PokerStars review
Best tournaments, best software, hardest games. If you grind MTTs you have to have an account. If you're a cash reg, the rake/rakeback math is worse than GG.
The scores
Welcome bonus
100% up to $600 with code STARS400. Min deposit $10. Clear $5 per 75 redemption points (5 RP per $1 rake) within 4 months. Stackable across up to 3 qualifying deposits.
Effective ~6% via Stars Rewards (5 redemption points per $1 rake; $5 per 75 points)
Pros
- Largest tournament schedule on earth (SCOOP, WCOOP, Sunday Million)
- Software is still the gold standard
- Most game variants of any room (HORSE, Stud, Razz, 6+, Open Face)
- Regulated in more jurisdictions than any competitor
- Lab-tested RNG, public audit history
Cons
- Stars Rewards rakeback is paltry vs GG/ACR
- Cash pools are tougher than they were in 2010
- Heavy table-cap and seating-script enforcement
- No third-party HUD in most countries
Rake and rakeback
Weighted contributed, no-flop-no-drop. NLHE cap scales by stake. The NL100 cap is $2.50 at a flat 4.50% rake percentage.
Effective rakeback for a 100k-hand/month grinder works out to Effective ~6% via Stars Rewards (5 redemption points per $1 rake; $5 per 75 points). Compared against the full rake comparison table, that places PokerStars toward the bottom of the field.
Traffic and player pool
Peak cash 24-hour traffic of approximately 9,500 concurrent. Our internal pool-softness score for PokerStars is 6.5/10, tougher than most rooms.
Games and formats
Payments
PokerStars accepts:
Currencies supported: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD.
Licensing
Isle of Man GSC; multiple national licences (UKGC, MGA, ARJEL, AGCO, DGOJ, AAMS, AGE). Operating since 2001.
Should you play here?
Best tournaments, best software, hardest games. If you grind MTTs you have to have an account. If you're a cash reg, the rake/rakeback math is worse than GG.
If PokerStars is right for you, sign up here: Open an account at PokerStars
18+ only. Play responsibly.
STARS400