PokerStars launches exclusively on FanDuel in three US states
Flutter Entertainment has merged its FanDuel and PokerStars brands in the US, bringing PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel, to players in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Flutter acquired PokerStars through its all-share merger with The Stars Group on May 5 2020, and last month went on to discontinue PokerStars’ standalone real money platforms in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ontario with a view to this repositioning.
PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel will be available through a new poker app and desktop site. FanDuel said the launch forms one of the largest online poker networks in the North American-regulated market. The operator added that it expects the product to launch in Ontario later this year.
The new product gives players access to larger prize pools, bigger games, and a broader range of tournaments and cash games.
Two US$500,000 guaranteed Sunday Million tournaments were among the launch promotions, alongside a US$150,000 guaranteed No Sweat series.
“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,” said Aaron Dugan, General Manager of PokerStars at FanDuel.
“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.”
Earlier in the month, FanDuel launched its sportsbook in Arkansas by partnering with Oaklawn Casino in Hot Springs.
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The Backstory
Why FanDuel is fronting PokerStars in the U.S. now
Flutter Entertainment’s decision to fold PokerStars into FanDuel’s U.S. footprint reflects a broader reshaping of its North American playbook. By retiring PokerStars’ standalone real-money sites in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan, then relaunching PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel’s platform, Flutter is betting on a single, scaled funnel to drive liquidity, reduce marketing overlap and sharpen cross-sell into casino and sportsbook. The move follows years of brand coexistence after Flutter acquired PokerStars’ parent, The Stars Group, on May 5, 2020, but comes at a moment when cross-state liquidity, broader content portfolios and player engagement tools are differentiating winners in a maturing market.
FanDuel’s size and marketing reach give PokerStars a larger stage for tournament guarantees and player pools, which rely on steady traffic to sustain marquee schedules. The near-term aim is more predictable prize pools and a simplified path for FanDuel’s sportsbook and casino customers to sample poker under a unified account and app environment. Longer term, the consolidation sets a foundation for rapid product rollouts across states as regulations allow, including in Ontario, where Flutter said a launch is expected later this year.
Live casino alliances that set the table
Behind the brand consolidation is an expanding supply chain of live and RNG content designed to keep players circulating across verticals. PokerStars recently named Evolution its exclusive live casino provider in North America, a renewal that brings high-velocity titles like Crazy Time, Lightning Roulette and Craps to players in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ontario. That deal, described in Evolution’s extended partnership with PokerStars in North America, tightens integration across Flutter’s platforms and simplifies operations for table games that pair well with poker’s session-based engagement.
Evolution’s Ezugi brand is also widening PokerStars’ live repertoire in Canada. In Ontario, PokerStars added Ezugi’s Revolution Roulette, Ultimate Roulette, Unlimited Blackjack and Lucky 7, as detailed in Ezugi expands into Ontario with PokerStars partnership. The result is a fuller lobby built to capture time between poker tournaments and cash sessions. For FanDuel, which runs a leading U.S. sportsbook and a growing casino, live casino breadth enhances cross-sell opportunities from poker while reinforcing table-first brand credentials that PokerStars has cultivated for two decades.
Together, these partnerships create a content backbone that supports Flutter’s consolidation thesis: a single distribution pipe with enough scale to carry exclusive live tables, localized variants and broadcast-style game shows that monetize engagement beyond poker alone.
Jackpots and the cross-sell engine
FanDuel has been seeding its casino ecosystem with progressive jackpots aimed at frequency, predictability and headline wins. In early 2025, FanDuel launched its Casino Jackpots network in New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania, linking payouts across slots and table games with four tiers and an optional US$0.10 add-on. The product, powered by technology from BeyondPlay, which FanDuel acquired in 2024, has since tallied more than 50,000 winners and roughly 1,500 daily jackpots, creating a steady cadence of rewards that complements tournament-based poker incentives.
FanDuel then expanded the feature with a higher-contribution option that doubles the opt-in to US$0.20 for boosted chances, as outlined in FanDuel Casino launches new jackpots feature in three US states. Across both releases, the operator says more than 450,000 jackpots have paid out with total winnings surpassing US$300 million. For a poker network built on recurring play and bankroll management, the jackpot layer serves as a bridge: it draws in poker players looking for quick-shot variability between sessions while giving casino-first customers a reason to sample poker events promoted inside the same app.
The jackpots strategy also aligns with Flutter’s push to own more of the engagement stack. With BeyondPlay’s tools now embedded into FanDuel’s in-house platform, Flutter can synchronize promotions, prize drops and retention mechanics across verticals. A consolidated PokerStars on FanDuel amplifies that reach under one marketing and product roadmap.
Content beyond live tables widens the funnel
While live casino strengthens the table game spine, RNG content broadens appeal and fuels acquisition in regulated markets where poker alone may not deliver sufficient scale. PokerStars’ deal with BGaming, noted in BGaming partners with PokerStars to further global expansion, adds titles like Merge Up, Gemhalla and Wild Cash x9990 across the operator’s footprint. The portfolio spans casual to classic slots and entertainment-led mechanics designed to resonate with streaming audiences and social discovery.
For Flutter, diversified content pipelines matter as it leans on FanDuel’s promotional muscle. PokerStars’ brand equity brings credibility with table enthusiasts, but incremental growth in the U.S. is likely to hinge on showcasing variety and novelty that keep non-poker players active. Integrations with studios that can refresh catalogs frequently also help match the tempo set by U.S. sportsbooks, where promotional windows are short and seasonal spikes demand rapid content pivots.
The combined approach — poker liquidity, live table depth and jackpot-led casino engagement — is intended to stabilize revenue seasonality and lift lifetime value. It also supports more targeted segmentation, with the ability to steer cohorts into higher-value experiences based on play history and state-level constraints.
What to watch in Ontario and across U.S. states
Ontario sits at the crossroads of Flutter’s plan. PokerStars already runs live casino with Evolution brands and Ezugi there, and FanDuel expects to bring the PokerStars-on-FanDuel setup to the province later this year. If executed, Ontario would become an early test of whether the U.S. consolidation thesis scales in a market with competitive online casino dynamics and a mature PokerStars user base. The live casino slate described in Evolution’s renewed deal and Ezugi’s expansion positions Flutter to cross-promote effectively on day one.
In the U.S., watch for state-by-state product parity and how quickly FanDuel syncs poker promotions with its jackpots network. The Sunday majors and series guarantees highlighted in the relaunch are geared to demonstrate immediate liquidity and reliability. Sustaining that momentum will depend on seamless wallet experiences, targeted bonusing and the cadence of new live and RNG content that turns poker spikes into broader session time.
Competitive responses matter too. Operators with modular live studios and their own progressive networks can raise the bar on prize pools and game show-led engagement. Flutter’s counter is scale — a consolidated audience, a powerful sportsbook cross-sell and first-call access to live content from partners like Evolution and Ezugi. The next few quarters will show whether unifying PokerStars under FanDuel converts that structural advantage into share gains and more resilient unit economics across regulated North America.
