FOX Bet, PokerStars Online Again After Fixing ‘Unscheduled Maintenance Issue’

Posted on: February 9, 2022, 05:06h. 

Last updated on: February 9, 2022, 06:12h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

Real-money gaming apps for FOX Bet, PokerStars, and Stars Casino were back online by Tuesday evening. The Flutter International brands had been down since early Friday for what was described as an “unscheduled maintenance issue.”

FOX Bet
Football Hall of Famers and FOX Sports analysts Howie Long (right) and Terry Bradshaw appear in an ad for FOX Bet Sportsbook. The online sports betting operator resumed taking bets in four US states Tuesday after being down since Friday because of an “unscheduled maintenance issue.” (Image: FOX Bet)

FOX Bet offers sports betting in Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. PokerStars and Stars Casino operate in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Apps for the games in Colorado, Michigan, and Pennsylvania were up by 11 am Tuesday, while workers were still addressing issues with the New Jersey apps.

We are back up and running with FOX Bet Sportsbook, PokerStars, and Stars Casino in all states,” the company’s Tuesday evening statement read. “Functionality of our Casino offering via website will be forthcoming. We’ve started the process to settle bets and review outstanding free bets as well as promotions. We will be in touch directly with customers soon. We apologize again for the inconvenience.”

The downtime did not affect free-to-play apps, such as FOX Bet’s Super 6.

Customers Gripe About Shutdown

No gaming operator wants to be down, especially for a long period. However, if there was one thing that FOX Bet had in its favor, the past weekend was a relatively light one on the sports calendar. The NFL had only the Pro Bowl, and the NHL had its All-Star Game. That meant only college and pro basketball and some Winter Olympics contests offered extensive wagering opportunities.

Still, it led to some people going to Twitter and venting they could not wager.

Customer service representatives for FOX Bet, PokerStars, and Stars Casino ensured customers their funds remained safe and secure. The three stressed the temporary shutdown was not the product of a data breach or a cyber security issue.

It remains uncertain if there are any repercussions against the apps at a state level.

Suzanne Karrer, a spokesperson for the Colorado Division of Gaming, told Casino.org the state agency may review a “possible complaint” it received. However, there were no actions currently being taken at this time.

Not the First Apps Impacted by Tech Issues

FOX Bet, PokerStars, and Stars Casino are not the first apps to suddenly shut down for an extended period. Others have as well, and the outcomes have not been as good.

In late March 2020, gaming operators powered by SBTech’s platform went down for up to three weeks after the Malta-based technology company’s data center fell victim to a ransomware attack. Among the sportsbooks and iGaming outlets affected were the Oregon Lottery’s Scorecard and BetAmerica, then the Churchill Downs branded gaming app.

In August of that year, Churchill Downs announced it would partner with Kambi.

The year prior, Delaware North became the first online sports betting provider in West Virginia. But, its BetLucky app and retail sportsbooks at Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras casinos closed on March 6. That shutdown arose after its vendor, Miomni, had issues over the ownership of the technology platform.

Delaware North would not resume sports betting in the state until nearly 18 months later.