Unibet moves live poker events online

Kindred Group’s Unibet brand has moved its land-based poker tournaments online for the remainder of the year due to the ongoing restrictions on movement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision to move the Unibet Open series of events to the internet follows last month’s decision to combine the planned Unibet Open Tallinn with the Unibet Online Series VIII.

The new €1 Million guaranteed series runs begins May 1st and features 132 events, culminating in the €1,100 buy-in Unibet Open Main Event on May 24th.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly,” said Unibet head of events Nataly Sopacuaperu. “We fully understand the impact to our partners and the land-based venues, however, as a priority, we must consider not only the health of our customers but also the difficulty for recreational players with regards to planning trips around uncertainty.”

The company added that the decision will ensure Unibet Open fans can play an alternative to the live calendar events from the comfort of their own home, without risking lost money on flights or accommodation.

Unibet head of poker Kristoffer Bergvall commented: “We know some people will be disappointed, the team here certainly is, we love the live events! That said, we are all in agreement that this is the best way to ensure the consistency and reliability that people have come to expect from our product, and the online room is better equipped than ever to house our land-based fans.”

Shares in Kindred Group plc (STO:KIND-SDB) closed 2.72 per cent higher at SEK44.99 per share in Stockholm Tuesday.