PokerStars quickly became the biggest firm in the world’s most important market and now has estimated annual revenue of $1.4 billion and some $500 million in profits. This financial success stems from the rake, or fee, that PokerStars is able to charge players in return for hosting poker games or tournaments.
Much to the frustration of PartyGaming, PokerStars has used the cash generated from the U.S. market to expand globally, where online poker is a $4.8 billion annual business, according to H2 Gambling Capital. PokerStars, however, claims that its industry leadership is not related to the U.S. market, but rooted in its international operations, particularly in Europe.