PokerStars closed its own Ontario platform in May 2026 and relaunched inside FanDuel, so Ontario players now need a FanDuel account, while availability and bonus terms for the rest of Canada are reported inconsistently and should be checked before registering.
This review is different from the others on this site, because the casino it describes changed shape in 2026. For Ontario players, PokerStars as a standalone site no longer exists. For players in the rest of Canada, sources disagree about what is on offer. So before talking about games or bonuses, we need to be clear about what PokerStars actually is in Canada today.
Quick take: In Ontario, PokerStars now lives inside FanDuel. You need a FanDuel account, the PokerStars name applies to the poker room, and casino games are FanDuel Casino’s. It remains the best-known online poker brand in the province. Outside Ontario, PokerStars has historically served Canadians through its international site, but current reports conflict on whether new players are still accepted and on what terms. Confirm your province’s status on the official site before you register or deposit.
What Changed in Ontario in 2026
PokerStars and FanDuel share a parent company, Flutter Entertainment. In 2026 Flutter merged the two brands’ Ontario operations onto FanDuel’s platform.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 7, 2026 | The original PokerStars Ontario platform stopped offering poker, casino and sports betting |
| June 4, 2026 | Last day to access old PokerStars Ontario accounts. Remaining balances were mailed out as cheques afterwards |
| Early June 2026 | “PokerStars Exclusively on FanDuel” went live after a short delay |
Four practical points follow from that.
- Old accounts did not transfer. Every player had to open a FanDuel account, and poker screen names were handed out first come, first served.
- One login, one wallet. FanDuel Sportsbook, FanDuel Casino and PokerStars poker now share an account and balance.
- The PokerStars name is for poker. The casino games Ontario players see are FanDuel Casino’s catalogue, not a separate PokerStars-branded casino.
- Ontario is still ring-fenced. Provincial rules keep Ontario poker players in their own pool, so you are not seated with players from US states that share liquidity.
If you had money in an old PokerStars Ontario account and never withdrew it, contact FanDuel or PokerStars support about the cheque that should have been issued. Our ranking of regulated Ontario casinos explains what normally happens to balances when an operator leaves or restructures.
Licensing, Ownership and Trust
Flutter Entertainment is the largest online gambling company in the world and is listed in New York and London. In Ontario, PokerStars now operates under FanDuel’s AGCO registration. If you look for PokerStars in iGaming Ontario’s public directory you will not find it under that name. You will find FanDuel Casino, FanDuel Poker and FanDuel Sportsbook, which is the same thing in practice.
For the rest of Canada, PokerStars has operated through its international site under an offshore licence, most recently reported as the Malta Gaming Authority. Verify the licence shown in the site footer, because that determines who would handle a complaint. Our comparison of provincially regulated and offshore casinos explains why the distinction matters.
PokerStars Outside Ontario: Check Before You Register
Here we have to be candid about the limits of what we could verify.
- Some current sources say players outside Ontario can still use PokerStars’ international site, in Canadian dollars, under its Malta licence.
- At least one Canadian review site says PokerStars Casino closed to Canada in 2026 and no longer accepts new Canadian players.
Alberta is a separate case. When Alberta opened its regulated market in July 2026, PokerStars did not obtain a licence there. It blocked its casino and sports products in the province and told players its poker site would close on October 13, 2026, when the grace period for unlicensed operators ended. Balances remain available to withdraw. No return to Alberta has been announced.
For the remaining provinces, both accounts above cannot be right, and we have not been able to settle it from the operator’s own published terms. Until we can, we are not going to recommend the rest-of-Canada site or quote a welcome bonus for it. The bonus figures in circulation, which range from C$1,500 across three deposits to C$2,000 with 300 free spins, mostly come from pages written before the 2026 changes.
If you are outside Ontario and want to try, do three things first. Load the official site from your province and see whether registration is offered. Read the restricted territories section of the terms. And do not deposit until you have confirmed which withdrawal methods are available to you. If any of that is unclear, pick a casino from our real money casinos page whose status we have been able to confirm.
Poker: Still the Reason to Come
Poker is what PokerStars is for. Unlike every casino game, poker is played against other people, with the operator taking a small fee from each pot or tournament entry. That changes the mathematics completely. A skilled player can be profitable over time, which is not true of any slot or table game. Our guide to which casino game is easiest to win explains that difference.
On the Ontario platform you will find:
- Cash games at a range of stakes, mainly No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha
- Multi-table tournaments running through the day, from micro buy-ins to larger guaranteed prize pools
- Sit & Gos, which start as soon as the table fills
- Freerolls and promotional tournaments for newer accounts
Our guide to casino tournaments in Canada covers how the formats and payouts work, and newer players can start with our primer on pocket pairs and starting hands.
One honest limitation: because Ontario’s player pool is ring-fenced, fields and prize pools are smaller than on PokerStars’ global site. The move to FanDuel was meant to help by putting the poker room in front of FanDuel’s much larger customer base. Whether it has is something regular players will judge by how busy the tables are.
A tax footnote. Recreational gambling winnings are generally not taxable in Canada, but poker is the game where the question of running a gambling business occasionally arises. Our article on whether casino winnings are taxable covers the court cases.
Casino Games
In Ontario, the casino attached to your account is FanDuel Casino. It offers a broad range of slots, a full set of table games, and a live dealer lobby, all certified for the regulated market. It is a capable casino in its own right, though it is not what this page’s title originally referred to.
If casino games are your main interest and poker is incidental, there is no particular reason to choose this account over the specialists. BetMGM has the deepest live blackjack coverage in Ontario, LeoVegas has the best mobile casino, and PlayOJO has the fairest bonus terms. Our slots hub and live casino hub compare them in more detail.
Bonuses and Promotions
Ontario operators cannot advertise bonuses publicly, so whatever FanDuel offers new players for poker or casino is shown only on its own site and after login. We do not quote Ontario figures for that reason.
One thing worth knowing about PokerStars-style bonuses generally: they have traditionally been released by earning points through play instead of meeting a simple wagering multiple. That suits regular poker players and frustrates casual ones. Read how any offer is cleared before you opt in. Our comparison of casino welcome packages explains the main structures.
Payment Methods and Withdrawal Speed
For Ontario players, banking now runs through the FanDuel cashier. Expect the standard regulated set, including Interac and debit and credit cards. Crypto is not available at any AGCO-registered site.
Withdrawal times at regulated Ontario operators typically run from a few hours to a few business days, depending on method and whether your identity has been verified. Because every former PokerStars player had to open a new FanDuel account, verification starts from scratch, so complete it before you need to cash out. Our fast payout casinos page explains what slows withdrawals down, and the payment methods hub compares every option.
Mobile Experience
In Ontario, PokerStars poker is available through a dedicated app and desktop client run by FanDuel, and it is listed in the official app stores because FanDuel is provincially licensed. Casino games are in the FanDuel Casino app. Having two apps for one account is slightly clumsy, though your balance follows you between them.
Our mobile casinos page compares the leading casino apps in Canada.
Pros and Cons
What we like:
- The best-known poker brand in the world, now backed by FanDuel’s platform in Ontario
- Fully regulated in Ontario under FanDuel’s AGCO registration
- One wallet for poker, casino and sports
- Regular tournaments, Sit & Gos and freerolls
- Owned by Flutter, the largest company in the industry
What holds it back:
- Old PokerStars Ontario accounts did not transfer
- No PokerStars-branded casino in Ontario any more
- Ontario poker pool is ring-fenced, so fields are smaller
- Status and bonus terms for the rest of Canada are unclear
- Separate apps for poker and casino
Our Verdict: Who PokerStars Is For
If you are in Ontario and you want to play online poker, PokerStars on FanDuel is the obvious place to do it. The brand, the software heritage and the tournament schedule are all still there, and you get a regulated casino and sportsbook on the same balance.
If you are in Ontario and want a casino, choose on the merits of FanDuel Casino or one of the specialists. And if you are outside Ontario, treat PokerStars as unconfirmed until you have checked your province’s status yourself. We will update this page when the rest-of-Canada position is clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PokerStars still available in Ontario?
Yes, but only through FanDuel. The original PokerStars Ontario platform closed on May 7, 2026, and the poker room relaunched in June 2026 as PokerStars Exclusively on FanDuel.
Do I need a new account?
Yes. Old PokerStars Ontario accounts were not transferred. You need a FanDuel account, which also covers FanDuel Casino and Sportsbook.
What happened to money in my old PokerStars Ontario account?
Accounts were accessible until June 4, 2026. Balances not withdrawn by then were to be sent out by cheque. Contact support if you did not receive one.
Is there still a PokerStars Casino in Ontario?
Not under that name. Casino games on the shared account are provided by FanDuel Casino.
Can I play PokerStars outside Ontario?
Reports conflict. Some sources say the international site still accepts players from the rest of Canada, and at least one says it does not. Check the official site from your province before registering.
Who owns PokerStars?
Flutter Entertainment, which also owns FanDuel.
Is online poker legal in Ontario?
Yes, on sites registered with the AGCO. Ontario players compete only against other players in the province.
Reviewed by Oliver Payne, who handles payment and banking testing for OCCG, including opening real accounts, moving real deposits, and timing withdrawals from request to funds landing in a Canadian bank account. See our full review methodology for how every OCCG casino rating, including this one, gets built.
