International · Poker Network
Chico Poker Network
Chico Poker Network has been operating for over two decades and is built around operators where poker sits alongside a much larger sportsbook and casino offering. That positioning tends to produce a notably soft, recreational field, since most of the player base isn't there primarily to grind poker.
The network's roots go back to 1999, when it launched as the Action Poker Network — one of the older continuously-operating networks still around today. It ran under that name for over a decade before a major relaunch in 2012, when it rebranded to Chico Poker Network and moved onto a new client built by Connective Games, launching alongside the skins that still anchor it today.
The transition wasn't smooth — the network went through a rocky stretch of payout delays as new ownership sorted out contractual disputes with the previous operators. To its credit, Chico cleared its backlog of outstanding player obligations by 2013 and has run steadily since.
The network's defining trait hasn't changed in over two decades: poker sits alongside a much larger sportsbook and casino business at every skin on the network, pulling in a player base that's there for the broader gambling experience rather than dedicated grinding — which is exactly what keeps the games soft.