Pending the issue of a licence, PartyPoker has ceased real-money operations in the Czech Republic, blocking deposits but allowing its local players to withdraw funds if they wish.
The company is reportedly working with the local regulator to achieve licensing and get back to work, but local laws require it to suspend activity until a licence has been issued.
Pokerstars.cz, which has obtained licensing, went live in the Czech market this week (see previous report) and will be making the most of its early entry and the lack of legal competition.
Prior to the implementation this year of the regulated and licensed market in the Republic, Czech players reportedly spent the equivalent of around $6 billion a year on foreign operated gambling websites.
After some initial glitches which attracted criticism that the Czech regulator was not effectively enforcing the laws against unlicensed operators in the market, it is understood that the government is now getting a firmer grip on the situation.
The progress of these enforcement efforts is being monitored by an independent organisation titled Transparency International (see previous InfoPowa reports).