Ongame network to shut down

The network and its skins is expected to close down in the middle of October.

Ongame, once a online poker powerhouse, is extremely likely to be shut down for good within the next few weeks according to reports stemming from a Russian poker news service.

Pokeroff.ru makes the claim that the network has informed its users by email that they will cease trading by around the middle of October.

Launched as PokerRoom, the site became Ongame in 2005, six successful years after launch, but now plans to close most of its skins with the leftovers migrating to other networks.

Liquidity decline

Although no official statement has been forthcoming, Ongame has been losing liquidity since its then-owner, BETandWIN, withdrew the site from the US following the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

At the time, over 3.5m players were registered with Ongame but these soon left the network.

BETandWIN, who by then had become bwin.party, encouraged players to play at partypoker instead before shifting the product on to Amaya, prior to their purchase of Rational’s PokerStars and Full Tilt. They, in turn, moved it on to NYX in 2014 who appear to be finally about to call time on the network.