PokerStars Used Alberta's Three-Month Grace Period to Announce It Is Leaving

Today's Big Question

PokerStars emailed Alberta players that it stops running poker in the province on October 13, the day Alberta's three-month grace period ends. Alberta opened its regulated online market on July 13 and requires a local license. PokerStars gave no information about a return.

What happened

PokerStars emailed Alberta players that it will stop poker operations in the province on October 13, 2026, and gave no information about a return. Alberta opened a regulated online gambling market on July 13, 2026. Operators need a local license, and a three-month grace period for those without one ends on October 13.

PokerStars had already shut its Alberta sportsbook and casino games on July 13 and moved those players to FanDuel's Alberta servers. Poker was the product left running. Alberta-registered players lose access ahead of the exit, enforced by IP and registration information. Funds stay available for withdrawal, tournaments starting on or after October 13 are refunded to balances, and non-promotional rewards convert to cash.

PokerStars operates in Ontario as PokerStars on FanDuel, and Pokerfuse reports a return to Alberta would probably use a similar brand. On October 7 a hearing considered international player pooling, and counsel for Alberta's Attorney General supported the idea, according to Pokerfuse. When TheLines wrote on July 17, no new online poker operator had entered Alberta's market.

Why it matters

Alberta built a regulated market, gave everyone three months to join it, and the poker site with the biggest name is the one using the grace period to leave. The province now has a licensing regime and, as of the last count we found, no new poker operator in it.

The live game is unaffected. The WSOP calendar lists WSOP Circuit Deerfoot Inn & Casino in Calgary running through October 12, and Alberta players who want a card in their hand know where the building is.

In the Spotlight

Tokyo Ladies Championship Winner Gets 150 Condoms and Three Lubes

What happened

The Japan Open Poker Tour's Ladies Championship, a 30,000 yen (about $190) event in Tokyo, is scheduled for Monday, October 12. The sponsor is Sagami, a Japanese condom maker, announced on October 6.

The winner's prize is 12 boxes of Sagami Original condoms and 3 boxes of Sagami Original Large, 10 per box, plus three bottles of water-based lubricating gel. Second and third place also receive condoms and gel, and the top three get jewellery and merchandise. JOPT removed the prize details from its website. Critics on social media said the prizes undercut the goal of growing women's participation. On October 7 Sagami apologized to anyone who felt uncomfortable and said the partnership aims to support female players.

Why it matters

The press release calls the prizes "Sagami Product Gift Sets." Sagami's stated founding spirit is "Fun First, Respect Always."

The Explainer

Cardiff Poker Room Called Ding Ding Poker Ends in Two Suspended Sentences

What happened

Noor Rassam, 29, and Panayiotis Karayiannis, 30, each received three years in prison, suspended for three years, at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to possessing and transferring criminal property. They ran an unlicensed live and online poker operation from an industrial unit in Splott, Cardiff, between August 2022 and February 2024. Both changed their pleas on the first day of trial.

The room had six poker tables, a prize wheel, a cashier's window and CCTV. It was advertised as Ding Ding Poker, later Fish Tank Poker Cardiff, with online games as Fish Tank Online. About 260,000 pounds in third-party payments went to Rassam and about 124,000 pounds to Karayiannis. A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is set for April 2027.

Why it matters

The Gambling Commission alerted South Wales's Regional Organized Crime Unit, and a warrant was executed in February 2024 with HMRC and Cardiff Council. It took the court until October 2026 to hand down the sentence, and the prize wheel was not mentioned in it.

Follow the Money

Brazil Bans Online Gambling. Poker Sites Say Poker Is Not Gambling.

What happened

Brazil's ban on licensed online betting and gaming took effect Tuesday, October 6. Pokerfuse reports Brazil treats poker as a game of skill rather than gambling, so it falls outside the measures. PokerStars said its peer-to-peer poker is "played between players and is distinct from the fixed-odds betting products covered by the restrictions" and told players to keep playing. Some Brazilian players report trouble reaching PokerStars, which is investigating whether internet service provider restrictions are involved. GGPoker continues to serve Brazilian players, and no similar problems have been publicly reported there.

The Circuit

Nik of Romania Wins King's Million Super Main Event for 546,100 Euros

What happened

Nik of Romania, listed by first name only, won the 1,150 euro EPC Super Main Event at the King's Million in Rozvadov on October 7 for 546,100 euros and the Royal Scepter. The event drew 7,013 entries and a prize pool of 6,855,207 euros. Christophe Vincent of France was runner-up for 462,600 euros. A four-way deal was struck at four players, and Mike Neuens of Luxembourg and Lyubomir of Bulgaria were the other two.

Missed a day?

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OCT 11 Day 035 - The One-Outer Edition

Wilson Wins Super High Roller Bowl XI. Petrangelo Shoved Sevens Into a Straight.

Brandon Wilson of Chicago won Super High Roller Bowl XI on October 10 for $1,125,000 and the ring. He beat Nick Petrangelo heads-up when a river eight completed his queen-high straight and Petrangelo shoved with pocket sevens. The $100,000 event drew 28 entries, up from 23 in December.

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Jurojin Says the Attack on Players' PCs Was "a Blow to Our Ego"

OCT 10

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