PokerStars and Betfair join forces: what awaits players after the restructuring

PokerStars has announced a merger with Betfair for players from the United Kingdom. Find out how the account migration will take place and what changes await poker players.

On August 13, 2024, PokerStars announced a major restructuring: the iconic poker room is being integrated with the Betfair platform. This marks the first step in rolling out a new model that will change how UK players access their PokerStars accounts. From now on, for users in the UK, PokerStars will become part of Betfair and operate under the name PokerStars on Betfair. Below, we’ll take a closer look at what this means for players, how the migration will work, and what changes are in store for the poker industry. The essence of the changes: PokerStars becomes part of Betfair Starting August 13, 2024, PokerStars will be available to UK players exclusively through the Betfair platform, under the new brand PokerStars on Betfair. This is the first phase of a global transition that will also affect other brands owned by Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of PokerStars. In the coming months, Paddy Power Poker and Sky Poker will also join this process, fully transitioning to the PokerStars software. It’s important to note that the PokerStars software UK players have known for the past 25 years will remain unchanged. The only difference for UK players will be how they log in: access to the global PokerStars player pool will now be through the Betfair platform. Once the migration is complete, UK users will still be able to take part in the biggest tournaments, such as the Sunday Million , Spring Championship Of Online Poker (SCOOP) , World Championship Of Online Poker (WCOOP) , as well as popular formats like Spin & Go and qualifiers for live events, including the European Poker Tour (EPT) . All these opportunities remain, but will now be available exclusively via PokerStars on Betfair. Reasons for the restructuring: Flutter’s strategy and pooling liquidity The decision to integrate PokerStars with Betfair is part of Flutter Entertainment’s new strategy for developing poker. The PokerStars Network (PSN) will now bring together players from all Flutter brands into a single network, increasing field sizes, boosting prize pools, and driving activity across all stakes. The main goal of these changes is to restore and strengthen liquidity. According to Mike Woodbridge , Commercial Director of PokerStars, in recent years, fragmented regulation across different countries has led to a split in the global player pool. This has resulted in fewer tournament entries and smaller prize pools. The new model, he says, is designed to bring players back to the tables, expand the pool, and make the game more attractive. This approach has already proven successful in Italy, where PokerStars was integrated with the Sisal and SNAI brands, as well as in North America with FanDuel. Now, a similar integration is being implemented in the UK market. Kim Daly , Managing Director of Betfair, called this a “landmark moment for the industry.” She noted that bringing two iconic brands together on a single platform will create a unique product where poker, sports betting, and casino games are all available within one ecosystem. Daly emphasized that this will allow them to offer players the most comprehensive and innovative experience possible. How the migration will work for players From August 13, 2024, all Betfair Poker clients will access poker through PokerStars on Betfair. For UK PokerStars players, switching to the new platform will be mandatory: only through PokerStars on Betfair will they be able to join the global player pool and participate in their usual tournaments and cash games. Players from other countries will continue to use the standard PokerStars client without any changes. UK users will receive dedicated support: the PokerStars and Betfair Poker support teams will contact each player to explain the migration process in detail, answer questions, and assist with the transition. In the coming months, Paddy Power Poker and Sky Poker will also join the unified network, further increasing the overall player pool and prize funds. What will remain the same for UK players Access to the global PokerStars player pool — UK players will continue to play with users from around the world. The ability to participate in the largest online tournaments: Sunday Million, SCOOP, WCOOP, and others. Access to popular formats: Spin & Go, cash games, satellites to live events (EPT and more). Use of the same PokerStars software that players have grown accustomed to over the years. The only thing that will change is the way to log in: from now on, UK players will only be able to access PokerStars through the Betfair platform. Executive quotes: comments on the restructuring Mike Woodbridge , Commercial Director of PokerStars, noted that recent years have been challenging for the brand due to market fragmentation and the need to exit certain jurisdictions. This led to smaller fields and prize pools. The new model, he said, is aimed at restoring liquidity and bringing players back to the tables. Kim Daly , Managing Director of Betfair, emphasized that integrating PokerStars onto the Betfair platform brings together two innovative brands and creates a unique product where poker, betting, and casino games are available in a single system. She called this a “powerful moment for the entire industry.” Context: what are PokerStars, Betfair, and Flutter PokerStars is one of the world’s most renowned poker rooms, operating for over 25 years and hosting major online series such as SCOOP and WCOOP, as well as live tournaments like the European Poker Tour. Betfair is a leading betting and online gaming platform, also part of Flutter Entertainment. Flutter is an international company that brings together a range of gaming and betting brands, including FanDuel, Paddy Power, Sky Poker, Sisal, and others. As part of its new strategy, Flutter aims to create a unified poker network where players from all its brands can compete against each other, leading to increased liquidity, larger prize pools, and a wider variety of games for everyone involved. Impact on tournaments and the player pool The integration of PokerStars with Betfair, and in the future with Paddy Power Poker and Sky Poker, will increase the overall player pool. This means tournaments will have more participants and bigger prize pools. For players, this also means a wider selection of games and stakes, as well as more active cash game tables. The largest tournaments, such as Sunday Million, SCOOP, and WCOOP, will remain available to UK players, and their fields may become even larger thanks to the combined pools. What this means for PPPoker club players For members of clubs on the PPPoker platform, this news is an important signal: the world’s leading brands are focusing on pooling liquidity and expanding player pools. This confirms that the future of online poker lies with large networks, where players from different brands and countries can compete against each other, resulting in bigger prize pools and more game options. PPPoker club players should pay attention to the trend of integrating software and player pools: the larger the unified network, the better the chances of finding the right game at any time of day. This is especially relevant for fans of tournaments and cash games at medium and high stakes. Moreover, the experience of PokerStars and Betfair shows that successful migration and pooling are possible while maintaining high levels of security and software quality. PPPoker clubs can use this experience to build trust among their players, and participants themselves can be confident that the development of networks and pooling is to their benefit.