PokerStars moving to Betfair

What does PokerStars on Betfair mean for UK players?

In the coming weeks PokerStars UK will be moving to Betfair. We will close PokerStars UK for game play, but all poker games will continue on the PokerStars on Betfair platform.

As part of this change, the company responsible for processing your personal data in connection with gameplay (the "data controller") will change from TSG Interactive Services (Ireland) Limited to Power Leisure Bookmakers Limited. Your privacy rights will remain the same, and Power Leisure Bookmakers Limited will be responsible for handling any requests relating to your personal data.

 

What happens on the day when PokerStars on Betfair is launched?

On the day, there will be a planned downtime, during which you will not be able to log in or play.

To minimize disruption to you, our schedules will gradually wind down to ensure you don't get caught up in a tournament when the downtime starts.

If you are seated in a cash game at the time of closure you will automatically be stood up, your stacks will remain fully protected and your cash balance will be returned.

 

How can I access PokerStars on Betfair?

On your first login after downtime, we invite all players who do not yet have an existing Betfair account but wish to continue playing on PokerStars on Betfair, to download the Betfair client. We will be transferring your existing PokerStars account to Betfair platform and you will be invited to log in using your existing PokerStars credentials.

We will be transferring your existing PokerStars account to the Betfair platform and you will be invited to log in using your existing PokerStars credentials. Any balance in your PokerStars account will be transferred to Betfair on the day of the move, where it will be administered by Betfair on behalf of PokerStars. You’ll need to review Betfair’s Privacy Notice and accept Betfair’s General Terms and Conditions before you can play PokerStars on Betfair.

Players who have an active Betfair account, should first withdraw their funds from PokerStars and then continue playing with their Betfair account.

 

Can I continue playing on PokerStars in the future?

After the move, players won't be able to access poker games using the current PokerStars platform. They would have the option to move to PokerStars on Betfair to continue playing.

If you have an active Betfair account, we’ll ask you to withdraw all your funds from PokerStars first and then continue playing with your Betfair account.

If you don't have an account on Betfair but wish to continue playing on PokerStars, you will need to download Betfair client as we'll transfer your PokerStars account over to Betfair.

PokerStars Casino and Sports will be replaced by Betfair Casino and Sportsbook, giving you access to different games and more ways to bet.

 

Can I continue playing on PokerStars if my address is not in the United Kingdom?

Yes, but we won't be transferring your account to Betfair. You will be asked to withdraw your funds from PokerStars.UK.

If you wish to continue playing on PokerStars, please open an account on www.pokerstars.com.

Your PokerStars.UK account will be closed.

 

 

Can some players have more than one username within the PokerStars Network?

Yes. As the PokerStars Network brings together players from across different brands and markets, some players may legitimately access the network using more than one username. This is because different brands within the network operate with separate accounts and, therefore, separate usernames.

Players are only permitted to use one account at any time and cannot play a tournament from more than one account, even if they were eliminated.

Our existing game integrity and security standards continue to apply across the network, and we have robust measures in place to identify and prevent prohibited activity.

 

How could account restrictions affect the move to Betfair? 

Some account restrictions may affect whether your PokerStars account can be moved to Betfair. If your account cannot be moved, you will no longer be able to play using your PokerStars account and your account will be closed. You will still be able to withdraw any remaining balance.

If you'd like to continue playing, you may be able to open a new Betfair account after the move, subject to any applicable account restrictions.

For questions about how your specific account restrictions affect you, please contact our Customer Support team.

 

What if I am self-excluded or on time-out at the time of the move to PokerStars on Betfair?

Your self-exclusion or time-out period is not impacted and will remain in place but we will be moving your PokerStars account to Betfair. If you are on time-out and wish to withdraw your funds once your account has been moved to Betfair, please get in touch with Customer Support.

 

Can I access PokerStars desktop software or apps in the future?

PokerStars UK will close for game play but will remain open for withdrawals only. Players with an active Betfair account should access their PokerStars account and withdraw any funds at their earliest convenience.

Note that if we have transferred your PokerStars account over to Betfair and you have accepted Betfair General Terms and Conditions, all your funds will be available in the Betfair Cashier.

 

How do I download PokerStars on Betfair on Desktop?

If you don't already have the PokerStars on Betfair desktop app, you will be asked to download it next time you log into PokerStars after the downtime. The new desktop app is available for both Windows and macOS.

Once installed, a new desktop app will be added to your computer. If we have transferred your PokerStars account to Betfair, you can log in with your existing PokerStars username and password to access your account and begin playing.

If you already have an active Betfair account, please use your Betfair credentials to log in.

 

How do I download the PokerStars on Betfair mobile app?

You can download the app through iOS here.

You can download the app through the Google Play Store here.

 

Should I open a new account on Betfair?

No. If you already have an active account on Betfair, you should log in on Betfair using your Betfair username or email and password. Read this article in case you have forgotten your password or username for your Betfair account.

If you don't yet have an active account on Betfair, we'll be transferring your existing PokerStars account to Betfair and once you've downloaded the Betfair client, you'll be able to log in on Betfair using your PokerStars username or email and password.

You'll need to manually enter your credentials as they're not automatically transferred from PokerStars. Note that all usernames on Betfair are case-sensitive. If you're unsure of the exact capitalization of your username, you can recover it here on Betfair.

 

Will I keep the same Terms and Conditions?

No. Your PokerStars General Terms will not apply to your use of Betfair.

If your PokerStars account is being transferred to Betfair, you'll be asked to review and accept the Betfair General Terms and Conditions when you first log in after the move.

If you already have an active Betfair account and have already accepted the current Betfair General Terms & Conditions, you won't need to accept them again.

 

What happens if I don't accept Betfair General Terms & Conditions? 

If you don’t have an active account on Betfair and we are transferring your PokerStars account over to Betfair, you'll be invited to review and accept the Betfair General Terms & Conditions when you first log in after the move. If you do not wish to accept the Betfair General Terms & Conditions, you won’t be able to play PokerStars on Betfair. To withdraw your balance, please get in touch with our Customer Support. If you do not want your existing balance to be converted into GBP, you should withdraw it from your PokerStars account no later than October 6. 

 

Will I keep the same Privacy Notice?

No. As part of PokerStars UK moving to Betfair, Power Leisure Bookmakers Limited will become the data controller for your gameplay account and personal data. Your privacy rights will not change. For more information, please see the Betfair Privacy Notice.

 

What happens to my data when my PokerStars account will be transferred to Betfair? 

As part of PokerStars moving to Betfair, your personal data will be transferred to Betfair and the company responsible for processing your personal data in connection with gameplay (the "data controller") will change from TSG Interactive Services (Ireland) Limited to Power Leisure Bookmakers Limited. Your privacy rights will remain the same, and Power Leisure Bookmakers Limited will be responsible for handling any requests relating to your personal data. If you have any questions on how we process your personal data, please contact Customer Support. 

 

Can I keep my PokerStars username on Betfair?

If you have an active account on Betfair, you will need to use your Betfair username to log in and choose a poker nickname if you haven’t already done so. Make sure you're happy with the one you choose because you won't be able to change it.

If you don't have an active account on Betfair and we are transferring your PokerStars account, you will be able to continue playing with your current PokerStars username as it will become your poker nickname.

 

Why can't I log in to Betfair with my PokerStars username?

If we have transferred your account from PokerStars and you're unable to log in using your username, it's possible that your username is no longer unique and/or possibly already in use.

If this applies to you, you'll need to log in using the email address registered to your PokerStars account instead of your username.

Once you've logged in using your registered email address, you can continue to access your account as normal. Note that this does not impact your poker nickname.

 

What happens to my existing tournament registrations on PokerStars?

If you have an active account on Betfair, you will be unregistered from all PokerStars tournaments taking place after move to Betfair and your buy-in will be refunded, so you can withdraw your remaining balance.

If we are transferring your PokerStars account to Betfair, all tournament registrations post downtime will be carried over to your new Betfair account once you've logged into Betfair and accepted the General Terms and Conditions.

 

What will happen to my Tournament Money (T-Money) and Tournament Tickets?

If you have an active Betfair account, we'll convert all your T-Money and unused tournament tickets into cash that you can withdraw on PokerStars.

If we are transferring your PokerStars account to Betfair, your T-Money and tournament tickets will be carried over together with your balance and you can use them on PokerStars on Betfair once you have logged in for the first time and accepted Betfair General Terms and Conditions.

 

What will happen to my open bets?

All your open bets will be voided and all impacted players will be contacted directly.

 

Will my hand history and transaction history be available on Betfair?

Yes, you can search up to 3 months of your PokerStars transactions history. To keep things running smoothly, downloads are available 1 month at the time.

You can find poker playing history in the desktop client under the 'Tools' menu, or in the poker and web app under the 'Account' menu.

 

Will my marketing preferences be carried over to Betfair?

Not all marketing preferences will be carried over from your PokerStars account settings to Betfair. We would advise you to review and update the preferences once you've logged in to Betfair under 'My Details'. Full instructions can be found here.

 

Why have I been sent a Security Code?

If you don’t have an active account on Betfair, we will send you a six-digit Security Code, which is used for additional security checks and is required to reset your password on Betfair in case you have forgotten it. Keep this email safe as you might also need this code in the future.

The email will be sent from the following address: events@starsaccount.uk.

If you are unable to find the Security Code, try the following:

• Check your email inbox for "Your security code for the PokerStars move to Betfair - keep it safe".
• Check your spam or junk folder.
• Check any alternative email addresses you may use.
• If you changed your email address after receiving the code, check your previous email account.
• Search your inbox using the email address mentioned above to help locate the message.

 

Can I retain any additional authentication settings on Betfair?

Players won't be able to retain additional security enhancements on Betfair. If we are transferring your PokerStars account to Betfair, your current RSA Security Token, PokerStars PIN and/or security questions will not be carried over.

You'll have to set up any additional security features of your preference on your new Betfair account using the desktop client.

 

Will I need to verify my account again on Betfair?

Some players whose account we transferred from PokerStars will be prompted to complete additional verification steps once they're on Betfair.

If you're one of those players, you'll learn the verification steps once you access your Betfair account. Your account might be restricted until successfully verified.

 

What happens if I request a deposit before PokerStars moves to Betfair?

If you don't have an active account on Betfair, your deposited amount will be moved to Betfair and is visible once you log in and accept Betfair Terms & Conditions. If you make a deposit on PokerStars and also have an active account on Betfair, you would need to withdraw the deposited amount once PokerStars moves to Betfair.

Note that some payment methods might become unavailable before the downtime begins.

 

Will player-to-player transfers be available on Betfair?

'Transfer to Player' option won't be available on Betfair.

 

Can I keep all my payment methods from PokerStars?

You may notice that some payment methods that were previously available on PokerStars may not be available on Betfair. If you don't see a payment method you previously used, this means it isn't currently supported on Betfair.

Please note, any payment method added to your account must be in your own name. Payment method sharing is not accepted, to find out more on this see an article here.

See the below information for what payment methods are accepted:

Debit Cards and Apple Pay:

You can add up to three debit cards on to your account. This rule does not apply to Apple Pay. If you have used up your maximum slots and wish to add another card, you can read an article here on how to remove a card.

If you had more than three cards on your PokerStars account, only the three most active cards will be transferred to your Betfair account.

Pay by Bank:

Pay by Bank is also a payment method for both depositing and withdrawing. For more information on Pay by Bank, read an article here.

To withdraw via Pay by Bank, you must have deposited using this payment method on Betfair first. If you haven’t deposited with Pay by Bank, it won’t be available when you try to make a withdrawal. This applies even if you used Pay by Bank before moving to Betfair.

Other Payment Methods:

• Paypal
• Skrill
• Neteller
• Rapid Transfer
• Much Better
• Bank Transfer

Please note: if you are using an alternate payment method on PokerStars, you will need to set this up again on your Betfair account.

To find out more about what payment methods are accepted on Betfair, please see here.

 

Why can I see fewer cards in Betfair cashier?

We've implemented several changes to how cards are managed. Corporate cards are no longer supported and card sharing between players not allowed. Each player must now have their own card. Additionally, only three most active cards will be transferred to your Betfair account.

 

Why can I see payment methods I didn’t opt in to save in the Betfair Cashier?

When transferring player accounts from PokerStars to Betfair, we included both saved and unsaved payment methods. This means that payment methods you previously chose not to save on PokerStars, may now be visible in your Betfair cashier.

 

What currencies will I use on Betfair?

Players on Betfair can only use GBP (British Pound) as a currency.

If you used multiple wallets and switched between currencies on PokerStars, you won't be able to use that feature on Betfair.

We'll combine any funds held in multiple currencies on PokerStars into one single GBP wallet on your Betfair account that can be used across all Betfair products.

 

What happens with the Foreign Exchange Conversion?

Your default currency on Betfair will be British Pound (GBP). If you don’t have an active account on Betfair and we will be moving your existing PokerStars account to Betfair, we will convert your PokerStars account balance to GBP.

Currency conversion will happen automatically whenever you buy into or cash out of any PokerStars poker tables. You won't be able to choose when currency conversion takes place. You may notice small differences in your balance due to repeated conversions and rounding. These differences are typically the equivalent of a few pence.

When you buy into or cash out of a poker table, you'll see a Currency Exchange rate message which will show the exchange rate being applied and ask you to confirm the currency conversion before continuing. Exchange rates are updated throughout each day and no margin is added to the mid-market exchange rate.

 

Will my funds be safe during account transfer?

Yes. If we are transferring your PokerStars account to Betfair, and once you have logged in and accepted Betfair General Terms and Conditions, your balance will be transferred automatically.

 

What is the deadline for withdrawing my PokerStars account balance? 

If you don’t have an active Betfair account, we'll invite you to review Betfair’s Privacy Notice and accept Betfair’s General Terms and Conditions. Once you have accepted Betfair's General Terms and Conditions, we'll transfer your PokerStars account, and you will be able to withdraw your balance from the Betfair cashier. If you do not wish to accept the Betfair's General Terms & Conditions, please get in touch with our Customer Support to withdraw.

If you already have an active Betfair account, you should withdraw funds from PokerStars. The cashier section of your PokerStars account will remain available for four weeks after PokerStars moves to Betfair. After this, your PokerStars.uk account will be closed, and any remaining funds can only be withdrawn by contacting Customer Support.

If you don’t have an active Betfair account and we have transferred your PokerStars account to Betfair, you’ll need to review Betfair’s Privacy Notice and accept Betfair’s General Terms and Conditions before you can access and withdraw your balance from the Betfair cashier. If you do not wish to accept the Betfair General Terms & Conditions, please get in touch with our Customer Support to withdraw. 

 

Can I keep the same responsible gaming settings I had on my PokerStars account on Betfair?

Safer gaming settings won't be carried over to your Betfair account from PokerStars when we are transferring your account.

If you're new to Betfair, the way you access the safer gaming settings is slightly different from PokerStars. When you log in on Betfair for the first time, you'll be prompted to set up the following safer gaming settings:

1. Loss limits which will replace PokerStars Casino and Sports stake limits.
2. Deposit limits as you can set one limit at a time on Betfair. If you had any existing deposit limits on PokerStars, we will move your most restrictive option to keep your protections in place.
3. Play Preferences as your previous "Do Not Play" preferences won't be carried over.

Players who were previously self-excluded from Casino or Sports on PokerStars will have to adjust those preferences on their Betfair account.

 

Can I play the same Casino games on Betfair as I did on PokerStars?

Betfair offers a wide range of Casino games from different providers, but some of your favorite games might not be available on Betfair.

Navigate to the Slots tab on Betfair Casino to view all available Slots. You can also use the Search feature to look up your favorite Slot games.

 

Will the same Casino promotions be available on Betfair?

Betfair has different Casino promotions compared to PokerStars, and some of the Casino promotions such as Spin of the Day won't be available on Betfair.

You can explore all offers on the Betfair Casino promotions website.

 

Why can't I see a list of my recently played games in Betfair?

When we are transferring your PokerStars account over to Betfair, we are not moving your recently played game history, so your previous gaming history won’t be available in your new account. To find games you previously played, you need to search or browse through the available options.

Please note that some games may no longer be available on the Betfair platform. Your recently played list will begin to repopulate automatically once you start playing on Betfair.

 

Where do I find my available promotions on Betfair?

To find promotions you are eligible for, visit your Challenges Hub for your poker promotions or your Promotions Hub for Betfair Casino or Betfair Sports promotions.

To opt in to a promotion, click on the relevant promotion and follow the steps on screen.

 

Will Freemium be available on PokerStars on Betfair?

Play Money Games will continue on PokerStars on Betfair desktop app but Freemium, the feature that allows you to buy Play Money chips for use in Play Money games, won’t be available on PokerStars on Betfair.

 

What will happen to my live event packages or seats?

If you have won a package or a seat to a live event, you will still be able to use it once PokerStars has moved to Betfair. Our Live Event team will get in touch with you directly with more specific instructions.

 

What will happen to my Home Games clubs? 

Home Games and all existing clubs will be available on PokerStars on Betfair. If you have an active account on Betfair and we are closing your PokerStars account, you will lose your Club Manager status. You can transfer your Club Manager status to another Club member by contacting Customer Support. You can also re-join or open a new club using your existing Betfair account. 

 

How can I contact Customer Support?

Players can contact Customer Support via chat on the Help section of our website.