PokerStars Exits China, Macau, and Taiwan Markets Amid Compliance Concerns

PokerStars has announced its exit from the markets in China, Macau, and Taiwan. The decision comes after the company stated it would leave areas that do not meet its compliance standards. On Monday 31st September, a screenshot was posted on the TwoPlusTwo forums showing a message from PokerStars support for affected players to begin withdrawing their funds.

Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of PokerStars, is clearly learning from the mess following Black Friday. The company has announced that it will step up “the quality of TSG’s safer gambling/anti-money laundering procedures.” This process is estimated to cost £65 million, raising concerns about potential increases in rake and charges to cover the expenses.

Additionally, 131 PokerStars related websites have been added to the online blacklist of Russia’s telecom watchdog Roskomnadzor. This move could have a significant impact on the poker ecosystem, similar to the disruption caused by Black Friday when American players were locked out. GGPoker, a fast-growing site with many Russian and Chinese customers, will be watching the market with interest to see how they will navigate these changes.