PokerStars Casino

Casino Games, Poker & Sportsbook

As the name indicates, the main focus of PokerStars is poker, but there is also a sportsbook, as well as a casino filled with more than 1,500 PokerStars games that guarantee hours and hours of fun. For those who long for a more authentic and genuine casino experience, we suggest the live casino tables. 

Poker

Poker is the game this operator is best known for. It can be accessed through the main menu, but don’t be confused if you find poker games in other sections as well. These are all different types of the same game, and in this case, you don’t play against the dealer or computer algorithm, but against real players, just like you. 

On this website, you will find one of the best selections of poker variants. There are classics like Texas Hold’em and Omaha High, as well as some lesser-known types of this popular game like Fusion and Badugi. If you like, you can also join tournaments, play live poker, and even join different tours. Players who want to play professionally should pay close attention to their tournaments, as they are satellites to WSOP. Many popular athletes have qualified for big tournaments thanks to this website, and that is nothing to be ashamed of. Keep in mind that this site is beloved by professionals, so make sure to find a table that suits you and fits your budget. Despite the fact this section offers some high-quality guides and instructions, it is much better to start small, especially on a website as popular as this. 

Slots and table games

Now that we have covered the most serious category there is, let’s get to the one that is quite the opposite. Slots are fun, funky, humorous and colorful, so they attract completely different clientele. All PokerStars slots are provided by reputable companies like NetEnt and Play’n GO. We were happy to see a whole bunch of gaming evergreens like Gonzo’s Quest and Starburst, as well as new releases like Spartan King and Ice Joker. Our favorite, however, was Christmas Carol Megaways by Pragmatic Play, inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic about finding the true meaning of Christmas. 

There is also a solid selection of card and table games, including roulette, blackjack and video poker. Even though this is not the biggest selection in the world, it is more than enough to kill some time and try out a few titles you never played before. We suggest you focus on true classics like American and European roulette because once you master them, you can easily switch to more exciting and faster live tables. The only suggestion we would give the operator is to add more baccarat games to this category, as there is only one type available while all others listed are with live dealers, which is a completely different category. 

Jackpots at PokerStars

Sometimes all you want is to win big, and the best way to do so is to try winning at jackpot games. Of course, there are no guarantees you’ll become a millionaire, but these games are incredibly fun, dynamic and so promising they are hard to resist. There are around 200 jackpots available, which is more than in any other casino we encountered. Both the variety and quality of titles is simply breathtaking. The most popular jackpot games are Egyptian themed Tomb of Ra, and western extravaganza Buffalo Rising Megaways JPK. However, there is also a fair share of classics such as Mega Fortune, Divine Fortune and the Age of the Gods series. 

All jackpots have the size of the prize publicly displayed, and from what we saw, some games can bring you millions, while others bring only a couple of hundreds of thousand euros. In the end, it all depends on when the jackpot resets and how many players contribute to the prize. 

Live Casino games

Live casino is the next big thing in the industry, despite the fact it has been present for quite a while. In order to provide the most authentic experience to more demanding customers, software providers implemented new technologies to stream tables with live dealers directly to players. That way, you can enjoy your favorite games with dealers and not computer algorithms; you can even chat with your mates from all over the world. PokerStars collaborates with Playtech and Evolution to bring a solid selection of different genres and types, including gaming shows. Gaming shows are a perfect mix of classic TV entertainment and gambling, as they combine colorful and fun visuals, surprising elements and lucrative deals. The most popular ones are Dream Catcher and Live Monopoly. 

Evolution is one of the most recognized and established live gaming brands, but Playtech also deserves your attention as they have some quite interesting crossover games such as live slots (Buffalo Blitz and Age of Gods), as well as an intriguing combination of progressive jackpots and roulette, like Age of the Gods Bonus Roulette. Such games seem slightly more complicated than the titles that inspired them, but they are worth your effort, as they tend to be more fun, and not to mention lucrative. 

Sportsbook and live betting 

PokerStars sportsbook supports both pre-match and live betting, and you can access them simply by clicking the appropriate tab. In this case, live betting is simply called in-play, so don’t let that confuse you. There are more than 20 betting categories, including ever-popular football, basketball and tennis, as well as horse racing, esports and virtual sports, covering all the events you can think of - from Bundesliga to minor leagues. 

Unfortunately, this part of the site is reserved only for sports, so you won’t find any fun categories like TV, Sitcoms or even Politics. They should consider adding a few of those, so punters who prefer betting on more casual categories have something to enjoy. However, if you don’t understand all those leagues, competitions and tournaments, you can still place some bets, as the platform displays the most popular matches and leagues. Just click your favorite, and the bet will be added to the slip. Furthermore, there are several filters and subcategories that make the search easier than it seems. The odds are expressed in decimal format by default, but you can also switch to fractional or American style odds to place single or multiple bets.

The easiest way to see what PokerStars bonus is waiting for you is to decide what type of gaming you like. Then, visit the category and click Promotions to see the deal. Sports punters don’t get any special welcome bonuses which is weird, for a big company like this one. Casino fans can enjoy 100 PokerStars free spins on their first €10 deposit. Poker enthusiasts get €30 for free by using the PokerStars bonus code “THIRTY”. Alternatively, you can also use the bonus code “STARS600” to get a 100% bonus, up to €500. 

But what can you do if you don’t see any of these offers? There isn’t actually much you can do. As a huge gaming company, PokerStars has different offers for different parts of the world, and they create their offers depending on their business interests. Before you sign up, you can always ask customer support whether there are any deals you should know about or simply check out the Promotions section. The welcome bonuses available are slightly underwhelming, especially considering they are provided by a big and influential platform. 100 free spins are great, but won’t mean much if you prefer table games. At the same time, sports bettors would definitely love to see a free bet or two added on their first deposit. 

Bonus terms and wagering requirement

The Poker bonus requires a €20 minimum deposit. The €30 is spread across six days, taking a different form each day. For instance, on the first day, you get 10 Spin & Go tickets worth €0.50 each and on the fifth day, you get a €5 cash bonus. This offer expires after 21 days and requires you to use awarded money to play the game, and that’s it. If you go for a €500 bonus, you get €10 for every 230 redemption points you collect.

Regarding the free spins bonus, you get 50 free spins on the first day, and 50 spins on the second day. The spins have to be used on Cashzuma, Caribbean Wild and/or Pharaoh’s Loot. To withdraw the winnings, you will have to earn two redemption points for every €1 bonus awarded to you, with every spin being worth €0.20. And how do you collect redemption points? By playing games. Each game brings you a different number of points all depending on the type or the RTP. Considering how complicated the entire ordeal is, we recommend this bonus only to more experienced punters. 

Promotions and bonuses

Just like the welcome bonus, all PokerStars promotions will depend on the country you live in. Poker players get a chance to enjoy different tournaments and campaigns that can bring them passes to the most exclusive events. Also, they can play money leaderboards, join the high rollers club or simply collect Stars Rewards, which is essentially a loyalty program for all players who deposit with this operator, and not just poker players. 

Sports bettors can get a free bet every Friday, or simply get up to 100% bonus on their winning bets with three or more selections. Casino fans can enjoy different casino races, tournaments and competitions, daily drop jackpots and random casino rewards. As long as you live in the right country, PokerStars will have more than enough bonuses and promotions for you to claim.

The PokerStars desktop platform comes in its signature colors - black, white and red, alongside stunning 3D visuals. The navigation is pretty intuitive, as long as the company supports all three types of gaming for your country, otherwise, it gets a bit complicated. For instance, players from Croatia can’t access the casino at all, and there is no replacement brand offered. On the other hand, German punters can’t use the PokerStars sportsbook but have to bet on the SkyBet platform integrated on the PokerStars interface. Meanwhile, US customers who prefer sports are redirected to the FoxBet website. 

As an operator with so many different gaming opportunities, it works slightly differently than your average casino. To set the record straight – sportsbook and casino can be used directly from your favorite browser, regardless of whether you use Mac or PC, laptop or desktop computer. However, to play poker, you will have to download software and install it on your computer. The reason for this is that technical requirements for premium tournaments and events simply can’t be handled by website servers, not even by the strongest ones PokerStars uses. The overall experience suggests PokerStars probably isn’t a good choice for players who can’t handle a little bit of downloading and a few redirections. 

Mobile Casino

PokerStars mobile casino comes in several shapes and sizes. You can use the mobile-optimized website as long as you don’t play poker. Otherwise, make sure to download the appropriate app from Android and Apple app stores. The installation process is very simple, and if you want to make sure you are downloading the right thing, simply open the website in your browser and accept the suggestion to download the app immediately. The app will take a bit of space on your device, but considering you don’t have to log in and log out every time, it is a true time-saver. 

All their platforms are pretty reliable and work wonderfully when connected to WiFi. They also work when you use mobile data, but in that case, the speed you have with your teleoperator can affect the speed the games load. This is not because the interfaces are poorly coded, but because it takes a fast network for any website or app to work properly, especially the ones that have to load high-quality graphics, a bunch of features, etc. During testing, we didn’t experience any of the lags, frozen screens or long loading times that can be truly frustrating.

Live chat is available 24/7 for registered users only. In addition to it, you can also use email and their support bot that can help you navigate the FAQ. In our case, it wasn’t as useful as we expected it to be. 

These are the main categories in the PokerStars FAQ:

• Deposit and withdrawal
• Events
• Play money and social games
• Poker
• Responsible gaming
• Special offers
• My account
• Technical issues
• My rewards

If you plan on joining this operator, have no worries - there are plenty of payment methods to choose from, including credit cards, bank wire and e-wallets (which tend to be the most popular anyway). PokerStars created an extensive guide that covers every question a punter might have about the money transfers. It comes in really handy, and check it out if you are interested. The minimum deposit is €10, and the minimum withdrawal limit will vary, depending on the payment method you use. Once you are a registered customer and have made a deposit, you will find all minimum and maximum limits in the Cashier. 

According to their FAQ, the company will never charge you any fees, and will even cover the fees of the bank transfer, but they still warn their users that the payment provider may charge them according to their policies. There are two types of withdrawals available: automatic ones, which are approved instantly as long as you use the same payment method and ask for an amount that is less or equal to your deposit, and non-automatic, which take up to 72 hours to be processed. E-payments are, as always, the fastest, while credit card withdrawals can take up to 10 days to be completed. 

Verifying your PokerStars account

The account verification is a simple procedure that you should do as soon as possible, to speed up the entire withdrawal process. Simply deliver proof of ID, proof of address and any other document required by the company. The acceptable ID documents are the national ID card, passport and driver’s license, while utility bills, bank statements, payslips and insurance certificates, as well as a few other documents, can serve as proof of address. PokerStars provides a lot of information on how to take pictures and scan them, and what formats to use, so make sure to read all the instructions.  

If all this seems overwhelming, you can watch their videos to get a better understanding of what you have to do. Once you are a registered customer, you can also ask their live chat support for assistance, and they will help you every step of the way.

PokerStars is owned and operated by Rational Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, and is one of the best known and most reputable gaming companies in the world. They hold a Maltese gaming license and have been one of the fan favorites, ever since the very beginning. If you need further proof that they’re legit, understand they are more than just a gaming site, as they also have live tournaments across the globe. 

The website is SSL encrypted for safe money and data exchange. At the same time, it has several different authentication possibilities that allow you to set your own safety levels. For instance, you can use several different types of PINs, passwords and SMS authentication to keep your gaming balance safe. 

With brands as big as this one, it is obvious they are here to stay. Being online since 2001, they have provided gaming services to thousands and thousands of players of all kinds. Even though their platform can be a bit complicated for those who are entering the exciting world of gaming for the first time, it is crystal clear that they have their clientele, a great reputation and won’t compromise on any level. You can always take your money elsewhere if you believe it is too much of a fuss to download the poker platform, but considering all the evidence, we recommend you think twice before you do, considering this is an exemplary online casino.

This site is probably the most popular choice for players across the globe; even people who have no idea what online gaming is have heard of PokerStars. It is more than just a platform where you play your favorite card game, as you can also play slots, table games, live casino and even bet on multiple sports categories, both live and pre-match. If you need one final gaming destination that will serve you in years to come - this is it!