PokerStars
PokerStars is the best-known online poker room in the world, owned by Flutter. Where it is licensed, what it offers and who it suits.
Licensed in the UK, Spain, Portugal, US states and Ontario
- Founded
- 2001
- Owner
- Flutter Entertainment
- Licences
- UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Germany; Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania; Ontario
- Products
- Poker, casino, sports betting in some markets
Licence and background
PokerStars dealt its first hands in 2001 and rode the poker boom to become the largest room in the world, a position it held for well over a decade. Flutter Entertainment has owned it since 2020. It is licensed market by market: in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission, in Spain and Portugal by the national regulators, and state by state in the US.
Which players you sit with depends on where you live. Spain and Portugal share tables with France, the US states pool among themselves, and Ontario is ring-fenced.
What you get
Cash games in Hold'em and Omaha, daily tournaments, Spin & Go jackpots and the big online series are the core. The software has been the reliability benchmark for years. Casino games run from the same account, and sports betting is offered in some countries.
The rewards programme has been reworked several times, so check the current terms.
Our take
Still the default choice for poker in most licensed markets, with the widest tournament schedule outside GGPoker. Rake and rewards are less generous than they once were. If you mainly want slots or sports, other brands do those better.