PokerStars: Ownership, Licences & Regulatory History

PokerStars is the largest online poker operator in the world by active player count and has been the dominant European poker platform since the mid-2000s. This page documents factual information about the operator, its ownership, licensing and regulatory history.

Company History

PokerStars was founded in 2001 by Isai Scheinberg and launched to the public in 2002. The site grew rapidly during the online poker boom of the mid-2000s, becoming the world’s largest online poker room by 2005. The company was headquartered in the Isle of Man and operated through Rational Entertainment Enterprises Limited.

In 2011, the US Department of Justice filed civil money laundering charges against PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker on April 15 — a date known in the poker industry as Black Friday. PokerStars was required to cease serving US customers and ultimately paid a $731 million settlement with the DOJ in 2012. As part of the settlement, PokerStars acquired Full Tilt Poker’s assets and reimbursed Full Tilt players outside the United States.

Ownership Changes

In 2014, Amaya Gaming Group (a Canadian company) acquired the Stars Group (the parent of PokerStars and Full Tilt) in a transaction valued at approximately $4.9 billion — one of the largest acquisitions in online gambling history at the time. Amaya subsequently rebranded as Stars Group.

In 2020, Flutter Entertainment plc — the parent of Paddy Power Betfair — completed a merger with Stars Group, creating one of the world’s largest online gambling companies. PokerStars continues to operate under its own brand within the Flutter group.

European Regulatory Status

PokerStars holds licences in multiple European regulated markets and operates localised versions of its product in each jurisdiction, subject to local requirements. In markets where PokerStars does not hold a domestic licence, the site accepts players under its Isle of Man or MGA licence depending on jurisdiction.

In 2023, PokerStars ended its WCOOP (World Championship of Online Poker) as a standalone event and restructured its tournament calendar. The WSOP partnership that had previously been associated with PokerStars ended; GGPoker subsequently secured the WSOP online sponsorship.

Significant Regulatory Events

In 2016, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement approved PokerStars to operate in the state following a years-long process involving the DOJ settlement and suitability review. This marked the first re-entry of PokerStars into a US-regulated market. PokerStars has since expanded into Michigan, Pennsylvania and other US states where online poker is legal.

In 2018, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy entered a shared player liquidity agreement. PokerStars subsequently merged player pools across these four jurisdictions, improving traffic and tournament viability for players in those markets.

Traffic Data

PokerStars consistently ranks as the highest-traffic online poker operator globally across peak and off-peak periods, as reported by public traffic trackers. The margin between PokerStars and the second-largest operator (GGPoker as of recent measurements) varies by time of day and day of week. Both sites show peak activity in European evening hours.