Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of PokerStars, has signed industry veteran Steve Preiss as its new Vice President of PokerStars North America. Preiss, most recently of GGPoker, will have oversight of PokerStars' growing efforts in the US states and Canadian provinces where the famed brand is regulated and available to online players.
Preiss will work out of Flutter's PokerStars North America office while also frequently visiting existing and new markets for PokerStars' North American offerings, which will include both online and live components.
"I feel fantastic being at Flutter," Preiss told PokerOrg. "It's a world-class organinzation, very well-run. Flutter is a first-class brand."
Being able to join a brand as historic as PokerStars is important as well to Preiss, who has been a part of the poker industry for almost two decades. "PokerStars has meant so much to the growth of the game," he added. "It's an honor to now be a steward of the brand." Preiss was also thankful for his time at GGPoker, which he described as "two fantastic years."
North American Poker Tour may return
One of the PokerStars offerings that Preiss is likely to be involved with is the long-rumored return of the Stars' branded North American Poker Tour (NAPT). The well-received series has been mothballed for over a decade, but PokerStars' regulated and expanding presence in both the US and Canada augers well for the NAPT's return.
Preiss can't share many details about the NAPT's future for the time being, except to note that the plans for the NAPT will likely include stops in both the US and Canada, and that the Canada stop is likely to take place in Ontario, where Stars is licensed and available in what us Canada's most populous province. PokerStars may also pick up some brand exposure in Ontario through appearances at prominent business expositions, such as the annual Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto.
Regardless of the specifics, near-future news regarding the return of the NAPT appears likely, and Preiss is sure to be involved in the tour's return.
