PokerStars to Exit the Polish Online Poker Market

PokerStars has announced its withdrawal from the Polish online poker market on March 27, marking yet another major market exit for the online poker giant.

Admin - 2025. March 12.

PokerStars has officially confirmed that it will cease operations in the Polish online poker market by March 27. Polish players have already received email notifications regarding the decision.

In recent years, PokerStars has exited multiple markets, primarily due to regulatory changes. However, the company’s statement about this withdrawal remains vague. According to their announcement, the decision is part of a broader strategic review by their parent company, Flutter, aimed at optimizing long-term business objectives.

While no explicit reason was provided, regulatory considerations likely played a role once again. PokerStars has been systematically scaling down its presence in grey markets, possibly to strengthen its position in fully regulated jurisdictions—such as the United States—where licensing applications take past business practices into account.

This move is particularly notable as it comes shortly after PokerStars lost its second-place position in global cash game traffic rankings. According to PokerScout data, WPT Global had an average of 2,700 active cash game players last week, surpassing PokerStars' 2,500-player average.

Poland’s Importance as a Poker Market

With a population of 37 million, Poland has long been considered one of Europe’s key online poker markets. Estimates suggest that Polish players account for up to 5% of PokerStars’ total traffic, making this withdrawal a significant blow to the operator’s shrinking global player base.

Now that PokerStars is leaving, the Polish online poker market is left with fewer options.

Poland’s Online Gambling Regulations

Poland introduced its gambling laws in 2009, establishing a state monopoly over online gambling. In 2017, regulations tightened further, with the government launching a blacklist of unauthorized gambling sites and requiring internet service providers to block access. PokerStars was among the platforms affected by these restrictions.

Due to strict regulations, many operators left Poland, but not all. PokerStars, GGPoker, Unibet, WPT Global, PartyPoker, and 888poker continued to serve Polish players through alternative payment methods, including digital wallets and cryptocurrencies.

Over time, PartyPoker and 888poker also withdrew. GGPoker briefly exited but returned in 2020 with a localized .PL website. Unibet followed suit, pulling out of Poland in late 2024, alongside several other grey markets.

In October 2024, PokerStars discontinued its online casino services for Polish players, a move that—looking back—was an early indication of its full withdrawal from the market.

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