PokerStars and Full Tilt call quits in 30 countries

Poker players from 30 countries have been informed they no longer have the opportunity to play at real-money tables on PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

The decision to end PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker operations in so many countries from 1 October comes as part of a new policy adopted by Amaya Gaming, which has decided to pull out of jurisdictions where the industry is not explicitly regulated.

Although no official list of excluded countries has been published, both rooms have now closed access to real-money games in Malaysia, Turkey, UAE, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Senegal, Nigeria, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Palestinian Territories, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and the Vatican. Other countries that no longer have access to PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker tables are Iran, Iraq, Syria, Zimbabwe, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, Cuba, Myanmar and Yemen.

Although none of the players from the above countries will now be allowed to sit at real-money poker tables on PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, all can still log into the software and withdraw the funds available on their accounts.

The move also raises a number of questions for the future of the group's operations in Canada, a country where online poker is not explicitly legal and where Amaya Gaming has its headquarters.

Concerns about a possible withdrawal of both rooms from the Canadian market are supported by the fact PokerStars decided to cancel its partnership with the Montreal Festival in August, a decision many see as an indication of the group's intention to pull out of Canada – at least until online poker is fully regulated in the country.

"Our management team and advisors regularly review our operations market-by-market to assess commercial opportunities and business risks for our brands," said a pop-up message players from the affected countries found on their screens after the decision.

"Following a recent review we have decided to stop offering real-money games to players who are physically located in, or have a registered address in, a limited number of countries."