PokerStars Review

Operating for more than 20 years online, PokerStars is the biggest online poker site in the world in 2022. With more than 200 billion hands played, the site has a reputation across the world as being trustworthy and easily customisable to offer the best playing experience.

Currently PokerStars is open to players from many countries around the world (including the UK), however it is not widely available in the U.S.; currently only residents of Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania can play through the site.

With a combination of web client and both iOS and Android apps as the offering, PokerStars is easily accessible for those that are able to play and has tens of thousands of users per day, meaning that you’re always likely to find the perfect table for you.

Welcome Bonus at PokerStars

New players at PokerStars can currently get a £40 Free Play when a first deposit of £10 is made. Using the code “FORTY” while making your deposit will guarantee that you receive your free play is given as the following rewards over your first six days as a player:

Day	Reward	Benefit
1	5x $1 Spin & Go Tickets	5 chances to win 10,000x your buy-in
2	5x $1 Spin & Go Tickets	5 chances to win up to $10,000
3	6x $2 Spin & Go Tickets	6 chances to win 10,000 times your buy-in
4	$10 Cash Bonus	Try any games of your choice
5	6x $2 Spin & Go Tickets	6 chances to win 10,000 times your buy-in
6	$9 Cash Bonus	Try any games of your choice

There are other variations of welcome bonus, including a similar £20 Free Play bonus, and a 100% Welcome Bonus up to $600, however you do need to earn redemption points at the tables in order to begin claiming your welcome bonus. Full details about this specific promotion can be found on the Promotions section of the PokerStars website, however you should check back regularly to stay up to date, as they frequently bring out new additions to keep things exciting!

Free Poker Offering

If you’re a Poker newbie and want to hone your skills, PokerStars offers a free play “Play Money” section on both the desktop and mobile versions of the site.

By playing at PokerStars’ free play tables, you’ll be sitting alongside thousands of other daily players without any risk of actually losing your own money. Once you’ve put in the practice and feel ready to take the step into Real Money poker, be sure to check out the promotions available, as there are many free-to-enter promos such as Spin & Go’s that are updated regularly.

Rewards Program

With players at the forefront of PokerStars’ operation, there are multiple reward offerings available, with high-level players even being able to win up to 65% back through the rewards program.

There are six levels to PokerStars Rewards, and you’ll unlock personalised chests depending on the types of games that you like to play. The table below shows the different reward/chest levels, the amount of points required to unlock each, and the reward percentages:

Chest Level	Points Required	No. of Chests to Level Up	Chest Value	Poker Reward %
Blue	333	5	$0.50	15%
Bronze	935	5	$1.50	16%
Silver	2,850	7	$5	17.5%
Gold	10,800	7	$20	18.5%
Diamond	37,500	10	$75	20%
Black	100,000	N/A	$250	25%

If you have not won a chest after 28 days have passed, you will move down a level.

It’s also possible to earn reward points through PokerStars Casino and Sports betting, however there are different requirements and breakdowns for each.

PokerStars Software

Being the #1 Poker site in the world is no easy feat, however the player-first approach that helped to earn PokerStars the top spot is in part reflected in the different ways that you can play.

As previously mentioned, there is both a desktop and mobile poker client offering from PokerStars, both of which are easily customisable based on your preferences. You can also download dedicated iOS and Android apps that offer a similar experience.

If there are planned outages for maintenance and server work, PokerStars are generally very good at making this clear to players in advance, so there’s no last minute panic if things appear to stop working. Following their social media channels is a good idea if you’re a regular player and want to keep in the loop with any upcoming downtime.

Customer Support

If you’re a registered and logged in user at PokerStars, you have multiple ways of getting in touch with the Customer Support team. There is a contact form available on their website, as well as a “Help Bot” named Stella that will help with common queries. If you wish to speak to someone directly via Live Chat, you’ll need to open up the Help Bot and write “I want to contact support” to be put through to a real person.

Deposits and Withdrawals

There are plenty of different ways to deposit and withdraw money at PokerStars, with Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit, Apple Pay, PayPal Skrill and many other common methods all included. Be sure to check before depositing that your method will be accepted and that you have a way of withdrawing any funds too.

Fast Deposits are also available for some methods, which allow you to submit your transactions while still at a table. As you’d expect from such a reputable poker site, you’re also able to set your own deposit limits to ensure you remain in control of your spend.