The network behind the action

Partypoker: what it deals, the network behind it, and who runs it

A factual look at partypoker's poker offering - the games and formats it spreads, its tournament and cash volume, and the company and network behind it.

4.90/5
Entain · partypoker network
Isle of Man · UKGC licensed
The room in numbers
Tournaments 206 on the calendar
Cash tables 240+ in the lobby
Fast-fold 210 branded fastforward
Established 2001 the first deal
Network at a glance 4.90/5
LiquidityTournamentsCashSpeedTrust partypoker network timeline
2001 Established partypoker launched
Growth Network Grew on the partypoker network
Modern Fast-fold fastforward play

All figures reflect recent in-room and online offerings and are subject to change.

Partypoker is one of the original online rooms, dealing since the early 2000s and now part of the Entain group. It runs its own network and player pool, so its tables are not shared with the smaller Entain brands' downstream skins in the way an outside network would be. It carries a broad tournament calendar - the review counts 206 multi-table events in the lobby - alongside a deep set of cash tables and a busy fastforward pool.

The poker you will find at partypoker

The room leads with No-Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot Limit Omaha across cash and tournament play, with fastforward supplying the fast-fold format that moves you to a new table the instant you fold. SPINS jackpot sit-and-gos cover the quick, three-handed end of the schedule. Stakes run from micro up through mid and high, and late registration is standard on the larger tournaments.

Whichever format you choose, the game itself is standard: the hand rankings and the flow of a betting round are the same here as at every other room, which is exactly what the free practice tables on this site let you rehearse. What changes from room to room is the surrounding software, the traffic and the extra formats each one spreads.

Rows of poker tables receding into a dark tournament hall, each under its own pool of warm gold lamplight
Built for volume: an established tournament calendar over long-running cash and fastforward pools

What sets partypoker apart

What sets partypoker apart is its event brand. The MILLIONS series - staged both live and online - and the recurring POWERFEST festival draw some of the biggest guaranteed prize pools outside the majors, which is a large part of why the room rates so highly for tournament players. It holds UK Gambling Commission licence 54743.

New-player offer (for reference): New UK players: £40 Free Play (as tickets) plus up to 40% cashback. Bonuses change often and always carry terms - wagering, expiry and format restrictions - so treat this as a snapshot, not advice to sign up.

How to read this profile

PDC Poker is a free practice lounge, not a gambling site: this page does not link out to partypoker or point you toward a deposit. It exists to explain who runs the online game and how the rooms differ, as background for the free tables and strategy guides here.

Networks and licences change hands over time, so read the figures above as a recent snapshot of the industry rather than a live directory. When you are ready to test what you have learned, the practice tables cost nothing and carry no risk.

Partypoker: strengths and trade-offs

Strengths
  • A tournament calendar built around MILLIONS and POWERFEST, with some of the biggest guarantees outside the majors
  • Its own network and player pool - tables are not resold skins of a larger third-party network
  • A deep fastforward pool, so the fast-fold format actually runs at volume
Trade-offs
  • Traffic peaks around the big series rather than evenly around the clock
  • A standalone pool means fewer casual crossover players than the giant shared networks
Best forTournament players - the MILLIONS and POWERFEST calendar
Standout featureIts own network, pool and event brand
Watch out forTraffic clusters around the big series
Take it to the felt
Practice free poker Learn the hand rankings Compare the rooms

Partypoker at a glance

Founded2001
FoundersRuth Parasol, Anurag Dikshit, Vikrant Bhargava
OwnerEntain plc (via PartyGaming, bwin.party and GVC)
HeadquartersIsle of Man
Networkpartypoker network
Fast-fold formatfastforward
Notable seriesMILLIONS, POWERFEST, the partypoker Tour
Languages14
US marketWithdrew in 2006 under the UIGEA

Company facts drawn from public records and reference sources; figures above are a recent snapshot.

Partypoker: common questions

What is fastforward poker?

fastforward is partypoker's fast-fold cash format. When you fold, you are moved immediately to a new table with new opponents instead of waiting for the current hand to finish, so you see far more hands per hour.

What are the MILLIONS and POWERFEST series?

MILLIONS is partypoker’s flagship high-guarantee tournament brand, run both live and online, while POWERFEST is a recurring multi-event online festival. Both are among the reasons the room scores strongly for tournament volume.

How many tournaments does partypoker run?

The review counts 206 multi-table tournaments in the lobby, spread across the day at buy-ins from micro to high. Late registration is standard on the larger events, so fields keep building well after the first deal.

What are SPINS sit-and-gos?

SPINS are partypoker's three-handed jackpot sit-and-gos: a random multiplier sets the prize pool before the first hand, and the winner takes it. They are the quickest format the room spreads, with a typical game over in minutes.

What stakes do partypoker cash games run at?

Cash tables run from micro stakes up through mid and high, with the review counting 240+ tables in the lobby. The busiest games sit at the lower and middle stakes, where the fastforward pool adds constant action.

Do Coral and Ladbrokes players share partypoker's tables?

Yes. Coral Poker and Ladbrokes Poker run on the partypoker network, so players from those rooms sit at the same tables and share the same pool, just through a different lobby and brand.

Do I need to play for money to learn these formats?

No. The games partypoker spreads are standard poker - the same hand rankings and betting rounds you can rehearse at the free practice tables on this site before you ever consider a real room.

Who owns partypoker?

Partypoker is operated by Entain, and its tables run on the partypoker network - the player pool described in this profile. Ownership and network arrangements change hands over time, so treat this as a recent snapshot.

Is partypoker safe and licensed?

Partypoker holds a UK Gambling Commission licence (account 54743), which requires segregated player funds, age and identity checks, and access to independent dispute resolution. This page is background reading rather than an endorsement - licences change, so check the UKGC public register for current status.