Playtech first company to enter mainland China poker market

The rush to what will be an incredibly huge Asian poker market has begun in earnest as Playtech entered into an agreement with Sino Strategic International (SSI), a Chinese gaming company.

SSI is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and currently distributes and operates keno, lotto and video lottery terminal (VLT) games through Shanghai Kelo, a subsidiary. Playtech agreed to provide poker software to SSI terminals located in lottery and betting outlets in the Shanghai area. This deal makes Playtech the first major distributor of poker products in mainland China.

Avigur Zmora, Playtech’s CEO, said that poker would be the start of a major roll out in China and will include traditional games such as mah jong in addition to Texas hold’em.

According to SSI’s Richard Li, with the new Playtech agreement in place SSI plans to expand their network of gaming terminals to other parts of China over the next five years through franchise operations.