News PokerStars Relaunches On FanDuel Platform, Merges US Player Pools

[Bawse]

PokerStars officially merged Pennsylvania with the New Jersey and Michigan player pools on Wednesday as the U.S. platform officially became part of the FanDuel app.

Both brands are owned by online gaming giant Flutter Entertainment. The addition of PokerStars to FanDuel reduces friction for customers who may be looking to play online poker as well as engage in sports betting and online casino gaming.

“The launch of PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel brings together two of the most iconic names in gaming and represents a major step forward for online poker in North America,” PokerStars General Manager Aaron Dugan said.

“By combining PokerStars’ industry-leading poker experience with FanDuel’s scale and reach, we’re able to deliver bigger games, larger prize pools, and a more dynamic experience. We look forward to welcoming players to the tables.”

Sunday Million Returns To The US​

Well, sort of. With geofenced restrictions on how big field sizes could be, PokerStars didn’t offer the iconic Sunday Million event to players in regulated U.S. markets.

But with its new platform and larger player pools, the company is claiming to bring it back. Historically, the event was a $215 buy-in with a $1 million guarantee. Now, PokerStars is offering two events at different price points, each with $500,000 prize pool guarantees. They are calling it the Sunday Million.

The first U.S. Sunday million in more than a decade runs on April 12.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2039066450338419029

Adding New Markets?​

Despite Pennsylvania joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) shared liquidity compact last April, PokerStars had yet to add Pennsylvania to the previously-pooled New Jersey and Michigan markets.

The merge with FanDuel now changes that, as all three states are now combined into one player pool.

The move to FanDuel may also enable PokerStars to more easily add more markets in the future. West Virginia is already part of the MSIGA and FanDuel operates online casino and sports betting in the state.

Maine legalized online gaming in January and could be a possibility. Connecticut legalized online gaming in 2022 but has yet to join the MSIGA. Lawmakers in Connecticut have made efforts recently, however.

Reviving Market Share​

The transition to FanDuel comes as PokerStars has shed market share over the last year, reportedly falling from being the top operator in the US behind BetMGM and WSOP Online.

BetRivers also launched online poker in 2024 and has become another competitor. That brand now features a shared player pool that also includes Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia.

As part of the PokerStars relaunch, the company announced a $150,000 guaranteed freeroll “No Sweat” tournament series. In addition to the US launch, PokerStars will be available on the FanDuel platform in Ontario, Canada, later this year.

source: https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-ne...es-on-fanduel-platform-merges-us-player-pools