Georgica, the leisure group, has announced a co-operation agreement with 888, the online gaming company, to use its online poker capabilities to support its Rileys' website and snooker, pool and poker clubs throughout the UK.
Under the terms of the initial three-year agreement, which is the first combined online and offline poker offering of its kind in the UK, 888 and Rileys will work together to develop the www.rileyspoker.com website, powered by 888.com.
Rileys will promote the poker site in its 168 clubs, to its 525,000 members and externally in new club member recruitment.
The two companies will also develop a series of online and offline concepts including poker league tables, regional events and a televised national poker tournament.
Georgica has already begun to roll out live, face-to-face poker tournaments to its Rileys snooker and pool members clubs, and expects to have live poker operating in around 100 clubs by Easter.
In addition to its online support, 888 will provide assistance and technical support for the roll out and running of these live, face-to-face poker tournaments.
Peter Haspel, managing director of Georgica, said: “Our move to provide both live and online poker tournaments to the members of Rileys clubs represents an exciting opportunity for Georgica as part of its continued strategy to grow and expand the Rileys business.
“The agreement with 888 for the provision of online poker and assistance with the roll out of live poker gives Rileys access to the wealth of experience that 888 have in both online and offline poker and online marketing.”
