WPT Enterprises, Inc. Anticipates Continued Growth in U.S. Poker Market Despite New Congressional Legislation Restricting Online Gaming in the U.S.

WPT Enterprises, Inc. Anticipates Continued Growth in U.S. Poker Market Despite New Congressional Legislation Restricting Online Gaming in the U.S.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WPTE), the company that helped launch the current global poker boom, issued a statement today encouraging the U.S. poker community to focus on the bright future ahead in the wake of Congressional passage of the "Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006."

"The Justice Department has been very clear that it believes online gaming to be illegal in the United States and our policies have been always been tailored accordingly," said Adam Pliska, General Counsel of WPTE. "This law clarifies the rules and makes it possible for everyone to move forward on an even footing."

It is estimated that over 50 million Americans play poker on a regular basis, with more than 100 million players world-wide. Whereas casinos were closing their poker rooms in 2001 prior to the launch of the World Poker Tour, today casinos across the country are expanding their rooms or opening new showcase poker rooms like the 111 table room at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut and the 85 table room at the Borgata in Atlantic City.

"It was a wide-spread love of this game and the reinvention of poker as a televised sport that ignited the poker phenomenon," said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPTE. "And, that is what will continue to drive the future of the sport. WPTE remains committed to growing the domestic poker market through traditional franchise opportunities like consumer products, sponsorship and events."

WPTE is the producer of the WORLD POKER TOUR(R) (WPT) TV television series, which airs in the U.S. on the Travel Channel, as well as 150 countries and territories. WPTE also maintains an online gaming site that explicitly excludes U.S. customers from wagering online.

The WORLD POKER TOUR launched the poker phenomenon when it first aired on the Travel Channel on March 30, 2003, and it continues to lead the way in developing poker as a major international sport. Viewers and aspiring tour players can log on to www.worldpokertour.com for ways to improve their game and to get the latest WPT schedules, information and merchandise. The highest rated show ever on The Travel Channel, the WPT is now seen in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. Premiere shows of the WPT air on the Travel Channel March to June and WPTE's newest series, the PROFESSIONAL POKER TOUR airs from July to December every Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET/PT.

About WPTE

WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WPTE) is a company engaged in the creation of internationally branded entertainment and consumer products driven by the development, production, and marketing of televised programming based on gaming themes. WPTE is the creator of the World Poker Tour(R), a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments that airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and more than 150 markets globally. With the WPT in its fifth season, WPTE has launched a second series on the Travel Channel, the Professional Poker Tour(TM), which focuses on the play of poker's leading stars. WPT also operates a real-money online gaming website, www.wptonline.com, which prohibits wagers from players in the U.S. and other restricted jurisdictions. WPT Enterprises currently licenses its brand to companies in the business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing, electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino games, and giftware. The company is also engaged in the sale of corporate sponsorships. For show information, tools for improving poker play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:LACO). Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com/media

WPTEG

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by WPT Enterprises, Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the expansion of WPTE's brand licensing, the development of new television and film projects, the development of WPTE corporate sponsors and other business development activities, as well as statements regarding other capital spending, financing sources and the effects of competition. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of WPTE. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, WPTE's significant dependence on the Travel Channel as a source of revenue; difficulty of predicting the growth of our online casino business, which is a relatively new industry with an increasing number of market entrants; the increased time, cost and expense of developing and maintaining WPTE's own online gaming software; the potential that our television programming will fail to maintain a sufficient audience; the risk that competitors with greater financial resources or marketplace presence might develop television programming that would directly compete with WPTE's television programming; the risk that WPT may not be able to protect its entertainment concepts, current and future brands and other intellectual property rights; risks associated with future expansion into new or complementary businesses; the termination or impairment of WPTE's relationships with key licensing and strategic partners; and WPTE's dependence on its senior management team. For more information, review WPTE's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:
Lyndsay LaGree/WPTE 323-330-9876
llagree@worldpokertour.com

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050809/LATU100LOGO)

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: llagree@worldpokertour.com

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050809/LATU100LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: WPT Enterprises, Inc.

CONTACT: Jackie Lapin, +1-818-707-1473, jackielapin@cs.com, or Lyndsay
LaGree, +1-323-330-9876, llagree@worldpokertour.com, both of WPT Enterprises,
Inc.

Web site: http://www.worldpokertour.com/media

Web site: http://www.wptonline.com/

Web site: http://www.worldpokertour.com/

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