PokerStars Raises $1 Million for Charity

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Over the weekend, PokerStars held their Stars CALL for Action charity event to raise money for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Stars of television, film, and sports joined select poker pros to raise over $1 million for charity.

Stars such as Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston and Friends star Lisa Kudrow joined over 90 celebrities to play some online poker for charity. The event was a play money poker tournament event with PokerStars donating $10,000 for every celebrity playing in the event. Fans and others could also submit donations in the star’s name for various charities.

Celebrities Come Out in Force for Event

The Stars CALL for Action event drew over 90 celebrities spanning TV, film, pro sports, and of course, professional poker. Some of the stars that sat down in the event included Bryan Cranston, David Schwimmer, Liam Payne, Gabriel Macht, Neymar Jr, Ed Norton, Hank Azaria, Casey Affleck, Amy Schumer, and Wayne Bridge.

Various poker pros came out for the event, including PokerStars Ambassadors Jennifer Shahade and Chris Moneymaker. The goal for the event was to make the final table where the top prizes all went to player’s individual charities.

However, making the final table was not the only way to earn money for their charities. There was a second change winner-takes-all celebrity side event where Suits star Gabriel Macht managed to defeat ex-English footballer Wayne Bridge for the $50,000 top prize. The prize will now go to The Little Roo Neonatal Fund.

Other celebrities earning donations in the side event include Bryan Cranston, Don Cheadle, Macauley Culkin, Michael Ian Black, and Nelson Figueroa. Even Amy Schumer’s sister got in on the act. Kim Carmele earned $10,000 for charity by making the final in the ‘Player Invitational’ event.

Moneymaker and Shahade Make Final Table – Costabile Wins

The final table of the Main Event saw $500,000 awarded to player charities. Both Chris Moneymaker and Jennifer Shahade managed to make the final table along with Mike Tindall, Douglas Costa, David Costabile, and Casey Affleck.

Moneymaker finished 5th in the event, earning $20,000 for his charity while Jennifer Shahade earned $40,000 for her charity with a third-place finish. Ultimately, it was Suits star David Costabile defeating ex-Brazillian footballer Douglas Costa to take the $100,000 top prize for charity. Costabile will donate the prize to World Central Kitchen.

Over $1 Million Raised for Charity

In the end, over $1 million was raised for charity during the event. Half of the total donations went directly to Care International while the remaining went to charities of the player’s choosing. Fans were able to watch the games on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

Hank Azaria spoke about the event, stating, “What an amazing day it was. I was genuinely moved to connect with so many people that I like and admire for such a wonderful cause and I remain blown away by how much PokerStars stepped up. They put up $10K towards COVID relief for every celebrity that participated and then, even though we didn’t quite reach 100 celebrities, they went ahead and gave a full million dollars anyway which was really incredible. And I got to play some poker!”

PokerStars has been partnered with Care International UK since 2014. Care International UK’s CEO Laurie Lee spoke about the event, stating, “This partnership over the past six years means the world to us. With PokerStars’ support, we can respond quickly when emergencies strike, saving lives, and delivering much-needed aid to vulnerable communities around the world.”

The end of the event does not mean the end of giving. You can still donate at PokerStars’ YouTube channel or at eifoundation.org/starscallforaction.