Closing date still months away
The Microgaming Poker Network (MPN) surprised the online poker world this morning by announcing that it will shut down operations next year.
A firm date on the network closure has not been set, but it is expected to happen in the second or third quarter of 2020.
Network model wasn’t working anymore
In a public statement, MPN said that it conducted “an extensive internal review of the software supplier’s product portfolio and strategy” before coming to this decision.
“The network model no longer fits with our strategic vision for poker, and this is the right time to announce the closure as we focus on redistributing key resources and personnel across the business,” MPN CEO John Coleman added.
Coleman continued by assuring the poker community that poker is not dead at Microgaming, despite the end of the network. The company will embark on a “new strategic direction for the vertical,” with details coming down the road.
Business as usual until the end
On the MPN blog, Alex Scott, managing director of the Microgaming Poker Network, said that his team is
committed to seeing this out with dignity.”
To that end, the company did not want to just shut everything down immediately, as that would not be fair to customers. All games will continue to run until the network closes next year.
Players have been assured that their poker funds are safe. Scott said that all skins are required to keep player deposits segregated from operating funds and that there is no reason to believe that any money is at risk.
He added that all of the poker rooms on MPN intend to find new software providers, which would imply that if players choose to keep money in their accounts, they should be able to keep playing on the skin after MPN closes.
all of the poker rooms on MPN intend to find new software providers
The player pools will of course be different, as the skins will either join new networks or go independent. Players are free to withdraw their funds if they so choose.
Online and live tournaments to continue
The Universal Championship of Poker 2019, which is currently underway, is unaffected. It will continue through its scheduled end date of September 29th and still has more than €1m ($1.1m) in guaranteed prize pools. Alex Scott added that players should expect overlays now that MPN’s closure has been announced.
The MPN Poker Tour, MPN’s live tournament series, will also continue for at least a couple stops. The Malta stop in October is still on and Scott said MPN has another event planned after that, which will be confirmed before Malta begins. He promised that all packages and seats that players have earned will be honored and that everyone will be contacted soon.