PokerStars parent company Flutter Entertainment continues to consolidate the online poker product into other online gaming and sports betting brands. The most recent integration took place in the United Kingdom.
The goal is to integrate player pools and grow multinational player pool liquidity across multiple brands for its new PokerStars Network (PSN).
The move began with a transition on Betfair on Aug. 3. Known as “PokerStars on Betfair,” the platform will eventually add Stars to Sky Bet and Paddy Power.
“I’m thrilled to bring two iconic brands under one roof,” Betfair Managing Director Kim Daly told SBC Americas. “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.”
Broader Integration Approach To Grow Liquidity
These moves follow the company’s merger between its U.S. PokerStars platform and FanDuel earlier this year. The company dubbed the new product PokerStars on FanDuel. The pairing allows Flutter to harness that massive player pool for the poker product in the legalized states where it currently operates: New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
FanDuel remains one of the leading sportsbook operators in the U.S. Companies like BetMGM and BetRivers take a similar approach to poker in the American market – a one-stop gaming shop for customers.
The U.S. and UK platform integrations are part of a broader approach to the poker product, as outlined by the company in a recent second-quarter earnings call.
The integration plan brought $120 million in additional restructuring and integration costs for the quarter. However, management estimates the changes will yield $300 million in annualized cost savings by the end of the year.
Other Platform Migrations Part Of Plan
The Italian PokerStars platform has migrated to the Sisal and SNAI gaming brands available in the country. The Italian market is considered the second-largest in Europe, behind the UK. Other consolidations are expected in Europe.
In its second-quarter earnings report, the company announced “an overall decline in activity on the PokerStars global platform.” Integrating poker products allows Flutter to harness the customer base of other leading brands to boost player pools.
The integrated platforms now offer players a complete gaming menu of sports betting, online casino, poker, and more. The streamlining in the UK also comes after the tax rate on online gaming rose from 21% to 40% in April.
Flutter has been making several changes recently. First, they announced 100-plus layoffs at PokerStars, which will impact the company’s global hubs in Canada, Europe, UK, and Ireland.
The company also canceled the North American Poker Tour Las Vegas series this year after partner casino Resorts World closed its poker room in March.
