PokerStars has today announced a major restructuring that sees two famous brands join forces. From August 13, PokerStars will become part of the Betfair platform and be known as PokerStars on Betfair, the first move under the new poker model that will change how PokerStars’ United Kingdom-based customers access their online poker accounts.
Under the new poker model, PokerStars’ customers in the UK will migrate to the Betfair platform later this year, which will use the same PokerStars software that has been the industry standard for the past 25 years.
UK-based players will still be able to compete against the PokerStars global player pool and play iconic tournaments like the Sunday Million, grind the Spring Championship Of Online Poker (SCOOP) and World Championship Of Online Poker (WCOOP), enjoy the excitement of Spin & Go tournaments, and qualify for major live events such as the European Poker Tour (EPT). It is just that they will do so on PokerStars on Betfair instead of PokerStars; it is only the way UK players access PokerStars that has changed.
In the coming months, Paddy Power Poker and Sky Poker will also replace their own poker product with the PokerStars software, adding yet more liquidity to the PokerStars.com global liquidity pool.
Why is PokerStars Becoming PokerStars on Betfair?
This is part of a larger shift in strategy with how Flutter, PokerStars’ parent company, treats poker. The “PokerStars Network” (PSN) connects players across Flutter’s brands into shared, connected pools, so more players play together, in bigger fields, more of the time. It’s how they’re investing in the long-term health of the game.
This move reflects a deliberate shift in how PokerStars operates. The iconic brand is focused on rebuilding liquidity in partnership, beginning with other Flutter brands, while applying PokerStars’ game integrity and security standards consistently across the entire network.
Such a model has already proven successful for PokerStars in Italy (Sisal and SNAI) and in North America (FanDuel), so it was only logical that the UK would follow suit.
By merging the UK-based customers of PokerStars and Betfair, and later Paddy Power Poker and Sky Poker, liquidity should be boosted in cash games and tournaments.
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Chief Commercial Officer for PokerStars, Mike Woodbridge, explains more.
“In recent years, the market environment has gotten harder for brands like PokerStars. A patchwork of regulations from one market to the next has fragmented the global game and led us to make difficult decisions to exit certain markets and not enter others. Players have felt it through thinner fields and smaller tournament prizes on our site.”
“We want to do something about that, so we’re moving to a different model with the aim of improving liquidity and player pools and bringing people back to the poker table.”
Kim Daly, Managing Director for Betfair, described the upcoming changes as a “powerful moment for the industry.”
“I’m thrilled to bring two iconic brands under one roof. By integrating PokerStars onto the Betfair platform, we’re uniting two category-transformers that share a passion for innovation and player empowerment.”
“Combined with the market-leading Betfair Casino product we’ve developed, this creates a truly comprehensive offering – poker, sports betting, and premium casino gaming all seamlessly integrated.”
“It’s a powerful moment for the industry, bringing together the very best in innovation to create an unmatched experience for players everywhere.”
What Happens Next?
From August 13, Betfair Poker customers will access poker through PokerStars on Betfair.
Non-UK PokerStars players can continue to access and play on PokerStars as they always have. Those registered in the UK will have to access the PokerStars global player pool via the new PokerStars on Betfair client.
PokerStars and Betfair Poker’s customer support teams will be in touch with their respective customers to explain the migration process and will be on hand to answer any questions.
You can read more about the changes on the PokerStars Blog.
Matthew Pitt
Senior Editor