In-Depth PokerStars Review & Player’s Guide to the Casino

New and Classic Titles

When most people think about PokerStars, they naturally think of online poker. However, PokerStars has expanded its offering over the years and is now a full-blown casino, sportsbook, and poker room. Our PokerStars games review will focus on the casino portfolio.

The PokerStars online casino has been making a concerted effort to overcome this poker room only reputation by adding loads of casino games. It now has a broad selection of 1,054 slots, table games and video poker titles, plus a live casino.

Unfortunately, the focus is primarily on slots, and the table games and live casino options are quite limited. If you want a broader table game selection, we recommend reading our 888casino review for blackjack, Betway review for roulette and our Eurogrand review for live betting.

In our opinion, the selection of slots at PokerStars is very good, with titles from all the well-known software developers. We would like more table and live games, as this area left a lot to be desired. Here is our list of the best PokerStars games:

• Gonzo’s Quest – Most Popular Video Slot
• Double Ball Roulette – Best Live Table Game
• Tens Or Better Power – Top Video Poker Title
• American Roulette – Most Famous Table Game
• Reactoonz – Top Slot Title

PokerStars features slots from most of the industry’s leading software providers, which means its portfolio is high quality. Heavyweights NetEnt, Play’n GO and Playtech all feature heavily in its collection with classic titles. For a list of other leading casino game developers, click here.

Playing Live Against the Dealer

PokerStars has an option to play live against a dealer, although we’re not quite sure why. The offering is decent as there are a number of roulette, blackjack and other table games to choose from, though the PokerStars online casino could improve its product by expanding its collection.

For an in depth look at the best live casinos in Kenya, take a look at our dedicated article. We explore the best baccarat, blackjack, roulette and casino poker choices you can find online, and any accompanying bonuses.

Wireless Options for Gambling on the Move

PokerStars has a mobile app that you can download to your mobile phone or tablet. The PokerStars online casino is fully accessible from the app, as are our customer support, account settings and cashier options. Nowadays, most Kenyan mobile casinos are purely web-browser based, so the added functionality is great.

What we really like about the mobile app is that everything on the desktop site is also accessible on the go. You can play the exact same games that are offered on desktop and see your account and loyalty programme statuses all in one place.

PokerStars Table Limits

Table limits are a good way to understand what type of player the casino wants to cater to. PokerStars has a spread of limits from KES50 on the slots to KES25,000 on live roulette. While not exactly super high roller territory, you should find a limit you are comfortable with.

The limits for PokerStars games are not easily identifiable unless you go into the live lobby, where you can see the various limit spreads available. The minimum bet at the live tables is KES20, so recreational players will have to settle for the PokerStars selection of table games.

PokerStars Payout and Expected Return to Player Rates

PokerStars has a decent selection of games with a broad range of payouts and RTP rates. RTP is the theoretical return that the player base will receive over a large number of games and is impossible to predict on a personal or a session-to-session basis.

Most casinos fall somewhere in the neighbourhood of 95 – 96%, with anything over 97% being considered exceptional. The PokerStars online casino comes in with a slightly above average RTP collection of games at 96.37%.

The PokerStars payout numbers have been tested and certified by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), who are one of the industry leaders for testing the fairness of casino games. It is illegal for casinos to artificially lower RTP, so these numbers are tested against the developer’s stated RTP for a game.

Classic Blackjack is the standout of all the PokerStars games, with a 99.67% return to player rate. Typically, video poker and blackjack are the two games in any casino with the lowest house edge, so they end up raising the overall casino RTP.

PokerStars Layout and User Experience

The PokerStars online casino offers everything that a brick and mortar casino does, so it created a comprehensive desktop application that you can download. The PokerStars software is easy to use and features a search function so you can quickly find your favourite games.

To download the application, simply visit the PokerStars website and click “Download PokerStars”. You can create an account either through the app or via your web browser. Once the package is downloaded and installed you can access the entire PokerStars online casino, including the poker room and sportsbook.

PokerStars has a great mix of games from leading software providers, and a few that it designed in-house. We really like the collection, as the slots have numerous themes from ancient civilizations, to famous movies and TV shows, to modern pop culture.

PokerStars Company Information

PokerStars was founded in 2001 in Costa Rica before moving to the Isle of Man. On April 15th, 2011, known as Black Friday in US gambling circles, the pokerstars.com domain was seized by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), alleging PokerStars violated federal anti-money laundering and bank laws.

The resulting court case saw PokerStars purchase the assets of competitor Full Tilt Poker from the US government and all charges except one were dismissed. The charge was against the founder, Isai Scheinberg, who was found guilty of one count of operating an illegal gambling business.

The DOJ mentioned that if a legal framework for online gambling in the US came to exist, PokerStars would be allowed to operate legally.

The company was then bought by Amaya Inc. in 2014 and renamed to The Stars Group. In 2016 The Stars Group relaunched in New Jersey as a fully legal and regulated entity. In 2019 The Stars Group merged with Paddy Power Betfair to become the world’s largest gambling and betting company.

The merger with Paddy Power Betfair means that PokerStars and The Stars Group are part of Flutter Entertainment, which holds all of the rights to PokerStars software, games and trademarks. Flutter Entertainment can trace its roots to the Kenyan horse and dog racing statistics company Timeform, founded in 1948.

Other Facts about PokerStars

PokerStars has quite the history, setting numerous world records in the online poker world. While the casino is much newer, it still has the classic PokerStars service. You have a lot of flexibility when it comes to deposit and withdrawal methods and self-exclusion settings.

PokerStars accepts almost every major payment provider. We suggest Neteller, as you can both quick deposit into and withdraw from your account using it. You can also set a daily, weekly and monthly deposit limit with PokerStars.

Accessing Customer Support

It’s important to assess a casino’s customer support as it is a good point for comparison against other operators. If a casino has good support it means it takes pride in its customer service and wants to make the player feel welcome.

The PokerStars software client has a built-in 24/7 live chat feature which is accessible through the website, desktop and mobile apps. Much of it is automated, as many of the most common issues can be resolved on the player side. When that fails, a live chat agent will assist.

Player Data Protection Measures

PokerStars features 128-bit SSL encryption, which is standard industry wide. Its security certificate is from DigiCert, which offers IT security for some of the world’s largest companies, including 97 of the worlds 100 largest banks. PokerStars has taken great care to ensure a safe place to play.

PokerStars has a licence from the Gambling Commission (UKGC), the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (IMGSC). The company also operates under separate licences in Denmark, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Estonia. This means it has been found compliant and trustworthy in multiple jurisdictions.

Additional Rating Points Earned

PokerStars is well known for its award-winning product and unmatched loyalty programmes. It has won numerous industry innovation awards including Best Casino Operator at the 2018 Gaming Intelligence Awards, as voted by industry experts.

Pokerstars is also known for offering tonnes of special frequent player rewards and challenges. If you’re more interested in a welcome bonus package than long term player rewards, see our list of the best Kenyan online casino bonuses.

• AWARDS . 3/3
• PROMOTIONS . 3/3
• SPECIAL GAMES . 2/2
• LOYALTY SCHEME . 1/1
• EXTRAS . 1/1
• BONUS POINTS . 10

The well-known loyalty programme is achievement based. At the end of each achievement you receive a chest with a prize inside, ranging from free bets in the sportsbook, free poker tournament tickets or straight cash. The PokerStars loyalty programme is perfect for frequent players.

PokerStars Review Conclusion

Overall, the PokerStars online casino by itself would be pretty standard. What it lacks in terms of table games it definitely makes up for with a high-quality selection of slots and wonderful loyalty and frequent player programmes.

One thing we really liked during our PokerStars review was the simplicity of being able to switch between the other sections of its offering, including the sportsbook and poker room. Since everything is already included in the PokerStars software client, you can just click on the section you want.

We think the PokerStars online casino is a great compliment to its industry leading poker software. It’s second to none if you like all forms of gambling. If you’re strictly a casino player, you may want to read our list of the best online casinos in Kenya.

Frequently Asked Questions

While we tried to cover everything in our PokerStars review, often readers will have additional questions which we are more than happy to answer. If you have any other questions feel free to send us an email. Contact us.

Is PokerStars safe?

Yes, PokerStars is safe. It has the reputation of being one of the safest operators in the world and is certified by DigiCert, which also does IT and web security for many of the world's largest companies.

What game variations does PokerStars offer?

The PokerStars online casino offers slots, blackjack, roulette and a few other table games. See our opinion of some of the most popular PokerStars games.

How do I download the PokerStars software?

To download the PokerStars software client, simply visit the PokerStars website and click the "Download PokerStars" button on the home page. When it's finished downloading open the executable, select the appropriate directory and click "Install".

What makes PokerStars so unique?

The reason PokerStars is unique is due to its frequent player bonuses and loyalty programme. The PokerStars mobile app is also quite unique as you can access all areas of PokerStars with a single click.