & Gaming is acquired. 
  • In 2019, Stars Group and FOX Sports plan to release two products under the new FOX Bet brand.

Amaya Live Games

The company does not offer a large portfolio of Board games with live dealers, everything is quite concise. Although we note that the quality of the presented products is quite high. Nice and intuitive interface that allows you to control the game. Automatic adaptation of the broadcast quality depending on the speed of the user's Internet connection. Possibility of multi-gaming (a simultaneous play on several tables).
In terms of adaptation for players of different nationalities is also all good, several languages are available and support for different currencies. Additional statistics are available in the games, such as roulette, a list of previously dropped numbers, hot and cold numbers. There are also several options for additional bets. Players can view the betting history.
No less wide functionality is offered to operators themselves, who can choose chips of a certain color, connect the option of live chat with players, set the logos of their institution.
Currently, the company has one Studio located in Estonia, it is from it that the broadcast of live games takes place.
List of games:

  • Baccarat is a classic version of baccarat. There are tables for high rollers and with Super 6 functions.
  • Blackjack – the usual blackjack. If all the seats at the table are occupied, users can bet on other players. 
  • Roulette – a European roulette.

Awards

  • 2016 at the EGR awards, Poker Stars poker room was recognized as The "Best poker room of the year"
  • 2017 was marked by two awards at the IGA awards: "Casino operator of the year" and "Poker operator of the year".
  • 2017 IGA awards: "Socially responsible operator (online)"

Conclusion

The company Amaya (The Stars Group) in general is not purposefully engaged in the development of table games with live dealers for online casinos. This is evident from the fact that their live casino range is not expanding. Also, in the process of analyzing popular online casinos by the Casinoz team, this brand is almost nowhere represented. And it is quite understandable, Amaya puts its main efforts on the development of the poker network and sports betting.

Editorial rating
6.29/10
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6.3
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  • Software and Interface
    9/10
  • Operational stability
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Info
Website http://www.starsgroup.com/
Site languages English
Foundation date 2004
Downloadable version No
Flash version Yes
Mobile version Yes
Jurisdictions Isle of man
Contact information
Post address 200 Bay Street South Tower, Suite 3205 Toronto Ontario, Canada M5J 2J3