Owned by Amaya PokerStars and Full Tilt have withdrawn from the Slovenian market.
Both brands have ceased operations on the 4th of July, with Slovenian players being given the option to withdraw any remaining cash at their own convenience.
The move comes after both companies exited the Israeli market last week.
A PokerStars spokesperson said in a statement issued to Pokernews.com: “Our management team regularly reviews our operations market-by-market to assess commercial opportunities and business risks for our brands.
“Following a recent review, we have decided to stop offering real-money games to players who are physically located in, or have a registered address in, Slovenia from July 4, 2023.
“Player balances remain safe and secure, and players are able to withdraw their real-money balances at their convenience.”
The spokesperson noted that neither PokerStars, Full Tilt nor Amaya expect to pull out out any other regional markets in the near future and left the door open to a potential return to the Slovenian market if online gaming legislation is passed in the country.
“We do not currently expect to withdraw services from any other locations in the foreseeable future, and a full question-and-answer page has been provided for affected players,” the spokesperson said.
“We hope that we will be able to return to the market in due course, and will continue to support the implementation of fair and consistent regulation that serves the needs of all stakeholders and includes a strong commitment to consumer protection, particularly of vulnerable people, in Slovenia.
“There is already a successful framework for such regulation in Europe and PokerStars is currently licensed in 12 EU countries.
“We hope to apply for a licence in Slovenia when it is possible.”
PokerStars qualifies thousands of players to the most participated live poker events every year, including the Asia Pacific Poker Tour, European Poker Tour, Latin American Poker Tour, UK & Ireland Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and the World Cup of Poker.
Full Tilt is the home of the biggest weekly online poker tournament, Sunday Million, and the annual World Championship of Online Poker, as well as several other big events like the European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and many more.
