PokerStars Sister Sites 2026 ⭐️ Find the TOP 3 here!

For as long as I have known him, my brother has played PokerStars every Sunday. He knows far more than the lobby: he knows the Sunday tournament schedule, the Spin & Go buttons and the little red spade on his phone. The one thing he did not know, when he asked me over a cup of tea, was who actually owns the site, and whether any of the "sister sites" he kept seeing advertised had anything to do with it.

That question is worth answering before you look at pokerstars sister sites. In 2020 PokerStars became part of Flutter Entertainment, the same group behind Betfair, Paddy Power, Sky Bet and tombola. However, that is where the similarities end. A shared parent company does not mean a shared licence, a shared wallet or the same poker tables.

In this article I explain which company operates PokerStars for players in Great Britain, which Flutter brands count as "sister sites", and the difference between a corporate sister and a site that merely looks similar. I also go through the PokerStars welcome offer, the rewards, payment options, withdrawals and the safer gambling rules that apply across the whole group.

Everything here was checked on 2 November 2026 against the PokerStars general terms of service (in force from 24 September 2026) and the public UK Gambling Commission register. PokerStars offers change frequently, so please check the current terms in the cashier before you make a deposit.

Callum Reid has played online poker in Great Britain since 2011 and has compared UK poker, casino and bingo brands for years, keeping a spreadsheet of withdrawal times, verification requests and bonus release rates. His practical checks shape the comparison below.

Who Runs PokerStars, and What Are Its Sister Sites?

Unlike many other poker sites, PokerStars has three different companies named in its paperwork for Great Britain. The first is Stars Interactive Limited, which holds the UKGC licence and appears on the public register under account number 39108. Stars Interactive Limited lists its head office at Douglas Bay Complex, King Edward Road, Onchan, Isle of Man.

Its licence number is 039108-R-319334-026. The licence covers Casino Remote and General Betting Standard (Real Event) since 1 November 2014, Gambling Software since 18 March 2015, General Betting Standard (Virtual Event) since 5 October 2015 and Pool Betting since 23 February 2017. When I reviewed the record, there were no regulatory actions listed against account 39108.

Your real money agreement, however, is with TSG Interactive Plc, a Flutter company registered in Malta. According to the terms, TSG offers the real money games under the "umbrella" of licence 39108. Your play money games are covered by a separate contract with Stars Mobile Limited, another Flutter company based in the Isle of Man. All three companies are part of the wider Flutter Group.

The register lists five trading names on account 39108: PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, PokerStars Sports, PokerStars Vegas and Full Tilt. Six domains are recorded, but only www.pokerstars.uk is shown as active. The other five, including pokerstarscasino.uk, pokerstarssports.uk, betstars.uk and two Full Tilt domains, are marked as inactive. The register still lists www.pokerstars.uk as active, but since 7 October 2026 players in Great Britain play PokerStars through PokerStars on Betfair. Existing PokerStars UK accounts were moved to Betfair, and PokerStars Casino and PokerStars Sports have been replaced by Betfair Casino and the Betfair Sportsbook.

This comparison is for adults aged 18+. Take time to think. If gambling feels hard to control then stop now and seek help through BeGambleAware and GamCare.

PokerStars Sister Sites in the Flutter Group

As account 39108 has only one active domain, PokerStars has no sister sites on the same licence. The genuine sister sites are the other Flutter brands in Great Britain. They share the same parent company, but none of them uses PokerStars' UKGC account. Each brand runs on its own Flutter licence accounts (Betfair and Paddy Power share several), so each has its own terms and conditions and its own welcome offer.

Brand	Main domain	UKGC licence holder	Account
Betfair	www.betfair.com	PPB Games Limited / PPB Entertainment Limited	39411 / 39426
Paddy Power	www.paddypower.com	PPB Games Limited / PPB Entertainment Limited	39411 / 39426
Sky Bet	www.skybet.com	SBG Sports Limited	67370
Sky Poker, Sky Vegas, Sky Casino	www.skypoker.com, www.skyvegas.com, www.skycasino.com	Bonne Terre Gaming Limited	65519
tombola	www.tombola.co.uk	Tombola (International) Plc	38613

If poker is your game of choice, Sky Poker is the nearest relative. It is a dedicated poker site run by Bonne Terre Gaming Limited, and its domain is listed as active on account 65519. Betfair is no longer an alternative here, because PokerStars on Betfair is now the PokerStars poker room for Great Britain. Paddy Power Poker and Sky Poker are due to switch to PokerStars software in the coming months, so check whether they still have their own player pool before you move your bankroll.

Sky Bet and tombola share the same owner, but they have little to do with poker. Sky Bet is a sports betting site first, while tombola is mainly a bingo brand. Either one could give you a change from cards, but neither is a like-for-like poker alternative.

Why Look for a PokerStars Alternative?

Many people who leave PokerStars do so because of the size of its player base. A big player pool gives you plenty of tournament choice, but it can make softer games at lower stakes harder to find. Other reasons include wanting a different rewards scheme, a simpler mobile app, or simply a site that is more about casino or bingo than poker.

There is one thing to note about staying within the Flutter family. The PokerStars terms say you cannot hold an account if you are self-excluded from any other Flutter Group website. And if an account is closed because of a prohibited event, other Flutter companies may restrict your other accounts as well. So there is no getting around a break or a restriction by moving to a sister site.

If you're looking for a casino-style alternative outside the Flutter group, I would start with a different brand altogether. My top pick right now is Sherluck. It is run by its own, completely separate company, so you get its own terms, offers and account rules. Please read them before signing up and make up your own mind about whether it suits you.

For poker itself, the realistic options in Great Britain are Sky Poker and Paddy Power Poker (while they still run their own pools) and independent brands outside Flutter. Compare tournament structures, rake and rewards at the stakes you actually play, not just the headline guarantees.

Sister Site, Shared Licence or Shared Network: How to Check

It's easy to mix up poker brands, because three distinct relationships all get called "sister sites":

• Ownership: the brands belong to the same parent company, like Sky Poker and PokerStars under Flutter.
• Licence: the brands share the same UKGC account and therefore the same licence holder.
• Network: the rooms seat players from several brands at the same tables, even if the companies are not related.

Each of these can exist without the others. For example, two Flutter sites could use different software and separate player pools, while two unrelated poker sites could share one network. Here are some quick steps to check an online poker site:

1. Scroll to the footer of the site and open the terms and conditions.
2. Note the company you are contracting with and its UKGC account number.
3. Look up that account number on the UK Gambling Commission public register.
4. Open the domain names tab and search for the exact website address.
5. Check whether that domain is marked as active or inactive.

PokerStars passes this test. Its terms name licence 39108, and www.pokerstars.uk is still shown as active on that account. Since 7 October 2026, however, players in Great Britain reach PokerStars through Betfair, so new players sign up with Betfair and accept Betfair's terms. If a website claims to be a PokerStars site but its domain is not on the register, I would treat it with caution, however much the logo resembles the real one.

PokerStars Welcome Offer and Rewards

New players in Great Britain now join PokerStars through PokerStars on Betfair. The old PokerStars UK welcome bonus with the code STARS400 belongs to the closed pokerstars.uk platform. Since 21 October 2026, PokerStars on Betfair has been running a play-based welcome offer: instead of a deposit match, you unlock rewards such as tournament tickets and cash as the rake you pay passes set milestones. Opt-in is required. Check the exact amounts and terms in the Betfair poker lobby on the day you register, as poker promotions change frequently.

Be honest with yourself about how much you play. If you only play a few low-stakes tournaments each week, you will probably reach only the first few milestones. It is not worth chasing the bonus with extra play you would not normally do.

One other rule from the terms is worth knowing. Tournament tickets you earn or receive expire if they are not used within 12 months.

Games, Software and Mobile Play

PokerStars is first and foremost an online poker room. You can play Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud or 6+ Hold'em, in cash games or multi-table tournaments. Spin & Go are fast three-player jackpot tournaments, and Zoom moves you to a new table as soon as you fold. On top of the regular tournaments, PokerStars runs the big online series SCOOP and WCOOP.

The play money tables let you practise poker before playing with real money. Play money has no cash value, and it is covered by the separate agreement with Stars Mobile Limited.

PokerStars offers software for desktop (Windows and Mac) and apps for iOS and Android devices. In Great Britain you play through the Betfair desktop client or the Betfair app. One wallet in GBP covers poker, casino and sports betting, with Betfair Casino and the Betfair Sportsbook taking the place of PokerStars Casino and PokerStars Sports.

When it comes to third-party help, PokerStars is very strict. Bots, real-time advice software, certain table selection tools, datamining and sharing hole cards are all prohibited. Using a VPN to hide your real location is also a serious breach of the rules.

Payments, Verification and Withdrawals

PokerStars checks your name, home address and date of birth before you can deposit or play any real money games. It may ask for further documents at a later stage, such as a passport, driving licence, utility bill or bank statement. Deposits must come from a payment method in your own name, and credit cards are not allowed, not even when they are loaded through an e-wallet.

There are two protections worth mentioning. Every account has a net deposit limit, and a financial vulnerability check is carried out once your net deposits reach £135 within any rolling 30-day period. Your balance is held in a formal trust account, which meets the Gambling Commission's "high" level of protection for customer funds.

You can request a withdrawal at any time, even while a bonus is still active, but once a withdrawal has been requested it cannot be reversed. Money goes back to the payment method you used to deposit, applied to your oldest deposit first. Processing times depend on the payment method, so do not count on same-day cash.

Your account is classed as dormant if there has been no login or transaction for 24 months. The terms do not mention a dormancy fee, and you will be notified at least 30 days before any funds are reclassified. Complaints are acknowledged within 24 hours, and you should receive a final letter within eight weeks. If the matter is still not resolved, you can take it to IBAS free of charge.

My Verdict: Is PokerStars Worth It?

For poker players, few places match PokerStars. The licence is in good standing, customer funds are protected at the high level and the range of tournaments is one of the largest around. The welcome offer rewards regular play rather than a single deposit, so treat it as a bonus for play you were going to do anyway.

All of its sister sites are part of the Flutter Group. Sky Poker is the closest poker room to PokerStars, Betfair now hosts PokerStars itself for players in Great Britain, Paddy Power Poker is due to follow, and Sky Bet and tombola are simply owned by the same company. Remember that self-exclusion and restrictions can reach across the group.

Whichever room you choose, set your limits before you play your first hand. You can set deposit and time limits in your account, and if you want a complete break from gambling, register with GAMSTOP. If poker stops being fun, contact GamCare on 0808 8020 133. Only people aged 18+ can play. Take Time to Think.

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