Online gaming software provider Microgaming today announced that it is set to close one of its oldest and most popular operations – the Microgaming Poker Network (MPN).
The online poker network is set to close shop in 2020. A specific date of the pending closure is yet to be announced by Microgaming.
The iGaming provider said in a statement issued on its official website earlier today that it has come to the decision to put MPN to sleep after an extensive internal review of its online poker product portfolio and strategy.
Microgaming launched its online poker network more than 16 years ago. MPN was among the platforms that shaped poker and online poker, in particular, and to many members of the global poker community, the decision about its closure came as really sad news.
When Will MPN Shut Down?
While Microgaming has not set on a specific date for MPN’s closure, Microgaming Managing Director – Poker Alex Scott said in a blog post on mpn.poker that they expect this to happen sometime in the second or third quarter of 2020.
Scott also explained that after the extensive review into their poker product, which included input from industry experts, independent consultants, and Microgaming poker staff around the world, they have decided that “for poker to be as successful as possible, we had to adopt a very different strategy and business model” and that the poker network “is not part of that vision.”
Microgaming’s poker head went on that they want to see this out with dignity and they want the poker community to “have fond memories of the network.” Business will continue as normal until the network’s shutdown, it became known. MPN will not cancel any scheduled online tournaments, live events, cash games, and promotions.
This means that the ongoing Universal Championship of Poker will continue as scheduled, while the MPN Poker Tour will pay its planned visit to sunny Malta in October for the second-ever €1 million guaranteed Battle of Malta Main Event.
Are Players’ Funds Safe?
Scott said that players who have money with any of MPN’s poker rooms do not need to be concerned and that they can continue to play as usual. All existing MPN rooms have informed Microgaming that they would find a new poker supplier, while the Isle of Man-based company assured them that they will make the migration “as simple and smooth as possible.”
The Microgaming poker director also noted that it is entirely up to players to decide whether they want to withdraw their funds ahead of MPN’s closure or not. Scott explained that as a condition of operating on the poker network, “each of our poker rooms is required to, at minimum, segregate all player funds from its operating expenses.”
He went on that none of the poker rooms is experiencing financial difficulty and that their plans to close down the network will have “no impact on the safety of your funds.”
Microgaming said that while they believe the closure of MPN is the right thing to do, they are not parting ways with poker entirely. The company’s CEO, John Coleman said today that the move will actually help them adopt a new strategy direction for the vertical.
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