According to a report from eGaming Review, a seismic shift in the method of business on the iPoker Network will bring together two top rooms. These sites are expected to be the linchpins of the new system when they join together on September 1, according to eGaming Review.

Titan Poker, which has been the cornerstone of the Playtech-operated iPoker Network for several years now, will join together with sister site CelebPokerto create what will likely be called iPoker 2 and be the top level in a new two-tiered system for the network. There are other sites that may be a part of this new setup, but Playtech has set stringent guidelines for other potential partners if they want to join.

eGaming Review reports that, in July, Playtech handed down the guidelines for room inclusion into the new iPoker 2. These guidelines, which had to be achieved by the end of this month, would separate their more popular rooms by player numbers and player segments (recreational and professional players) from the pack.

The rules require that each site maintain a player base of 6,000 monthly active players to be considered for the move to iPoker 2. Additionally, sites would have to draw in an additional 850 players per month to satisfactorily meet the new criteria set by Playtech. This leaves several of the more notable names on the iPoker Network scrambling to meet the guidelines.

Such rooms as bet365, William Hill, Paddy Power Poker, and Poker770 are expected to be a part of iPoker 2, but rooms like Winner Poker, Betfred, Boyle, and Genting might fall short of the lofty goals set by Playtech, according to eGaming Review. Two rooms that used to be a part of the iPoker Network, Pokerhuis and Gutshot Poker, have decided to leave the family of sites rather than accept the new dictates from Playtech.

The split will have a significant impact on all the skins involved on the iPoker Network. The rooms that are expected to move to iPoker 2 will hold almost 70% of the cash game action that is currently running on the entire network, eGaming Review states. While tournaments aren’t expected to see any impact, rooms that could be left out of the switch are a bit upset over the decision since they believe that players will leave their sites to play on the iPoker 2 top-tier sites.

The current setup of the iPoker Network consists of 45 rooms. Rooms that were not mentioned as potential candidates for the tiered system that will be implemented – and, as such, their future destination is unknown – include Mansion Poker, Golden Palace Poker, and ChiliPoker. Playtech will not announce the final determinations of the tiered system until it actually takes effect next month.

According to PokerScout, the iPoker Network is second largest online poker operation in the industry. Currently a distant second to the omnipotent PokerStars, the iPoker Network is ranked ahead of both PartyPokerand 888, but the numbers are very close. Cash game player counts – the standard of PokerScout in tracking the online industry – have the iPoker Network at an average of 1,000 players ahead of PartyPoker and about 2,000 players ahead of 888 Poker.

What effect the two-tier system will have on these rankings will become evident around mid-September when the changeover fully takes effect.