The Chico Poker Network, a prominent and well-established US-friendly poker network, boasts a rich history in the online poker domain. Notable sites on the Chico Network include TigerGaming, SportsBetting, and BetOnline. For those curious about the offerings and reputation of the network, a natural question arises: “What poker sites are on the Chico Network?” A comprehensive review of these sites and the network as a whole highlights its significant presence and trustworthiness in the industry.

The Chico Poker Review

Chico Poker Network (formerly Action Poker Network) is one of the well-established, US-friendly poker networks that has been operating for over 20 years. It is composed of 3 reliable and trustworthy poker rooms appealing to a wide variety of players. The Chico network became one of the largest network in the world and has developed incredibly well in the last couple of years, especially in terms of cash game traffic. The number of cash game players is higher than at partypoker/bwin or Unibet, for example.

A significant factor here is that the Chico network is one of the few caters for US players, who account for well over half the traffic.

The headquarters are in the Seychelles, and the main company is Julian International Holdings Ltd.

Chico Poker Network History

The Chico Poker Network was launched in 2012 by parent company Julian International Holdings Ltd., which is based in Hong Kong. At the time of its launch, the network was known as the Action Poker Network, but it was later rebranded to Chico Poker Network to better reflect its focus on the US market.

The network got its start by acquiring several existing online poker rooms, including TigerGaming and BetOnline. It also welcomed a number of new skins to the network, such as SportsBetting.ag and SuperStack Poker, which helped to expand its player base and increase its overall visibility.

One of the key factors that helped the Chico Poker Network to stand out from other online poker networks was its decision to accept players from the United States. At the time, many other networks had stopped accepting American players due to the legal grey area surrounding online gambling in the US. However, the Chico Poker Network was willing to take the risk, and it soon became a popular option for players in the US.

Over the years, the Chico Poker Network has undergone several changes and updates. In 2014, it implemented a new software platform that improved the overall user experience and added new features, such as anonymous tables and customizable avatars. It has also made a number of tweaks to its game offerings, promotions, and other features to keep up with changing trends in the online poker industry.

Its focus on player safety, security, and fair gaming has helped it to establish a strong reputation in the industry, and its willingness to accept American players has given it a unique niche in the market. Today, the Chico Poker Network remains a popular option for players around the world, offering a good range of games, promotions, and other features.

Chico Poker Network Skins

Chico Poker Network consists of Tigergaming, BetOnline and Sportsbetting poker rooms. Tigergaming is the bost poker skin aimed at the global market. However, US players tend to choose Sportsbetting, as they are more friendly towards their location.

The main difference between skins is simply their geographical restrictions.

It is difficult to point out which poker site is the best and it all comes down to your location. All skins have the same traffic and well-developed customer support.

Logo TigerGaming
1.000$ Bonus/25k YPD Race
5.8/10
Logo BetOnline
1.000$ Bonus/US Players Welcome
5.8/10
Logo SportsBetting
1.000$ Bonus/US Players Welcome
5.8/10

Sign up through YourPokerDream

Registering with YourPokerDream brings great additional benefits. As well as the standard promotions and offers, YourPokerDream gives you many exclusive benefits in the form of promotions, rake races, special tournaments and much more. Sign up to make sure that you take full advantage of all the extras from YPD .

Rakeback on Chico Poker

As has been noted, the Chico Network focuses more on casual players and not on regular players(sharks), so there are no flat or rakeback deals at all, such as those available with other poker rooms/networks or affiliates. This operator offers promotions that eventually represent a kind of rakeback percentage. Grinders will be disappointed, as there is no VIP program. 

However, Chico Poker Network skins offer a 100% welcome bonus of up to $1,000 which represents a 10% cashback. They also offer rake races for cash games and SnG with prizes reaching $40,000. It is evident that this network has evolved to appeal to casuals. Events such as freerolls and jackpots are designed to attract amateurs.

YPD members can also take part in our exclusive promotions and vip program. Contact us to get further information.

YourPokerDream is one of the few EU Affiliates that works with skins from the Chico network.

Network Rake

Rake is calculated according to the no-flop, no-drop policy, meaning that no rake is taken if a hand does not see a flop. The rake percentage across cash games is 5% at fixed-limit and 5.5% for NL and PL. The cap decreases (varies between 1b-10bb) as the stakes increase. In MTTs rake ranges between 6% and 10%. For SnG the fee is from 2% (for HU) and up to 11% (for DoN and hyper tournaments). PKO events have a 20% fee on average. In Winfall Spins, the rake is between 6% and 8%. 

Chico Poker Games and Traffic

The large number of US players belonging to the network means Chico can guarantee high volume. The Chico network is known to have one of the ‘best’ player pools around in terms of the sheer number of recreational poker fans making the playing level less sophisticated than with most other poker rooms.

Many rakeback affiliates are no longer accepted in the Chico network because the operator focuses primarily on the acquisition of ‘fun’ players rather than ‘winning’ players. Consequently, Chico will be an attractive hunting ground for those serious grinders whose only goal is to make money against less experienced, generally weaker opposition.

Cash Games

Along with classic No-limit Hold’em and Pot-limit Omaha, Chico Poker Network also offers more exotic and rare games such as Fast-Fold, NL Texas 6+, and PL Omaha Hi/Lo. Some games also feature Straddle and Run it Twice. Chico is also one of the few operators that offer the 9-max tables in Hold’em and they represent around 40% of all traffic. 

Cash games are divided into Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Texas 6+. Of course, the most popular format is No-limit Hold’em representing around 60% of all traffic. Tables starting from NL100 take part in the Bad Beat Jackpot. Boost, a local fast-fold, does not gather much traffic with roughly 100 connections during peak hours. 

MTT

Given that Chico Poker Network focuses mainly on the US market, a good tournament grid is to be expected.You will find at the Chico Network different kind of Multi Table Tournaments (MTT) with high guaranteed prize pools.

SNG and Spins

Chico Poker Network offers a wide variety of SNG formats, which is a rarity in modern realities. For example, it offers regular, turbo, hyper, HU, and Double or Nothing (DoN). Local Spin&Go are called Windfall and are presented in three formats: Windfall (regular spins), Flips (100% lottery spin), and Jackpot.

Game Softness

It is fair to say that the overall field of the Chico Poker Network is quite soft in all of its poker rooms. This is mainly due to all three skins focusing on a comprehensive gaming variety and not just poker. Not to mention that American players have always been known as fans of the action. This is also indicated by its ban on professional software such as hand converters. Multi-tabling is also restricted to 8. All of these measures aim at leveling the playing field and improving the poker ecology. 

Reliability and Trustworthiness

Only TigerGaming, one of the three skins that comprise the Chico Poker Network, has a gaming license: 5536/JAZ issued by Curacao eGaming to Thot Management B. V. There is no information available on the Internet regarding this company.

SportsBetting AG does not show any legal information on its website but states that it is licensed in Panama. 

Even though Curacao and Panama licenses are not trustworthy in the poker community, it is quite common for US-facing rooms to be registered in these regions. Chico Poker Network has managed to pass the test of time as there are no complaints regarding its reliability. 

Neither of the skins clearly states if they have an RNG certificate. However, Chico Poker Network software was developed by Connective Games and they do hold an RNG certificate issued by Gaming Labs and iTech Labs. 

Chico Poker Network was able to build a good reputation in the poker community. This is mainly due to no large controversies around neither of skins, and active work to create a more comfortable playing environment. For example, this network actively bans bots/cheaters and issues refunds to all the victims. There are no cases of accounts being blocked without a reason. There are also no complaints about non-payment situations.

Deposits and Withdrawals

The Chico Poker Network is a well-known online poker network that provides a variety of payment options to its players. Whether you want to deposit or withdraw funds, Chico Poker Network has a range of payment methods available to suit your needs.

Please keep in mind that the available payment options depending on the country a player comes from!

To deposit and withdraw funds into your Chico Poker Network account, you can use a variety of payment methods including:

Visa and Mastercard: These credit and debit cards are widely accepted at the Chico Poker Network. You can use them to fund your account instantly and securely.

Bitcoin/USDT/ETH: These are popular cryptocurrencies that allow you to make fast, secure and anonymous transactions. To use it, simply transfer funds from your crypto wallet to your Chico Poker Network account.

Skrill and Neteller: These e-wallets allow you to store your funds securely online and make quick and easy transactions. You can deposit funds from your Skrill or Neteller account to your Chico Poker Network account instantly.

Overall, Chico Poker Network offers a good range of payment options for players to deposit and withdraw funds. The payment methods are safe, secure, and efficient, and the process is usually hassle-free.

Chico Poker Software

Chico Poker Network software was developed by Connective Games and supports Windows, macOS, and Android. It also has a browser HTML version that is compatible with all smartphones. The HTML version is a copy of a PC client with good optimization and full functionality.

The PC client is quick and functional. On top, you will find various buttons that will help you switch between cash games. Another set of buttons lets you choose different formats such as Hold’em and Omaha.

Tables can be arranged by stakes and player count. The overall design is clean, minimalistic, and does not distract from the game. As mentioned previously, no professional software is allowed. 

The Chico Network’s mobile poker app ensures a robust and seamless poker experience, right at your fingertips. Its user-friendly interface, combined with cutting-edge technology, provides a dynamic gaming environment that caters to both beginner and professional poker players.

While Chico Skins software isn’t the best and fanciest on the market, it is nevertheless player-friendly and has an easy-to-use interface that’s great for beginners and inexperienced players.

Promotions inside Chico Network

The Chico Poker Network offers a variety of promotions and bonuses to both new and existing players. Here are some of the main promotions you can expect to find:

Welcome Bonus: New players on the Chico Poker Network are eligible for a generous 100% up to 1.000$ welcome bonus. This bonus typically includes a match bonus on the first deposit, as well as free tournament tickets.

Bad Beat Jackpot: The Chico Poker Network offers a bad beat jackpot at certain cash game tables. If a player loses with a very strong hand, they may be eligible to win a portion of the jackpot, which can sometimes reach into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Freerolls: The Chico Poker Network offers a range of freeroll tournaments, which give players the chance to win real money without risking any of their own funds. Some freerolls are open to all players, while others may be exclusive to certain VIP levels or loyalty program members.

Leaderboard Contests: The Chico Poker Network frequently runs leaderboard contests, which reward players who accumulate the most points over a certain period of time. These contests may be based on specific games or game types, and can offer significant cash prizes or other rewards to the winners.

These are just a few of the main promotions and bonuses available on the Chico Poker Network. It’s worth noting that the specific details of these offers can vary over time, so it’s always a good idea to check the promotions page on the Chico Poker Network website to see the latest offers and terms and conditions.

FAQ Chico Network

Chico has been around for many years, and is now established as one of the world’s leading providers. Accepting players from across the globe, Chico is a safe environment in which poker fans can enjoy their time at the virtual tables.

Chico does not allow the use of a HUD and other such playing or statistical aids.

The ethos of the Chico network does not lend itself to rakeback deals, so there is no VIP/Rakeback program for players within the network itself. Instead, the focus is on recreational players, and this is also the reason why the player pool tends to be very ‘soft’ compared with most poker rooms.

An important point to take note of is that, by registering with any network skin via YourPokerDream, you will have the opportunity to receive additional rakeback through our exclusive promotions, which also feature rake races and other attractive deals aimed at boosting your bankroll.

You can find enough action at the tables around the clock, with Cash Games being particularly busy. However, due to the fact that the majority of players are American, evening/night time in the US tend to be the peak periods.

Perhaps the main attraction for most is that Chico puts a great deal into accommodating casual, fun poker fans. Of course, there are also serious, experienced players, grinders and professionals here, but not in the same numbers as most other poker sites. A consequence of catering mainly for recreational players is, of course, that the player pool will be weaker, which is an appealing prospect for any reasonably ambitious player looking to generate and subsequently exploit an edge over the opposition.

US players are allowed. Unfortunately, if you live in the UK you cannot play at Chico. Nevertheless, there are other UK poker sites that cater specifically to players from the region.

While it is true that poker rooms are part of the same network, they are nevertheless different companies. Consequently, it is perfectly fine to have a player account on all Chico Network skins! So, if you already have a player account at BetOnline, for example, you can open another one at TigerGaming, or SportsBetting AG, and so on.

Author: YPD
last updated 20.11.2023