PokerStars UK Moves to Betfair in Major Poker Migration

PokerStars is preparing a major change for its UK customers, with players set to access the familiar PokerStars poker ecosystem through Betfair following an upcoming account migration.

The transition is expected to take place within the coming weeks. While most player data and balances will move automatically, UK customers will need to install the Betfair software to continue playing. The migration will also introduce several practical changes, including GBP-only wallets and the removal of player-to-player transfers.

The move forms part of Flutter Entertainment’s wider strategy to consolidate its online poker brands around the new PokerStars Network.

PokerStars has started informing UK customers about the upcoming transition and has published guidance explaining how the process will work.

No exact migration date has been announced yet. PokerStars has only indicated that the switch will happen in the coming weeks.

When the migration takes place, there will be a temporary interruption to poker activity. Cash games and tournaments will be wound down before the system is switched over.

Once services return, UK players attempting to use their existing PokerStars software will be directed to download the Betfair client. They will then be able to sign in using their existing PokerStars credentials, triggering the account migration.

In practical terms, PokerStars' standalone UK operation will disappear as the customer-facing poker product moves under Betfair.

Flutter is attempting to make the transition largely automatic for existing customers.

Player balances will be transferred to Betfair, while unused tournament tickets and T$ will be converted into cash. Players registered for tournaments scheduled after the migration will be removed from those events and their buy-ins refunded.

Historical information will not disappear either. Transaction records and hand histories are expected to remain accessible after the move.

Players holding packages for live poker events will also retain the ability to use them.

This means most customers should not have to manually withdraw their PokerStars funds or recreate their poker accounts before moving to Betfair.

One of the biggest differences concerns currencies.

PokerStars currently allows customers to maintain balances in several currencies, including GBP, EUR and USD. UK players can switch money between these wallets when required.

That system will end following the Betfair migration.

Betfair UK poker accounts will operate with GBP balances only. Currency conversion will instead happen automatically when necessary, such as when a player joins or leaves a cash game, enters a tournament or receives prize money denominated in another currency.

For regular players accustomed to managing separate PokerStars currency wallets, this will be one of the most visible changes.

Not every PokerStars feature will survive the transition.

Player-to-player money transfers will no longer be supported after UK accounts move to Betfair. Existing PokerStars security tokens will also cease to function.

Customers may additionally encounter a different selection of deposit and withdrawal methods, while responsible gambling controls will not be identical to those currently available through PokerStars UK.

The underlying poker offering, however, is intended to remain familiar. PokerStars has told players that its games, tournaments and major series will continue, with the main difference being the platform through which UK customers access them.

Play-money poker is also undergoing a smaller change.

Players will still be able to access Play Money games through PokerStars on Betfair. However, the Freemium system that allows customers to purchase additional Play Money chips will not be offered.

The change suggests Flutter is retaining free-play tables while moving away from monetising Play Money through this particular feature on the new platform.

The UK switch is much bigger than a simple rebranding exercise.

Flutter is reorganising its international online poker operations around a shared network known as the PokerStars Network (PSN). Instead of maintaining separate poker ecosystems across several Flutter-owned brands, the company is bringing them together on PokerStars technology and into a common player pool.

The plan covers PokerStars, Betfair, Paddy Power and Sky Bet.

Betfair has already completed the first major technical step. Its poker operation previously ran on the iPoker Network but has since migrated to the PokerStars Network.

Paddy Power and Sky Bet are expected to follow later in 2026.

The UK strategy adds another layer to that consolidation. Rather than simply placing all Flutter poker brands on the same backend, the company is also concentrating customer-facing operations around selected leading brands in individual markets.

In the UK, that brand will be Betfair.

For most existing customers, the underlying poker environment should remain recognizable after the switch. The same network will continue to provide cash games, tournaments and major poker series, while accounts and balances are designed to transfer with minimal manual intervention.

The main changes concern how players access that ecosystem and how their accounts operate:

• PokerStars UK players will move to the Betfair client.
• Existing PokerStars credentials can be used during migration.
• Account balances will be transferred automatically.
• Unused tickets and T$ will be converted into cash.
• Future tournament registrations will be cancelled and refunded.
• Only GBP wallets will be supported.
• Player-to-player transfers will no longer be available.
• PokerStars security tokens will stop working.
• Payment options and responsible gambling tools may differ.
• Play Money games will remain, but Freemium Play Money purchases will disappear.

Flutter has not yet announced the exact date for the PokerStars-to-Betfair UK migration. For now, the company says the transition will take place within the coming weeks, with Paddy Power and Sky Bet expected to become the next brands integrated into the wider PokerStars Network.