PokerStars confirmed on September 25, 2026, that it will open its PokerStars Network to operators outside Flutter Entertainment. Partners could gain access to the company’s poker technology, shared player liquidity, products and game-integrity systems.

The announcement follows PokerStars’ migration to Betfair in Great Britain on August 13. It marks a shift from a mainly consumer-facing brand to a broader business-to-business platform, PokerFuse reported.

The immediate change for British players is a new customer interface. The larger industry question is whether PokerStars can turn its network into a shared platform for regulated operators.

What is changing in Great Britain

Flutter is using Betfair as the access point for PokerStars poker in Great Britain. The connected player pool remains available across the network.

Paddy Power and Sky Poker are expected to join the arrangement later in 2026, according to PokerStars.

  • PokerStars poker in Great Britain is moving behind the Betfair customer interface.
  • The shared network remains connected to the existing PokerStars player pool.
  • Paddy Power and Sky Poker are expected to join the Flutter network later in 2026.
  • External operators may seek access to PokerStars technology and liquidity.

Potential partners could retain their own branding while using PokerStars technology and liquidity. They could also adopt a white-label arrangement or use the PokerStars brand under a franchise-style structure. Any arrangement would remain subject to local market rules, PokerFuse reported.

Why the Betfair migration matters

The migration changed the customer access point without ending the PokerStars poker product. PokerStars told players that its games, tournaments, series and player pools would remain connected. Betfair became the new home for the service in Great Britain.

The change also separates the PokerStars brand from the company managing the customer-facing account relationship in the market. The Gambling Commission says the licence holder responsible for regulatory duties is the company with which the consumer conducts the gambling transaction.

That distinction affects complaints, safer-gambling controls, identity checks, account restrictions and customer funds. A network can share technology and player liquidity, but each British-facing operator must meet the requirements attached to its own licence and customer relationship.

Licensing remains market-specific

The Gambling Commission’s register lists Stars Interactive Limited as an active licence holder with remote casino, gambling software and betting licences. The register lists the company’s head office in the Isle of Man and shows active PokerStars trading names and domains.

The register also lists Betfair Limited as an active holder of a gambling software remote licence. The Commission says businesses providing remote gambling to consumers in Great Britain generally need a relevant operating licence.

These rules apply to Great Britain, meaning England, Scotland and Wales. They do not create a single licensing framework for Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Any outside operator joining the PokerStars Network would need to assess the rules in each jurisdiction where it offers gambling. Network participation would not remove the operator’s own licensing responsibilities.

Competition could shift

The new model gives PokerStars a way to expand its reach without requiring every partner to build a poker platform from scratch. It also gives Flutter a way to spread the cost of technology, integrity controls, tournament operations and liquidity across more brands.

For British operators, the offer creates another potential alternative to established poker networks such as Playtech’s iPoker. The commercial effect is not yet known.

PokerStars had not announced its first independent third-party partner by September 25. The size of any new network will depend on which operators join and in which regulated markets, PokerFuse reported.

The key test will be whether outside brands can add enough active players to improve liquidity without weakening customer protections, identity controls or accountability. The Gambling Commission’s public register showed no recorded regulatory action against Stars Interactive Limited on September 26, 2026.

What happens next

PokerStars is due to present the network proposition to potential commercial partners at the SBC Summit in Lisbon from September 29 to October 1, 2026.

In Great Britain, the next significant milestones are the planned migration of additional Flutter brands and the announcement of any independent operator joining the network.

For players, the visible change is a new front door through Betfair. For the industry, the result will depend on whether shared liquidity and technology attract outside brands while licence-holder responsibilities remain clear.