- The sanctioned online poker facilitates players qualifying to live events held in the country, like the upcoming EPT Sochi.
- It also gives access to the full online poker experience, with all international cash game tables and tournament series available.
- For the last three years, the Sochi client has been available to download from a special domain, PokerStarsInSochi.com.
- With the mandatory transition to PokerStars Sochi, the window to other igaming verticals for Russians looks set to close.
Online poker giant PokerStars will close its international online poker client to Russian players, requiring them all to download their dedicated “Sochi” client to continue playing, PRO has learned.
As first reported by leading Russian community site Pokeroff, quoting in-client news messages delivered to customers on October 21, players in Russia “will be required to play on PokerStars Sochi” from November 2.
PokerStars has subsequently confirmed the date of departure to PRO. A customer service representative is quoted by Pokeroff as saying that “all poker games available in Russia must be played at PokerStars Sochi in accordance with local requirements.”
The Sochi client was launched in December 2018. It is a sanctioned online poker room that facilitates players qualifying to live events held in the country, like the upcoming EPT Sochi 2022.
