PokerStars Review 2026: Is It Still Good?

Quick Verdict

Rating: 4.3/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PokerStars remains the world's largest online poker site for good reason: unmatched tournament variety, deep cash game traffic, and a mobile experience that sets the standard. But it's not without flaws — the Stars Rewards program is weaker than it used to be, and the casino section feels like an afterthought.

Bottom line: If you're serious about poker, PokerStars is a must. The player pool is massive, software is bulletproof, and tournament selection is unrivaled. If you're purely a casino player, there are better options (BetMGM, DraftKings).

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Poker Features: Where PokerStars Dominates

PokerStars is the largest online poker site in the world, with 50,000+ concurrent players at peak times. Here's why poker players keep coming back.

Tournament Variety: Unmatched

PokerStars runs hundreds of tournaments daily, from $1 buy-ins to $10,000+ high rollers.

Daily Tournament Types:

• Micro stakes: $0.25 - $5 buy-ins (perfect for beginners)
• Low stakes: $10 - $50 buy-ins (recreational players)
• Mid stakes: $100 - $500 buy-ins (serious players)
• High stakes: $1,000+ buy-ins (professionals)

Flagship Tournament Series:

Sunday Million — $109 buy-in, $1 million guaranteed prize pool, runs every Sunday at 1pm ET. This is THE tournament that made PokerStars famous. I've played it dozens of times — the structure is excellent, and the value is undeniable.

SCOOP (Spring Championship of Online Poker) — Annual series in May with three buy-in levels (Low, Medium, High) for every event. Total guarantees exceed $100 million.

WCOOP (World Championship of Online Poker) — September series, even bigger than SCOOP. This is online poker's equivalent of the World Series of Poker.

Spin & Go — Fast-paced 3-handed sit-and-go tournaments with randomized prize pools (up to 12,000x your buy-in). Think lottery tickets mixed with poker. Wildly popular.

Cash Game Traffic: Deep and Consistent

PokerStars has the deepest cash game traffic of any online poker site:

No-Limit Hold'em:

• Micro stakes ($0.01/$0.02 - $0.05/$0.10): 500+ tables running at peak
• Low stakes ($0.25/$0.50 - $1/$2): 200+ tables
• Mid stakes ($2/$4 - $5/$10): 50+ tables
• High stakes ($10/$20+): 10-20 tables

Other Games:

• Pot-Limit Omaha: Excellent traffic at all stakes
• Mixed Games (8-Game, HORSE): Best traffic in the industry
• Stud variants: Limited but playable at low-mid stakes

Why this matters: Game selection is crucial in online poker. If you're a mid-stakes grinder, you need multiple tables to multi-table effectively. PokerStars delivers.

Software & Features: Best in Class

Desktop Client:

• Table Customization: Change felt colors, card designs, dealer voices
• Multi-tabling: Play up to 24 tables simultaneously (if you're insane)
• Hotkey Support: Fully customizable keyboard shortcuts
• Hand History: Automatically saves all hands for review
• PokerStars School: Free training content for beginners

Mobile App:

• Full tournament schedule available
• Cash games optimized for mobile (simplified UI)
• Instant deposits via PayPal/credit card
• Smooth performance even with multiple tables

Unique Features:

• Rabbit Hunting: See what would have come on future streets after a hand ends
• Time Bank: Extra thinking time for tough decisions (30 seconds standard, 60 seconds in big tournaments)
• Seat Me: Auto-finds the best available seat at your chosen stakes

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Stars Rewards: Loyalty Program That's Been Nerfed

PokerStars overhauled their loyalty program in recent years, and the changes have been controversial among the player base.

How Stars Rewards Works

You earn Reward Points by playing poker (cash games and tournaments). Points fill up progress bars called Chests.

Chest Levels:

• Blue Chest (lowest)
• Bronze Chest
• Silver Chest
• Gold Chest
• Diamond Chest
• Black Chest (highest)

What's in Chests:

• Cash bonuses
• Tournament tickets
• Stars Coins (can be exchanged for cash or tournament entries)

The Problem with Stars Rewards

Old System (2017 and earlier): FPPs (Frequent Player Points) accumulated indefinitely and could be exchanged for cash or tournament entries at a fixed rate. Players knew exactly what their rakeback was.

New System (2018+): Chest rewards are randomized. You might open a Gold Chest and get $15, or you might get $5. The value fluctuates, and high-volume grinders get less value than they used to.

Community sentiment: Most serious players dislike the new system. The randomization adds uncertainty, and the overall rakeback percentage is lower than the old FPP system.

My Take

If you're a recreational player (10-20 hours per month), Stars Rewards is fine. You'll get some bonuses, maybe a few tournament tickets, and it feels like a nice extra.

If you're a high-volume grinder (40+ hours per week), Stars Rewards is objectively worse than the old system. You're getting less value per dollar raked, and the randomization is frustrating.

For context: GGPoker and partypoker have better rakeback programs for high-volume players. But they also have smaller player pools and fewer tournaments. Trade-offs.

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Casino Games: An Afterthought

PokerStars Casino exists, but it's clearly not the priority. The game library is smaller than competitors, and the integration feels tacked-on.

Slots (300+)

Providers:

• NetEnt (Starburst, Gonzo's Quest)
• Red Tiger (Dragons Luck, Piggy Riches)
• IGT (Cleopatra, Wheel of Fortune)

RTP Range: 94-97%, standard for the industry.

My Take: The slot selection is adequate but unexciting. If you're a slots enthusiast, BetMGM (800+ slots) or DraftKings (700+ slots) offer significantly more variety.

Table Games (20+)

Blackjack: 6 variants (Single Deck, Atlantic City, European) Roulette: American, European, French Baccarat: Classic and Speed Baccarat

What's Missing: No craps, no Pai Gow, no specialty games. The table game library is bare-bones.

Live Dealer (30+)

Powered by Evolution Gaming:

• Live Blackjack: 10+ tables
• Live Roulette: 8+ tables
• Live Baccarat: 5+ tables
• Game Shows: Monopoly Live, Crazy Time

Streaming Quality: 1080p, professional dealers, no complaints about technical performance.

Video Poker (10+)

Basic selection: Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker.

RTPs are legitimate (98-99% with optimal play), but the variety is limited compared to BetMGM.

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Mobile Experience: Industry-Leading

PokerStars' mobile app is phenomenal — the best poker app available, period.

Poker App Features

Performance: Buttery smooth. I've played 4-table sessions on my iPhone with zero lag. Tournament Lobby: Full desktop functionality. You can register for tournaments, view structures, and track your progress. Multi-Tabling: Play up to 4 tables simultaneously on mobile. Quick Seating: Instant seat-finding at cash games. Cashier Integration: Deposit/withdraw in under 30 seconds via PayPal or debit card.

Casino App

The casino app is functional but less impressive:

• Game library is the same as desktop
• Navigation is straightforward
• Performance is solid

Verdict: If you're playing poker on mobile, PokerStars sets the standard. If you're playing casino games on mobile, DraftKings has a better app.

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Banking: Standard Options, Reliable Processing

Deposit Methods

• Debit Card (Visa/Mastercard) — Instant
• PayPal — Instant
• Skrill — Instant
• Neteller — Instant
• Online Banking — Instant

Minimum Deposit: $10 Maximum Deposit: $5,000 per transaction (higher limits for established players)

Withdrawal Methods

• PayPal — 1-3 business days
• Skrill/Neteller — 1-3 business days
• Bank Transfer — 3-5 business days
• Check — 10-14 business days

Minimum Withdrawal: $10 Maximum Withdrawal: $50,000 per transaction

My Withdrawal Testing

PayPal withdrawal ($200): Approved in 24 hours, funds in account in 48 hours Skrill withdrawal ($150): Approved in 18 hours, funds in account in 36 hours

Verdict: Withdrawal speed is good but not exceptional. DraftKings is faster for casino withdrawals.

Fees

Deposit Fees: None Withdrawal Fees: None (unless using wire transfer)

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Customer Support: Solid

Available Channels:

• Live Chat (24/7)
• Email

I tested customer support three times:

Live Chat Test 1 (Account Question):

• Wait time: 3 minutes
• Response quality: Excellent — agent was knowledgeable
• Resolution time: 5 minutes

Live Chat Test 2 (Technical Issue):

• Wait time: 6 minutes
• Response quality: Good — agent provided troubleshooting steps
• Resolution time: 12 minutes

Email Test:

• Response time: 8 hours
• Response quality: Detailed and helpful

My Take: PokerStars support is better than BetMGM but not quite as fast as FanDuel. Overall, very competent.

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States Available & Licensing

PokerStars Casino operates in:

• Michigan
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania

Note: PokerStars also operates online poker in NJ, MI, and PA, but the player pools are segregated by state (you only play against players in your state). This is a legal requirement.

Licensing & Regulation

NJ: New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement MI: Michigan Gaming Control Board PA: Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

Is PokerStars Legit? Absolutely. PokerStars is owned by Flutter Entertainment (NYSE: FLUT), the largest online gambling company in the world. They also own FanDuel, Paddy Power, and Betfair.

PokerStars has operated for over 20 years and has paid out billions in winnings. Your money is safe.

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Uptime & Reliability: Bulletproof

We track PokerStars' uptime at blazinghotcasino.com/status/pokerstars.

Recent Performance (Last 90 Days)

• Uptime: 99.9%
• Average Response Time: 0.9 seconds
• Incidents: Zero unplanned outages

My Real-World Experience: I've played thousands of hands on PokerStars over the past month, and I've experienced zero crashes, zero freezes, zero disconnections.

The software is rock-solid. This is what happens when a company has been refining poker software for 20+ years.

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Pros & Cons

What PokerStars Does Right ✅

• Largest poker player pool in the world (50,000+ concurrent players)
• Unmatched tournament variety (hundreds of daily tournaments)
• Best poker software (desktop and mobile)
• Deep cash game traffic at all stakes
• Bulletproof reliability (99.9% uptime)
• Trusted brand with 20+ years of operation
• Excellent customer support

Where PokerStars Falls Short ❌

• Stars Rewards is weaker than the old FPP system
• Casino game library is small compared to competitors
• Casino bonuses are underwhelming ($50 vs. $1,000+ elsewhere)
• Segregated player pools (you only play against your state)
• High rake compared to some competitors (GGPoker is lower)

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Final Verdict: Best for Poker, Meh for Casino

After a month of intensive testing across poker and casino, here's who should play at PokerStars:

You'll Love PokerStars If:

• You're serious about poker — This is non-negotiable. PokerStars has the best tournaments, deepest cash games, and most reliable software.
• You play on mobile — The poker app is industry-leading
• You value platform stability — 99.9% uptime, zero disconnections
• You want tournament variety — Hundreds of tournaments daily at every buy-in level

You Might Want to Look Elsewhere If:

• You're primarily a casino player — BetMGM and DraftKings have much better casino experiences
• You're a high-volume poker grinder — Stars Rewards gives less rakeback than it used to (consider GGPoker or ACR for better rakeback)
• You want a big casino welcome bonus — $50 is underwhelming compared to FanDuel ($1,000) or BetMGM ($1,025)

The Bottom Line

PokerStars earns a 4.3/5 rating because it absolutely dominates in its core competency (poker) but falls short in casino gaming.

If you're a poker player, PokerStars is a must-have. The tournament schedule is unrivaled, cash game traffic is deep, and the software is bulletproof. The Stars Rewards program could be better, but the overall experience is still top-tier.

If you're a casino player who doesn't care about poker, skip PokerStars and go to BetMGM or DraftKings.

Ready to play? New players get a $600 poker deposit match + $50 casino bonus. Claim your bonus at PokerStars →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is PokerStars rigged?

No. PokerStars uses a certified random number generator (RNG) that's audited by third-party testing agencies (eCOGRA, GLI). The game is fair. The reason you see bad beats frequently is because you're playing way more hands per hour online (60-80 hands/hour) than live poker (20-30 hands/hour).

How long do PokerStars withdrawals take?

PayPal and Skrill withdrawals take 1-3 business days. Bank transfers take 3-5 business days. In my testing, PayPal was the fastest option (48 hours from request to funds in account).

What is Stars Rewards and how does it work?

Stars Rewards is PokerStars' loyalty program. You earn points by playing poker, which fill progress bars called Chests. When you open a Chest, you get cash bonuses, tournament tickets, or Stars Coins. The rewards are randomized, which some players dislike.

Can I play PokerStars from any state?

No. PokerStars Casino and Poker are only legal in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania as of February 2026. If you're in a different state, you cannot legally play on PokerStars.

Is PokerStars better than GGPoker?

It depends. PokerStars has more tournament variety and deeper cash game traffic. GGPoker has better rakeback and more innovative features (All-In Insurance, Rush & Cash). For most players, PokerStars is the safer bet due to larger player pools.

Can I play both poker and casino with the same account?

Yes. PokerStars uses a unified wallet for poker and casino. You can deposit once and play both. However, the poker bonus and casino bonus are separate — you need to opt into each one individually.