It’s always a wise decision to check out reviews before choosing an online casino. Security is not the only concern for most online punters. Fully licensed gambling websites with advanced SSL encryption that guarantees non-compromise of your data is not that impossible to come by. But there’s more to look out for. If the gambling cyberspace is a regular destination for you, then PokerStars Casino might not sound new.
The online Casino/gambling platform hit the scene and became a force to reckon over a decade ago after hosting back-to-back world series of poker tournaments. Lately, their player volume seems to be massively growing, with many newbies trying to know if it’s safe, among other factors, to hop on the PokerStars platform.
PokerStars Casino belongs to the Stars Interactive Ltd group. Don’t let the name mislead you. PokerStars offers the public more than just online poker rooms. Although many know PokerStars as the go-to site for online poker lovers, they also offer punters a user-friendly platform to enjoy competitive/entertaining Casino service, live casino, and of course, the ever-popular sportsbook market. The business claims to bring people together, like a community through tournaments, where gamblers can compete against each other.
On that note, if you are in this boat, let’s get you up to speed with all you need to know about PokerStars Casino. In the end, you should be able to decide if you want to the PokerStars way.
Table of Contents
Welcome Offer & Sign-up Promotions.
PokerStars offers one of the best bonuses to newbies on the platform. New sign-ups gain a 100% deposit bonus, including 100 free spins. New users only get access to this bonus if they make a minimum deposit of £10. This first deposit offer is automatically credited to you, but you must use your free spins within a period.
You’ll do well to check how long your free spin bonus lasts as policies may change over time. Note that the above bonus is not for every location of the world as PokerStars have different bonuses for punters located in different locations. For example, UK-resident punters get 50 free spins after depositing and spending 10 pounds. Germany, Finland, and Ireland gamblers get a 100 percent welcome bonus of up to 500 Euros, in addition to 50 free spins. There’s more, Sweden gets free 100 spins when punters domiciled in the country stake 100 SEK.
To register at PokerStars casino is very easy and takes only a few minutes. If you are like us who can’t stand unnecessarily long and tedious registration forms, you will find this one okay.
- At the homepage, click join at the top of the page.
- Insert your details in the two-step registration.
- Enter a valid email as they will need to account confirmation.
- Claim your Welcome Offer and start playing.
PokerStars Casino usually requests verification documentation to confirm your account, which can be done with a valid ID. After your account has been verified, you can get access to the available welcome offers.
Casino Slot Free Spins
Free spins on the PokerStars are available per location, as earlier mentioned. UK players have 7-day free spins valid only on the Tomb of Ra slot. However, winnings can be credited as cash. In Germany, Finland, and Ireland, free spins with a welcome bonus and first deposit are only valid on Stars Genie Slot. For Sweden, new players can use 100 free spins on the Diamond Stars classic.
PokerStars Casino RTP Percentages
RTP or return to player percentage is the percentage of money that players will get back over time. For example, if a game has an RTP percentage of 98 per cent, punters will get $0.98 per dollar back over time. Considering slot games, the percentages are usually between 95-97 per cent, while Blackjack is 99.69 per cent.
PokerStars Wagering Requirements
Wagering requirements on PokerStars can sometimes fluctuate especially on slots with a minimum amount as low as $0.01 or a penny, while roulette is $0.10. Table games like Blackjack may have a stiffer wagering requirement as the minimum is $5, while the maximum is capped at $2500.
As for being able to withdraw winnings earned by no deposit bonuses, PokerStars has a weird way of explaining their wagering requirement as it is expressed in terms of the number of points earned by players. However, I did some conversions and was able to come with a standard, easy-to-understand wagering requirement, which is 32 times the bonus value must wagers before you can gain access to winnings.
Existing Customer Promotions
Apart from welcome bonuses for new users, existing customers can also look forward to a wide range of rewards and promotions, such as “the Spin of the day.” Here, a win is guaranteed. There is also the VIP club for the highly active or regular players. In the VIP program, there are seven different tiers, which require around 100 player points in a month before earning or as many as one million player points in a year. The more points you get, the higher you climb the tiers, which grants you access to more exciting and rewarding promotions.
One thing you should know about the VIP club is that you cannot be a part of it if you are not a very frequent player, even though you’ve been on the platform for a long time. Call it a biased arrangement if you like, but we think it’s a fair way of rewarding more frequent players.
We also have a slight criticism for the VIP club arrangement as players have to meet up with specific player points requirements every month to maintain the tier they have already attained. Yes, it’s PokerStars’ way of encouraging players to play regularly, but we’re not sure we like the fact that players have to be baited to maintain what they have already earned. On the bright side, we think it can present a little excitement and something to look forward to eliminating boredom.
It will interest you to know that player points can be exchanged from tournament tickets, merchandise, and even cash. If you can play full time, you may have the opportunity of attaining the supernova or supernova elite tier, which offers players incredible rewards as high as thousands of dollars and access to a quarterly tournament with prize money of one million dollars.
PokerStars Website Review
The PokerStars website design is expectedly stylish, with an attractive splash of red, black, white, and grey colours. The layout of the site is pretty as it’s not complex, though stylish. There are links at the top of the online pages that take players easily to the home page, table games, slot, or card game sections. There’s also a search bar for easy filter and direct access to different titles. Furthermore, the website is designed for multi-language interaction, such as English, Finnish, German, Spanish, Croatian, Hungarian, Portuguese, Polish, French, Russian, Lithuanian, Slovenia, Latvian.
Payment Methods
PokerStars only adopts the most convenient and available payment providers to help customers make deposits and withdrawals seamless. Some of them include: Visa, Ukash, Master card, AstroPay Card, Entropay, Direct Bank Transfer, Neteller, Paysafe Card, PayPal, Skrill.
Withdrawal Speed
All withdrawals on this platform are subjected to a lag period that may last between a day or two days. Bear in mind that both weekends and holidays will likely extend withdrawal times. In some cases, the payout may take as many as seven working days. For those who use bank cheques as a means of payment, there is a waiting time of up to 15 days.
Slot Games
Part of the games you’ll find in the casino section is video slots. You’ll find the animation of these games very impressive as many of them are made by the big names in the casino game development industry. If you are new, you’d undoubtedly enjoy them. What’s more, the RTP
rating is reported to be around 96 percent. Examples of slot games you’ll find on the website include Troll Hunters 2, Tomb of RA, Easter Island 2, Rainbow jackpots, Legacy of Rome, etc.
PokerStars Slot Software Providers
At the time of this review, many developer/software providers made the PokerStars platform what it is. One of the big names is NetEnt. NetEnt is one of the big names when it comes to the development of online casino games. They are providers of video slots, table games, and so on. Blueprint Gaming, Play’ N Go, Quickspin, Microgaming, Playtech, Big Time Gaming, and Push Gaming was also not missing at the Poker Stars “party.”
You’ll also find Treasure Mine and Crazy Genie slot at the Jackpot section of PokerStars casino, made by Red tiger Gaming. Both games not only offer punters massive rewards for their wagers but fun-filled entertainment.
PokerStars Casino Games
PokerStars Casino games include a variety of content, such as Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack, and live games.
Roulette
The roulette games on PokerStars have many versions for players to choose from. Some are designed with higher stakes and different rules, so check and not apply what you know. For example, the European Roulette has zero as one of the betting options, so those that are new or not willing to take risks can take a swing at it.
On the other hand, the High Roller Roulette requires a bigger stake and is more ideal for those feeling lucky and willing to take a bigger risk. If you are on the latter boat, just remember to gamble responsibly.
Baccarat.
If you visit the casino often, Baccarat shouldn’t be new to you. However, the design is a bit unique on the PokerStars platform. All the same, you’ll have fun while you make your wagers.
Blackjack
One of the most popular and easy games to play at the casino is Blackjack. At PokerStars Casino, you’ll have the option of choosing between classic or regular Blackjack.
Live Games
No online casino is complete without a live casino. In this regard, PokerStars has arguably the most impressive live casino experience. What’s more, the selection of live casino games available on the platform is massive, with two of the game standing out with their gigantic jackpot prizes.
PokerStars’ live casino is streamed in HD quality, with tables for each player. You can also enter games without playing, i.e., just to have a viewing experience or get acquainted with the game’s dynamics.
It is furnished with a live chat feature so players can chat directly with the dealer, making the experience almost the same as being at a real casino. To ensure decorum and eliminate any form of inappropriate language use, the chats are monitored in real-time.
PokerStars Casino Mobile App
PokerStars launched the mobile app of its online casino in 2019, so your gaming and punting experience are not limited to the desktop or laptop computer. With compatibility with both Android and iOS operating systems, you can play roulette, blackjack, slot games, and even experience the live casino, from anywhere on your mobile devices.
The mobile app layout is slightly different from the web version. At the top of the app’s home page, there is a menu tab that collapses into different games and contents of the online casino. Because everything contents on the platform is designed to fit your mobile device screen, there aren’t any other numerous tabs or buttons that may make the app look complex to navigate.
Furthermore, apart from the menu arrangement into sections like card games, table games, the game of the week, etc., games may also be sorted on your menu based on recently played games or activities. Regarding user experience and interaction with the mobile casino, as long as you have a fast and stable internet connection, you won’t find any dragging in the loading time whenever you click on anything.
PokerStars Sister Brands and Sites
PokerStars sister sites in the UK include:
- Betstars Uk
- Fulltilt
- PokerStars Vegas
Licensing
The company is triple licensed by the Isle of Man’s Gambling Supervision Commission, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, and also the Malta Gaming Association. As a legally licensed gambling business, fully regulated, PokerStars is mandated to adhere to strict casino rules and regulations to ensure fairness and safety. In that regard, PokerStars is also GamCare-certified, with further approval from gaming labs certified.
Both companies certify that the gaming combined gambling service provided by the company is fair and secure. PokerStars is duly registered in Malta under registration number No. C54266 and at the office address, 8, Sir Temi Zammit Avenue, Ta’ Xbiex, XBX 1011, Villa Seminia, Malta.
PokerStars Support / Customer Service
A review of PokerStars’ customer support service revealed limited options for players to take advantage of when they have challenges or questions. Although some reviews mentioned that the website has a live chat feature, we didn’t notice any live chat service. Nevertheless, something else was available for customers to connect with the support team at the time of this review, and it worked pretty well when we tried it. Players can choose a contact form option by clicking the “contact us” button. The contact form of PokerStars has a category and subcategory option to ensure your query meets the right attention.
Also, the users or visitors on the platform can access the frequently asked questions, which is a list of probable questions and challenges customers can encounter. Still, it’s possible your challenge is not among the list of FAQs. The email option is also available at support@pokerstars.com.
PokerStars Advantages
- User-friendly site
- Multiple game option
- Tournament mode available, connecting players in a community.
- Huge returns.
- Impressive live casino.
- High-stakes cash games available around the clock
- Has mobile app that features all cash games and tournaments
- Fast-fold games available
- Welcome bonus available
- Customer support available
PokerStars Disadvantages
- No live chat support.
- Limited customer support options
PokerStars Summary
The ball is totally in your court about joining the PokerStars train. However, if you go by the review, PokerStars casino is safe and runs a fair gambling operation for all users. The multiple fund deposit method makes it easy to fund your online account for wagering. The competing real-time feature with other punters is also worth it. Apart from the bonuses and free spins, you also get a chance to enjoy the VIP program. Apart from the limited support option, PokerStars is recommendable to punters.
