PokerStars Casino UK: Review & Bonuses | January 2021

We have created a detailed PokerStars Casino review for all poker gamblers out there, aiming to uncover all of the website’s secrets. From their unique wagering system to the multitude of poker variations and tournaments, we will thoroughly analyse each one of them. But, under no circumstances will we neglect other important aspects such as account features, payment methods and customer support.

Getting to know PokerStars Casino UK

PokerStars Casino is the largest online poker website globally, controlling over two-thirds of the market, with a value of nearly £2 billion in 2006 alone. The platform was launched in 2001 and is currently owned by The Stars Group. It’s licensed by the UKGC, MGA and Swedish Gambling Authority. The group's shares were traded on Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange until its recent merger with Flutter Entertainment. This is a bookmaking holding company which operates under various brands in the UK, Ireland, USA and Australia, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Operating in over 40 markets, including UK, Canada, France, Spain and Germany, the casino provides a large number of poker variations. Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Courchevel, Stud, Razz, Five-card draw, Badugi, HORSE, HOSE, and tournaments, alongside an extensive range of slots, casino games are just a couple of the titles players can find here. The average number of players accessing the website surpasses 15,000 per day. Therefore, with the help of its latest TV advert, the company spreads an important message regarding responsibility and creating a safe environment for the betting community.

Partnerships

The company sponsors various live poker tours, such as the European Poker Tour (EPT), Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT), Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT), UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) and Australia & New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT). In addition to that, it became the UFC’s first-ever ‘official poker partner’ in 2018, through the sponsorship of the highly successful ‘UFC 232: Jones vs Gustafsson 2’ event, which took place at The Forum, in California.

Celebrity partnerships are not excluded, as the casino established two teams of special players, called ‘Friends of PokerStars’ and ‘SportStars’. Some famous names associated with them are Olympic gold medal winner Usain Bolt, comedian Kevin Hart, Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo and many others.

Breaking world records

PokerStars Casino UK broke the world record for the largest online tournament not once, but three times, within the same decade. It first happened in December 2009, when the number of entrants reached almost 150,000, then again in 2011, when 200,000 players grabbed tournament tickets for only £1. On June 16^th, 2013, the last record was broken once again with over 225,000 participants.

Registration requirements

Everyone needs a valid account before venturing into the gambling features of the platform. And that is why we have prepared a straightforward registration walkthrough:

1. Click on our button and go to PokerStars Casino online.
2. Press the 'Join' button at the top of the page.
3. Complete the necessary personal information.
4. Send identity verification documents (this can be done right after registration or later, through a link provided by customer support).

Due to a strict KYC procedure, the account cannot be accessed until the necessary documents are provided. Such documents can be a passport, driving licence, recent utility bill or bank statement. However, remember that bank statements from online banks (Revolut, Monese, Monzo, Atom, etc.) are not accepted. The casino may ask customers to repeat the process from time to time.

In the interest of responsible gambling, user accounts have the feature of setting deposit limits or opting for time-outs and self-exclusion. This can be done by logging in, then going to the ‘Account’ section and selecting ‘Responsible Gaming’.

How to get and use PokerStars Casino promo codes

PokerStars Casino UK offers multiple types of bonuses, which can be claimed by any member who has a verified account. Each promotion comes with a set of rules and conditions, that must be read carefully.

Let’s begin by discussing bonus spins. It is important to know that they must be used on specified eligible games, and they all have expiry dates. All this is also available in the ‘My Stars’ menu. This contains additional details such as the bonus progress, redemption method and the option to ‘pause’ the bonus. When extra spins expire, they will be removed from the account, and any winnings resulting from them will be forfeited.

Moving on to instant bonuses, players should remember that these can be converted into real funds by placing bets on qualifying games. This will result in earning a certain number of redemption points. Suppose one has multiple bonuses available to use in a particular game. In that case, each of them will be added to the balance as soon as all funds from the previous bonus have been used. PokerStars Casino bonus codes can differentiate towards other promotions via their wagering requirement system. As you probably know, to transfer a promo to the cash balance, you have to meet some conditions. Regularly, these appear as 35x B, for example. At this casino, players have to earn a number of redemption points to be able to cash out.

Important: The player can earn redemption points each time a player places a bet with real funds on casino games. For example, in Roulette, a player must wager £12 to earn one redemption point.

The rate at which these points are earned varies depending on the game one chooses to play. The total volume of wagering required to clear the bonus may increase or decrease. This information will appear when the user claims the offer, on the table of eligible games or by checking ‘My Stars' section. Once enough points have been earned to clear a bonus, any remaining bonus balance will be converted to real funds.

Tips: Any jackpot wins occurring as a result of bonus spins will always be paid as cash, with no restrictions or wagering requirements.

Be aware: If a player wants to surrender a bonus that has been claimed with real funds, a part of them might be refunded to the account. The ‘surrender value’ is calculated as the original amount deposited to redeem the bonus minus any losses from the instant bonus amount.

What to play on the website?

Although PokerStars Casino online is best known for its poker games, the platform offers over 1100 titles, including slots, jackpots, scratch cards, live casino and table games. These are brought by top providers like Play’N Go, The Stars Group, Reel Time Gaming, Blueprint, Pragmatic Play, Playtech, Big Time Gaming, NetEnt, Barcrest, WMS, Core Gaming, Nextgen, Microgaming, Yggdrasil, Thunderkick, Skywind Group and Red Tiger.

Introducing online poker: how is it different from regular poker?

Players who are already familiar with regular poker won’t take long to get the hang of online poker. But even though the same strategy principles apply to both alternatives, there are still some major differences that should be taken into consideration:

• The pace of the game - online poker plays considerably faster than live poker (around 30 hands per hour in a regular game, compared to 60 hands/hour in an online game).
• Relative stakes – online poker games tend to have lower stakes, as opposed to live poker.
• Bet sizing – in an online game, players usually open preflop raises for 2x, 2.5x or 3x the big blind, whereas in a regular game, players are opening for 5x, 6x or even more.
• Physical reads – since in an online game, the player cannot see its opponents, this might be considered a disadvantage when large pots are involved.

At PokerStars Casino UK one can find many poker variations, including Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Courchevel, Stud, Razz, Five-card draw, Badugi, HORSE, HOSE, Triple Stud and others. Each category has a ‘How to Play’ section that consists of rules, strategies and term explanations. Moreover, punters can access the PokerStars School to enrol in detailed courses and find out tips from industry experts.

Poker tournaments

The online casino is home to the biggest online poker tournaments globally, with a multitude of tournament types. But how does a tournament work? All players will start with the same amount of chips. As the play goes on, the compulsory blinds and antes increase at regular intervals, and when a player loses all chips, they are out of the tournament. The last player standing is declared the winner.

In all tournaments, each player is assigned a random seat and table, and they are only given a certain amount of time to act. If one takes too long, a reminder will appear, and he may also be given the option to activate the ‘Time Bank’ to get some extra time to think.

PokerStars Casino mobile

All the online platform games and features are also availble in a mobile version, on PokerStars Casino’s app, which is available on both the App Store and Google Play. If using the app seems complicated, one can simply open a browser on any type of portable device, and go to PokerStars Casino by typing the name in the search bar. Still, certain rules and promotions might differ on the app, so remember to check the mobile software section in the casino’s terms and conditions.

Everything about deposits and withdrawals

Players may credit their account with a minimum of £10 via the following methods: Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Rapid Transfer, Local Bank Transfer, Wire Transfer, PayPal, Skrill, MuchBetter, Neteller, Paysafecard, Neosurf.

To request a withdrawal, one must sign in, visit the ‘Cashier’, select ‘Withdrawal’ and set the amount they want to cash out. Once the request was made, the winnings will be automatically credited back to the method used to deposit. However, note that only these methods are available: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay, PayPal, Skrill, MuchBetter, Neteller. If a user has deposited with a method that is not eligible for withdrawal, he can solicit the funds via Direct Bank Transfer or Wire Transfer. The site process all requests within 72 hours.

Tips: For each payment method, withdrawals will be applied back to the oldest deposit first and the most recent one last.

Recommendation: There are no minimum and maximum limits when it comes to the amount that can be cashed out. Thus, customers may request as many withdrawals as they want, for any sum.

How to contact the casino

For any issues that may arise, gamblers can contact customer support, which is available 24/7. They can do this by completing a form on the website, containing the user’s email address, a query category, and a detailed message including as much information as possible. The casino will then send a response via email.

One may also consult the FAQ section available in the Help Centre or request virtual assistance by clicking on the ‘Help Bot’ icon. Bear in mind that the virtual assistant will only answer to a predetermined set of questions and cannot provide very specific information. Live chat is also available, but it might be quite difficult to find and can only be accessed after logging in.

Recommendation: In case of urgent inquiries, customers can only complete the support form and wait for an email response or contact the live chat. There is no phone number available.

All in all

To conclude our PokerStars Casino review, we must remind players of the casino’s unique wagering system. This focuses on collecting redemption points, which can only be earned by placing bets with real funds. But remember that the rate at which these points are earned varies depending on the chosen game. Customers may also request as many withdrawals as they want for any sum. The casino doesn’t impose minimum or maximum cashout limits. And in case they surrender a bonus claimed as a result of a deposit, they will be eligible to receive a partial refund.

References:

• Wikipedia.org – PokerStars
• Wikipedia.org – The Stars Group
• PokerStars strengthens sponsorship hand with UFC partnership
• 6 Reasons Why Live Poker is Easier Than Online Poker
• Benefits Of Online Poker vs Live Poker