Thinking about creating an online Poker app like PokerStars in 2025? You’re not alone. With millions of players joining virtual poker tables every day, the demand for feature-rich, secure, and socially engaging Poker platforms is higher than ever. Apps like PokerStars have redefined the way we play Poker—offering competitive multiplayer matches, intuitive design, seamless cross-platform play, and real-time events that keep users coming back.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a game studio, or a startup founder, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to build your own Poker app. From essential features and compliance tips to the estimated cost and tech stack—you’ll get a complete roadmap for launching a successful PokerStars-style platform in 2025.
Table of Contents
Market Statistics of PokerStars
PokerStars is the world’s largest online Poker platform, hosting over 1.85 billion tournaments and dealing more than 225 billion hands. It was founded by Mark Scheinberg and sold to Amaya Gaming for $4.9 billion in 2014.
In 2024, the market cap of Poker Star’s parent company, The Stars Group (TSG) was $7.91 billion. Poker Stars generates an annual revenue of around $75 million per year. The platform receives a daily traffic of around 96,000 concurrent players. (Source)
In November 2024, the platform recorded approximately 501,100 visits, signaling a 7.6% increase from the previous month. (Source)
PokerStars vs Your App Clone: Feature-by-Feature Comparison (2025)
Feature
PokerStars
Your Custom Poker App Clone
Multiplayer Game Support
Supports multiplayer poker games with global matchmaking
Fully scalable multiplayer functionality with regional and global rooms
Platform Compatibility
Available on web, iOS, and Android platforms
Seamless compatibility across web, iOS, Android, and desktop
Custom Table Themes
Offers limited customization options for poker tables
Provides extensive customization with themes, animations, and avatars
Blockchain Integration
Does not support blockchain or crypto features
Optional blockchain integration for transparent gameplay and security
AI-Powered Matchmaking
Uses basic AI for pairing players
Advanced skill-based AI matchmaking for competitive and fair play
In-Game Communication
Basic chat support during gameplay
Real-time chat with emojis, voice notes, and friend invitations
Tournaments and Events
Hosts regular global tournaments
Includes both global and custom community-hosted poker tournaments
Monetization Options
Monetized via in-app purchases and optional subscriptions
Offers ads, in-app purchases, subscriptions, and freemium access
Anti-Cheat Measures
Includes standard anti-cheat protocols
Enhanced AI-based fraud detection and player behavior analytics
Immersive Features (AR/VR)
No support for immersive technologies
Optional support for AR/VR-based poker environments for next-gen users
Key Features of a Poker App like Poker Stars
Creating a standout platform like PokerStars requires more than just providing basic gameplay and functionality. It requires integrating advanced features that increase user engagement and retention while boosting profitability. From multiplayer compatibility to secure payment systems, these features play a crucial in a Poker app’s success.
Real-time Multiplayer Gameplay
Multiplayer gaming is essential to provide an engaging Poker gaming experience. Integrate robust skill-based matching systems to pair players of similar skill levels against each other, providing an exciting and competitive gaming experience.
Social Gaming Features
Social Gaming is becoming the next big thing in the industry and elements like live chat, social media integration, and friend invitations foster a sense of community among the player base.
Secure Payment Gateways
It is important to integrate secure payment systems that allow quick and hassle-free transactions. The Poker platform should support multiple payment options, giving players the accessibility to choose their preferred method.
Gamification Features
Gamification features like leaderboards, achievement badges, milestone rewards, and loyalty programs offer players exciting side objectives to complete. These features offer a sense of progression and reward players for progressing in the game, offering a sense of accomplishment.
Multiple Poker Variations
A market-dominant app like Poker Stars should also include various Poker variations like Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card-Stud, and more to provide a dynamic gaming experience to players.
Stunning Visuals
An online Poker app must include visually appealing graphics and seamless animations, providing an immersive gaming experience that captivates players.
Mobile Compatibility
Ensure developing an app like Poker Stars that features seamless compatibility across multiple platforms including Android and iOS. Optimize the app to perform flawlessly across various screens and devices.
Customization Tables
A leading Poker game should also offer customizable tables, different skins for cards, and various themes and colors to give players a personalized feel.
Developing an App Like Poker Stars: Step-by-Step Guide
Developing a Poker app like PokerStars requires following a structured and disciplined development approach that guarantees the creation of a robust and scalable game app.
Market Research
As an operator, it is imperative to understand the market and your competitors before you can dive into the development process. Start by identifying your target audience and understanding their preferences. While some people like advanced high-stakes gaming, others prefer a more casual approach.
On the other hand, conduct a thorough SWOT analysis of your competitors to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This will help you in understanding the dos and don’ts of the market.
Game Design and Conceptualization
The game design and user interface are core components of the app like Poker Stars. It is crucial to design a user-friendly and simple interface that offers hassle-free navigation. Avoid using too many multimedia elements as it makes the interface seem cluttered and unresponsive.
You can use design tools like Figma to create a wireframe that can serve as a blueprint for your game design. A well-designed and optimized Poker game ensures high user engagement and enhanced replayability.
The technology stack and SDKs serve as the building blocks of the development process. It is largely dependent on the platform you are targeting as different platforms require different technologies. If you want to create a multi-platform app, you can use a common technology stack:
Game Engines: Unity and Unreal
Back End: Node.js or React.js
Front End: Angular
Database: MySQL or MongoDB
Cloud Services: AWS or Azure
Payment Integration: Stripe, PayPal, and Skrill
Real-time Communication: WebSockets
Designing: Adobe Illustrator or Maya
Poker Game Development
Building an Aviator game requires meticulous programming and coding as they must create a provably fair gaming environment with functional gameplay. To create a solid and robust Poker app, it is important to understand the core mechanics and game logic that ensures seamless and uninterrupted gameplay.
Besides game mechanics, integrating features like RNG and Blockchain is also essential to ensure the fairness and security of the Poker gaming platform.
Testing & Quality Assurance
After developing the Poker Stars game app, it is crucial to extensively test and conduct quality analysis to ensure the game works without any interruptions or glitches. Testing is crucial to identify any gaps in the development process and iron out the loose ends that may negatively impact the gaming experience. There are several types of testing:
Unit Testing: This type of testing tests each component individually to ensure they work properly
Integration Testing: This tests all the API integrations and determines whether all components of the app are communicating with each other or not.
End-to-End Testing: This determines whether the whole app flow is working as intended.
App Deployment and Maintenance
After finalizing the testing phase, you can deploy the Poker app in the dedicated app store. Before deployment, make sure your Poker game app complies with the guidelines and regulations of the Google Play Store or App Store.
Besides that, it is also crucial to employ solid and efficient marketing strategies to ensure regular updation and maintenance of the Poker Stars app. This ensures that the game consists of the latest features and does not contain any bugs or glitches.
Cost to Develop an App Like PokerStars
The cost to develop an app like PokerStars is not fixed and is affected by a number of factors. Let’s explore the various factors and see how they influence the overall cost of PokerStars mobile app development.
Complexity of the Game: A modern Poker game with advanced features is significantly costlier than a basic app with limited functionality.
API Integration: Integrating APIs like payment gateways, analytics tools, and RNG incurs additional charges.
Experience/Location of Developers: The more skilled the developer is, the more their fees. Moreover, the location of the developer also impacts the overall cost. Developers from regions like India and Eastern Europe are significantly cheaper than developers from North America and Western Europe.
Tech-Stack: The technologies required to facilitate the development process also contribute to the total cost.
Design and Graphics: Adding seamless animations, visually appealing graphics, and an easily navigable interface incur extra charges.
All of these factors are responsible for determining the overall cost of Poker app development like Poker Stars. While there is no fixed cost of app development, the PokerStars app clone costs around $20,000 to $30,000 to develop a basic app with limited features.
However, if you want to develop a cross-platform app with the latest features, you will have to invest around $50,000.
Also, keep in mind that this is an estimated cost and the actual cost may depend on your own requirements. You can contact BR Softech if you want an exact cost quotation.
Developing an online Poker app requires navigating complex challenges that go beyond standard app development. Below are the key challenges developers face when building an app like PokerStars.
Ensuring Fairplay and Security
Online Poker apps handle sensitive data including player data and financial transactions. Developers must implement advanced encryption and fraud detection mechanisms to identify suspicious activity and prevent collusion. Achieving this level of security requires a high level of technical expertise and continuous monitoring.
Solution: Implement robust security protocols like SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and PCI DSS to ensure safety on the Poker platform.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
One of the most common challenges that arise during Poker app development is regulatory compliance. Online Poker is considered gambling in many jurisdictions, subjecting it to strict and regulatory controls. Developers must be aware of and navigate regulatory challenges, including licensing, age restrictions, and anti-money laundering regulations to operate a legally compliant Poker platform. Non-compliance can result in a hefty penalty or even a permanent ban on the platform.
Solution: Understand and acquire the necessary licenses and follow all the industry compliances to operate a legal Poker game app.
Scalability and Performance Optimization
As an app becomes more popular among the audience, it must be able to handle an increasing number of concurrent users without compromising on performance. Scaling the app’s infrastructure to accomodate growth while maintaining performance is a technical challenge that requires careful planning and expertise.
Solution: Choose scalable and robust game servers with minimal server downtime to ensure maximum performance even during peak traffic surges.
High Development Costs
Building a Poker app like PokerStars with advanced features like real-time multiplayer functionality, secure payment systems, and a stable architecture requires significant investment. Moreover, operating and maintaining the app also requires additional costs which can pile up.
Solution: You can avoid unnecessary expenses by hiring a development team from regions like India or Eastern Europe to avoid extra costs. BR Softech offers cost-effective Poker game development services to create user-friendly and feature-packed Poker games for all platforms.
Competition and User Retention
The online Poker industry is saturated with dominant Poker platforms like GGPoker, PokerStars, and WSOP Poker. In this case, standing out in the industry requires offering more than just basic gameplay and features. It requires innovation, maintaining user experience, and strategic marketing. Moreover, retaining users also involves offering loyalty programs, regular updates, and engaging gameplay variations.
Solution: Operators must offer engaging gameplay and advanced features to stand out in the competitive industry.
Legal Considerations in the USA
Operating an online Poker platform in the USA requires adhering to various gambling laws and regulatory requirements. Below are the key legal considerations of operating in the USA.
Federal Laws for Gambling
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (2006): This law prohibits financial institutions from processing transactions from illegal online gambling platforms.
Wire Act (1961): The Wire Act prohibits transmitting gambling-related information across state lines. However, this is primarily targeted towards sports betting.
Operators can overcome these challenges by operating only in states like New Jersey where online Poker is legal. Also, consult a financial advisor to ensure compliance with federal laws and compliance.
State-Specific Gambling Laws
The legality of online Poker in the United States varies state-by-state. Currently, only states like New Jersey, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Delaware allow online Poker by acquiring state-specific gambling licenses. Other states have outrightly banned online Poker or any other sort of online gambling activity.
Operators can overcome this challenge by acquiring the necessary licenses or partnering with local casino operators as many states require a physical presence or collaborating with existing game entities.
Age and Identity Verification
Operators must also ensure that all participants are above the legal age for gambling. (typically 18, 21 in some states). Moreover, regulations also require platforms to verify their identities to prevent underage gambling, fraud, and money laundering.
Integrate KYC systems for age and identity verification and regularly audit your verification systems to meet regulatory standards.
Anti-money Laundering(AML) Compliance
Online Poker apps like Poker Stars are often connected to potential money-laundering activities. Operators must be aware of anti-money laundering(AML) laws and comply with strict regulations, including reporting suspicious transactions and maintaining detailed records.
Use an automated system to detect and report unusual transaction patterns. Moreover, operators can also train staff on AML compliance and reporting procedures.
Final Words
Building an app like PokerStars is a profitable venture but comes with various obstacles down the road. Operators must tackle various challenges including legal requirements, scalability, performance issues, and high competition in the market. Moreover, there are also concerns regarding player engagement and retention which is crucial for developing an online Poker app like Poker Stars.
BR Softech is a reputed Game Development Company that specializes in developing robust and scalable online Poker games and Poker app clones for our clients. Want a customized Poker app clone like PokerStars, contact us now!
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
How do I start building a Poker app like PokerStars in 2025?
Start by defining your app’s concept, hiring skilled developers, choosing the right tech stack, and ensuring legal compliance for real-money or skill-based gameplay.
What are the must-have features in a modern Poker app?
Must-have features include multiplayer modes, real-time chat, secure login, chip wallet, anti-cheat systems, AI opponents, leaderboards, and cross-platform functionality for broader reach.
Which tech stack is ideal for developing a cross-platform Poker app?
Use Unity or Flutter for cross-platform development, Node.js or Firebase for backend, and AWS or Azure for cloud. Ensure real-time communication with WebSocket protocols.
Is it legal to create and launch an online Poker app in the USA?
It depends on the state. Skill-based poker apps are legal in many states, but real-money apps require licenses and strict legal compliance for each region.
How much does it cost to develop a Poker app like PokerStars?
Costs typically range from $25,000 to $150,000 depending on features, platform, design complexity, and development team location. Real-money apps require additional legal investments.
What strategies help retain users in real-money or skill-based Poker apps?
Offer daily rewards, smooth UX, tournaments, real-time support, secure payments, fair play systems, and social features like chat and friend invites to boost retention.
How can developers ensure fair play and anti-cheat systems in Poker apps?
Implement RNG algorithms, SSL encryption, anti-bot detection, behavior analysis, and regular audits. Transparency and strong backend logic are key to secure, fair gameplay.
I am Nitin Garg, founder of BR Softech PVT LTD - an award-winning mobile game development company known for its excellence in the gaming domain. We have a team of 180+ exceptional professionals & we have a satisfied clientele of 2.7k+ globally. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, I aim to elevate BR Softech to a billion-dollar company.