On December 23 Judge Thomas Wingate ruled in favor of the state of Kentucky in a lawsuit against Amaya Inc, owner of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, for about $870 million dollars for violation of Kentucky’s anti gaming law.

Judge Wingate awarded declared that Kentucky’s residents spent around $290 millions in PokerStars after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act came into effect in 2011. Amaya Inc claims that the residents spent only $18 mullion dollars between 2006 and 2011.

Marion Goldstein , Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Amaya Inc declared the ruling was absurd. «This is a frivolous and egregious misuse of an antiquated state statute to enrich the contingent-fee plaintiff’s attorneys hired by the Commonwealth and not the people of Kentucky. Given that PokerStars only generated gross revenues of approximately $18 million from Kentucky customers during the five years at issue, a damages award in excess of US$800 million is notable only for its absurdity.»

Amaya Inc will launch the appeal in January 2016 claiming factual and legal errors incluiding violations of federal and state constitutions.