A final farewell

32Red has informed its players that it will quit its online poker offering once its network partner, the Microgaming Poker Network (MPN), closes on May 19. The UK online gambling operator has decided not to seek a replacement for MPN. 

now being referred to the Unibet Poker platform

Players received an email notification on Wednesday and are now being referred to the Unibet Poker platform, also part of 32Red’s parent company, the Kindred Group. A notice was also put up on the 32Red online poker site to inform users about the discontinuation of the vertical. 

32Red was one of the first licensed online poker platforms to launch back in 2002.

Player options after closure

After May 19, 32Red poker customers will still be able to use their accounts to play at the online casino and place bets with the sportsbook. Alternatively, they can simply withdraw their funds as they see fit.

The site’s loyal poker player base took to social media to express their disappointment at the MPN closure:

Changing online poker scene

A number of established poker networks, including Everest Poker, have withdrawn from the UK market this year. Grosvenor Poker was another brand affiliated with MPN. It will now join the iPoker Network, which already has the likes of William Hill, Bet365, and Betfair on its books. OlyBet will be changing over to GGPoker.

online poker is on the rise

With most major global sporting events currently on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, online poker is on the rise. Global data points towards increased activity over April, with 888poker seeing a surge of 60% in overall levels of poker traffic for the same period across its US operations.