Caesars enters France through an online and land-based tie with Barrière

CIE will initially offer WSOP-branded poker tournaments on BarrierePoker.fr, the joint venture between Barrière and Française des Jeux, ahead of launching real money poker with Barrière on WSOP.fr. The site will initially debut this year as a French-language WSOP news and information portal. 

The offline component of the deal will see BarrierePoker.fr replace Betfair as the headline sponsor of the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), with the event relocating from the Empire Casino in London to the french hotel and casino group’s Casino Barrière de Cannes Croisette in the South of France.

The event to be held from 7-21 October 2011 will present the culmination of a new seven-stop poker tour held at Barrière’s casinos across France, called the Barrière Poker Tour 2011. 

 “We are excited to work with Lucien Barrière Hôtels & Casinos to access the French market with high-quality and reputable poker events both in their hotels and casinos, and online with BarrierePoker.fr.” Mitch Garber, CIE´s CEO, said.

Dominique Desseigne, Groupe Lucien Barrière’s CEO, added: “This alliance backs our powerful synergy strategy between offline and online gaming, and it is an honor to associate ourselves with the most prestigious poker tournament in the world.”