Poker Shake-Up: PokerStars–FanDuel Deal and CoinPoker’s Traffic Boom
The online poker landscape is heating up. While CoinPoker sees a major traffic surge after its software upgrade, PokerStars is preparing a new North American push through a deep integration with FanDuel.
While CoinPoker is currently making waves with its recent software upgrade, it is also worth looking beyond the immediate headlines to see what else is developing across the wider online poker landscape.
One of the more notable developments is taking shape in North America, where PokerStars and FanDuel are moving toward a closer integration that will bring poker, sportsbook, and casino products together under a single platform.
The strategy behind the move is straightforward: combine PokerStars’ long-established poker ecosystem with FanDuel’s massive sportsbook and casino audience. By connecting these player pools and services, the companies aim to create a more comprehensive gaming hub that could significantly expand poker’s reach within regulated U.S. markets.
What is FanDuel about?
FanDuel, originally launched in 2009 as a daily fantasy sports platform, has grown into one of the largest online betting operators in the United States. Today it offers sports betting, casino games, and racing products, and is part of Flutter Entertainment, the same group that owns PokerStars.
A Liquidity Boost Across Multiple States
The plan is to position FanDuel as the primary home for PokerStars’ online poker offering in North America. The fully integrated platform is expected to launch later in 2026 and will initially target regulated markets such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ontario.
One of the main strategic goals behind the move is liquidity. By connecting players across multiple states and linking them with FanDuel’s wider gaming audience, the new platform aims to significantly increase player pools. This could lead to larger tournament fields, stronger cash game traffic, and more attractive prize pools once the ecosystem is fully operational.
One Wallet for Poker, Casino, and Sports Betting
The new ecosystem will also introduce a unified account system, allowing players to manage poker, sportsbook, and online casino activity through a single wallet. For now, the current PokerStars platform remains unchanged, with additional details about the transition expected in the coming months.
Launch Promotions Already Underway
To mark the early stage of the partnership, a promotional campaign has already been introduced. Players who open a FanDuel Casino account during this phase can receive a welcome package that includes 500 bonus spins and up to $1,000 in casino bonuses. Those who claim the offer will also receive a dedicated poker welcome promotion once the new poker platform officially launches.
CoinPoker Traffic Spike After Upgrade
CoinPoker has seen a sharp increase in traffic following the launch of its upgraded software, with liquidity recently surpassing 11,500 active players online. The surge includes a strong rise in active cash game participation, while roughly 700 players also took part in tournaments during the same period. The growth is also reflected in new user activity, with more than 1,000 players making their first deposit since the launch of the updated client.
Activity on CoinPoker surged immediately after the upgrade. On the first day the platform generated around $1.2 million in rake, all of which was returned to players through the ongoing 100% Rakeback promotion. More than one million hands were played on March 3 alone, underlining the strong engagement and rapid growth in table activity.
Early data also suggests that around half of GGPoker’s player base has already tested the new CoinPoker software, reflecting significant curiosity and crossover interest from the broader online poker community. With traffic continuing to climb, expectations are now building for a record-breaking Sunday turnout, as players explore the new client and take advantage of the current promotional environment.
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CoinPoker takes care for the players
Our Partner has once again highlighted its commitment to open dialogue with the player community and a readiness to respond to feedback. In a public update released on Tuesday evening, the platform addressed the recently introduced rake caps and shared its broader perspective on the topic.
The statement reaffirmed CoinPoker’s long-standing player-first philosophy, emphasizing that player interests remain central to decision making and future development. According to the update, further changes are already in the pipeline.
In the coming weeks, CoinPoker plans to unveil a revamped rewards system aimed at returning a significant share of generated rake back to players while maintaining a competitive low effective rake structure. The broader goal is to keep overall rake among the lowest in the market and support an online poker environment where games remain sustainable and beatable over the long term.
During a live session hosted by Mariano Grandoli, traffic at the $1/$2 (100NL) tables surged significantly. For roughly four hours, more than 600 players were active, as the streamer hosted a special giveaway session during his five-hour broadcast.
As part of the event, Mariano distributed $30,000 in prizes to randomly selected players at the tables, further boosting activity and engagement across the platform. The stream has since been removed to avoid a potential copyright strike.
