by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Feb 22, 2021 | Updated on Feb 22, 2021
Full Tilt Poker will be shut down for good on February 25. Explaining the decision via a FAQ page on its website, parent company PokerStars said it could no longer allocate enough focus and resources for Full Tilt’s continuous operations, as it looks to strengthen its own assets to provide a better online poker experience for all its players.
With Full Tilt set to go offline on Feb 25, all players who have existing accounts on Full Tilt will be provided with a universal account which they can use to gain access to all Stars Group brands available in their respective locations.
Everything on Full Tilt will be replaced with the PokerStars brand, and players will no longer be able to access Full Tilt via desktop or mobile. If they wish to continue playing using the same log in credentials, they must download the PokerStars desktop software or mobile app, as their account info, preferences, settings, and balances are automatically migrated to the main skin.
Players will also still be able to enjoy the games offered at Full Tilt, plus a lot more, including new games and features that are exclusive to PokerStars. Full Tilt players can migrate to PokerStars anytime, even prior to the scheduled shutdown on February 25.
The Rise & Fall of Full Tilt Poker
Launched in 2004, Full Tilt Poker had grown to become one of the leading online poker sites during the online poker boom era. The platform was co-founded by some of poker’s biggest names, including Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, Chris Ferguson, Raymond Bitar, Howard Lederer and Jennifer Harman.
The site was well-known for running some of the world’s highest stakes games, participated in by online poker greats such as Patrik Antonius, Gus Hansen and Viktor Blom. The famed Rail Heaven table became a battleground for the biggest pots in online poker history.
The site was PokerStars’ biggest rival back in the day.
Full Tilt’s operations took a huge blow in 2011, when Black Friday occurred. During that fateful moment, the site’s problematic handling of player funds was also exposed. It ended up owing $150 million to American players. PokerStars saved the day; it acquired Full Tilt and paid the players.
For around a decade, efforts to rekindle the brand’s former glory found very little success, leading to its complete shutdown.
