PokerStars is strengthening its presence in Italy with a new Spin & Go promotion and an expanded relationship with the Italian Series of Poker, bringing its online and live poker offerings closer together.
PokerStars is making another push in the Italian poker market, combining a new Spin & Go Grand Slam promotion with its continued involvement in the Italian Series of Poker (ISOP).
The move gives PokerStars another way to connect its online player base with live poker at a time when operators across Europe are increasingly looking for ways to turn digital players into live event participants.
It also continues a relationship between PokerStars and ISOP that was clearly visible during the 2026 Italian Poker Championships at Casino di Campione.
PokerStars Turns to Spin & Go Players in Italy
The new Spin & Go Grand Slam is built around one of PokerStars’ most recognizable tournament formats.
Spin & Go tournaments are fast three-player sit-and-gos in which the prize pool is determined before play begins, potentially giving players the chance to compete for a significantly larger prize than their original buy-in would normally produce.
The Grand Slam promotion adds another layer to that format for Italian players.
Rather than treating Spin & Go purely as a quick online poker product, PokerStars is using the format as part of a wider campaign designed to connect its online offering with its live poker activity in Italy.
That live presence increasingly involves the Italian Series of Poker.
PokerStars and the Italian Series of Poker
The Italian Series of Poker has become an important part of PokerStars’ live strategy in the country.
The relationship was on display earlier this summer when the Campionati Italiani ISOP 2026 were held at Casino di Campione from June 3 to June 15.
The series was officially billed as being powered by PokerStars and featured a packed schedule of tournaments awarding Italian championship titles and bracelets.
PokerStars also offered online satellites giving players the opportunity to qualify for the live Main Event through the PokerStars client.
That Main Event was eventually won by Andrea Agnoletto, bringing the 12-day championship festival to a close in June.
The latest promotion suggests PokerStars sees considerable value in continuing to connect that live tournament ecosystem with players competing online.
Online Qualifiers Remain an Important Part of Live Poker
Using online poker to send players to major live events is hardly a new idea for PokerStars.
In fact, one of the most famous stories in poker history began exactly that way.
Chris Moneymaker qualified for the 2003 WSOP Main Event through PokerStars before going on to win the tournament for $2.5 million, helping trigger the poker boom that followed.
Online satellites subsequently became a major part of the PokerStars business, allowing players to qualify for tournaments around the world without paying the full live-event buy-in directly.
More than two decades later, that connection between online and live poker remains useful.
The difference is that operators now have considerably more online formats and promotional mechanics available to attract recreational players.
Spin & Go tournaments provide PokerStars with another route to do exactly that.
Italy Remains an Important PokerStars Market
Italy has long been one of Europe’s major regulated online poker markets, although Italian players have historically competed within a ring-fenced player pool rather than sharing liquidity with PokerStars players across much of the rest of Europe.
That makes local promotions, tournament series and live events particularly valuable.
PokerStars can build campaigns specifically around Italian players rather than simply relying on its international tournament schedule.
Its ISOP relationship also gives the operator a recognizable live poker product inside the country.
The 2026 Italian Poker Championships demonstrated the scale of that relationship, with PokerStars branding attached to the festival and online satellites available for players looking to qualify.
Another Sign of PokerStars’ Changing Strategy
The Italian push also arrives during a period of significant change for PokerStars.
In the UK, PokerStars is preparing to become available through the Betfair platform from August 13 as owner Flutter Entertainment moves toward a more liquidity-focused model. Paddy Power and Sky Poker are also expected to offer PokerStars later in the year.
Italy is a very different regulated market, but the broader direction is notable.
PokerStars appears increasingly willing to use partnerships, local brands, live events and targeted promotions to put its poker product in front of more players.
The days when simply having the PokerStars name above the world’s biggest online player pool was enough have changed.
The company now faces strong competition for online poker players, making acquisition and retention increasingly important.
In Italy, Spin & Go Grand Slam and the Italian Series of Poker give PokerStars both sides of that equation: a fast online format capable of attracting recreational players and an established live series capable of offering them something beyond the virtual tables.
For a company that built much of its reputation by turning online qualifiers into live poker players, it is a familiar strategy adapted for a very different era.
