The Stars Group
The Stars Group was a global online gambling operator owning consumer brands including PokerStars, Full Tilt, and BetStars, serving real-money gaming customers across poker, casino, and sports betting in nine countries before its 2019 acquisition by Flutter Entertainment for approximately $6 billion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Stars Group does
The Stars Group was a Toronto-headquartered, Ontario-incorporated global online gaming and gambling operator that owned and operated some of the most recognized consumer brands in the iGaming industry, most notably PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars, and Full Tilt. The company was built largely through a series of large acquisitions, beginning with the 2014 acquisition of Rational Group (~$4.9 billion) which brought PokerStars under its corporate umbrella, followed by the 2018 acquisitions of Sky Betting and Gaming (~$4.7 billion) and BetEasy (~$117.7 million), and earlier purchases of platform and content assets including Ongame (2012) and Cryptologic (2011). Its core products encompassed online poker, online casino, and online sports betting, delivered via proprietary real-money gaming platforms with associated mobile applications and a global footprint spanning the US, UK, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Australia, India, and Brazil.
The group was previously publicly listed on NASDAQ under the ticker TSG before being acquired by Flutter Entertainment in 2019 in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at approximately $6 billion, one of the largest M&A events in iGaming history. Following the transaction, The Stars Group became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment, integrating its brands into Flutter's broader portfolio alongside Paddy Power, Betfair, Sportsbet, and FanDuel. The business model was B2C real-money gaming, monetizing through player wagering across poker rake, casino hold, and sportsbook margin, with revenue tied to player activity and gaming handle. The acquisition rationale cited regulatory expansion, rising customer acquisition costs across online channels, and the need for vertical integration of technology platforms as drivers of the combination.
The Stars Group's competitive position rested on the scale and brand recognition of PokerStars, regulatory licensing across multiple jurisdictions, and a portfolio of complementary consumer brands acquired over a roughly eight-year period. Technical operations were led by technology leadership including a Managing Director of Technology, and the company employed between 1,001 and 5,000 people. As of the acquisition date, The Stars Group no longer operates as an independent entity and is fully integrated into Flutter Entertainment's global operations.
The Stars Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Stars Group
- Legal name
- The Stars Group
- Website
- https://starsgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- The Stars Group was a global online gambling operator owning consumer brands including PokerStars, Full Tilt, and BetStars, serving real-money gaming customers across poker, casino, and sports betting in nine countries before its 2019 acquisition by Flutter Entertainment for approximately $6 billion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Stars Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Gaming and Gambling (iGaming)
- NAICS
- Gambling Industries (7132), Other Gambling Industries (713290)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Poker Operators (Real-Money) (MPAEAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Online Bingo Casinos (MPAEABAF)
Keywords
Where The Stars Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
The Stars Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others
The Stars Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Stars Group operated real-money online gaming and gambling products serving consumers in regulated markets worldwide, anchored by PokerStars, the flagship online poker brand. The product set spanned online poker (PokerStars, Full Tilt), online casino (PokerStars Casino), and online sports betting (BetStars), delivered through proprietary desktop and mobile platforms. Customers deposited funds, wagered real money on games and sporting events, and the company earned revenue primarily from rake, house edge, and betting margin.
Product overview
The Stars Group was a global provider of online gaming products and services, most notably operating the PokerStars brand—one of the world's largest online poker platforms. In 2019, The Stars Group was acquired by Flutter Entertainment for approximately $6 billion and became integrated into Flutter's portfolio of gaming brands. The Stars Group's primary products included online poker, casino, and sports betting offerings, which are now part of Flutter Entertainment's global operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PokerStars Real-money online poker platform offering cash games, multi-table tournaments, and sit-and-gos to adult consumers in regulated jurisdictions (e.g., the UK via pokerstars.uk). Features a downloadable desktop client, mobile apps, and a unified account/wallet that integrates with the operator's other gaming verticals.
- PokerStars Casino Real-money online casino product under the PokerStars brand, offering slots, table games, and live dealer content to existing PokerStars account holders and new players in regulated markets.
- BetStars Real-money online sports betting product offering pre-match and in-play wagering on major sports to adult consumers in regulated jurisdictions, sharing the same player wallet as PokerStars.
- Full Tilt Online poker brand owned by The Stars Group, historically a separate poker room (originally acquired by Rational Group in 2012 and held under the group's portfolio) offering real-money cash games and tournaments to players.
Companies that use The Stars Group
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
The Stars Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Stars Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Stars Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DraftKings: Leading US-focused online sports betting and iGaming operator. Comparable as a digital-first operator competing for the same US online casino and sports betting wallet share that The Stars Group/FanDuel targets.
- 888 Holdings: Operator of 888poker, 888casino, and 888sport — a direct competitor in online poker, casino, and sports betting. Comparable as a publicly listed pure-play iGaming operator with the same product mix and target audience as The Stars Group.
- Entain plc: Global digital gambling operator (Bet365 partner, Ladbrokes, Coral, PartyPoker, bwin) operating across online poker, sports betting, and casino. Directly comparable to The Stars Group as a multi-vertical online gambling group with a meaningful poker heritage.
- Betsson AB: Nordic-based online gambling operator (Betsson, Betsafe, NordicBet) with casino, poker, and sportsbook offerings. Comparable as a multi-brand iGaming operator with a similar product mix and European geographic focus.
- Kindred Group: Operator of Unibet, Maria Casino, and 32Red — a pan-European online gambling group offering poker, casino, and sportsbook products. Directly comparable in multi-vertical digital gambling footprint across European regulated markets.
- BetMGM (joint venture): US online sports betting and iGaming joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain. Directly comparable as a major US online casino and sportsbook operator competing head-to-head with PokerStars Casino in regulated US states.
Broad incumbents
- Flutter Entertainment: Parent company of The Stars Group since 2019 and one of the world's largest online betting and gaming operators (FanDuel, Paddy Power, Betfair, PokerStars). Comparable as a multi-brand iGaming conglomerate with overlapping product verticals in poker, casino, and sports betting.
- Caesars Entertainment: Major US land-based and online gaming conglomerate (Caesars Sportsbook, WSOP, Caesars Digital) with significant online casino and sports betting operations. Comparable as a large, multi-channel gambling operator with overlap in online gaming verticals.
Regional players
- Gaming Innovation Group (GiG): Nordic-focused iGaming platform and operator with a B2C presence in select European markets. Comparable as a smaller-scale multi-vertical online gambling operator with overlapping product categories and regulatory focus.
Others
- Playtech plc: B2B gambling software and platform provider powering many top-tier operators. Comparable as a poker/casino technology and platform provider rather than a direct B2C competitor, making it an enabling/ecosystem peer.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Stars Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Stars Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Stars Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Stars Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
The Stars Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Stars Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A7 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Stars Group
What does The Stars Group do?
The Stars Group operated real-money online gaming and gambling products serving consumers in regulated markets worldwide, anchored by PokerStars, the flagship online poker brand. The product set spanned online poker (PokerStars, Full Tilt), online casino (PokerStars Casino), and online sports betting (BetStars), delivered through proprietary desktop and mobile platforms. Customers deposited funds, wagered real money on games and sporting events, and the company earned revenue primarily from rake, house edge, and betting margin.
Is The Stars Group a public or private company?
The Stars Group is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was The Stars Group founded?
The Stars Group was founded in 2014. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is The Stars Group based?
The Stars Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are The Stars Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DraftKings, 888 Holdings, Entain plc, Betsson AB, Kindred Group and BetMGM (joint venture). Broad incumbents are Flutter Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment. Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) is listed as a regional player. Playtech plc is listed as an others.
Does The Stars Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Stars Group.
What industry is The Stars Group in?
The Stars Group's product category is Online Gaming and Gambling (iGaming). Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAEAC, Online Poker Operators (Real-Money), with a secondary code of MPAEABAF, Online Bingo Casinos. Its NAICS code is 7132.