PokerStars

PokerStars sister sites include Sky Poker, Sky Vegas, Paddy Power, Betfair, Tombola and more.
Pokerstars Uk (pokerstars.uk) is operated by Stars Interactive Limited of Douglas Bay Complex, King Edward Road, Onchan, Isle Of Man, IM3 1DZ.

PokerStars Sister Sites 2024

Strictly speaking, there aren’t any PokerStars sister sites. This is the only brand that’s owned and operated by Stars Interactive Limited in the eyes of the UK Gambling Commission. However, that interpretation doesn’t tell the whole story. Stars Interactive Limited is, in turn, owned by Flutter Entertainment Plc – one of the biggest iGaming companies in the world. Flutter Entertainment Plc owns titanic brands like Betfair, Paddy Power and more, meaning that there are more sites on this iGaming network than meet the eye.

Betfair

Betfair is one of the most comprehensive betting websites in the world. You may think it might not be much use to you as a member of the PokerStars sister sites family if you’re looking for somewhere else to play poker, but you’d be wrong – there’s a lot more to Betfair than sports betting. Like most big-name sports betting brands, Betfair is now an iGaming behemoth offering access to just about anything you might want to place a wager on, and that includes poker. Not only can you play poker at Betfair but you can also play bingo and indulge in the expansive Betfair casino. For the majority of players, though, the star of the show at Betfair is its colossal betting exchange, which is almost universally considered the best of its kind in the business. If you like the style of Betfair, there’s almost no reason to ever go anywhere else.

Paddy Power

Paddy Power might be one of the UK’s biggest sports betting brands, but that’s about all it has in common with Betfair. There’s so much tonal difference between Paddy Power and Betfair that it’s hard to believe that both of them are PokerStars sister sites. Not only are they sister sites, though, but they have a closer relationship than any other pair of PokerStars sister sites on this entire network. It was the union between Betfair and Paddy Power – a multi-billion pound merger – that laid the foundations for what would become Flutter Entertainment Plc. Paddy Power is the yin to Betfair’s yang, and is best known for its many cheeky publicity campaigns – some of which have drawn the ire of the press and the regulator. Paddy Power is never afraid of taking a risk, and if you’re not afraid of taking a risk either you can bet on poker, casino games and sports to your heart’s content with this famous brand.

Sky Vegas

Sky Vegas, which can be thought of as the glamour brand of the PokerStars sister sites, offers a unique blend of entertainment and rewards. The casino’s welcome offer is particularly noteworthy, providing fifty “seriously” free spins with no deposit or wagering requirements. If you decide to deposit £10, you’ll get an additional 200 free spins, again with no wagering requirements. Sky Vegas also offers time-limited promotions like “The Prize Machine,” a daily spin-to-win game, and “The Vault,” a weekly challenge with potential cash prizes up to £30,000. However, the casino falls short in its games portfolio, offering fewer than 500 games, and its customer support is not easily accessible. Payment options are limited to debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay on certain networks. Despite these drawbacks, the casino’s no-wagering promotions set it apart from competitors, making it a compelling choice for those who value generous bonuses. There’s no poker here, but we can fix that for you with our next site.

Sky Poker

Of all the PokerStars sister sites we’re listing for you, Sky Poker is the most obvious equivalent. Both Paddy Power and Betfair offer poker, but they don’t specialise it in the same way that Sky Poker does. It’s one of the oldest poker sites in the UK and it looks its age in a few aspects of its design, but don’t let that become a reason to underestimate it. Whether you want to check out the Sky Poker Academy as a newcomer to the game or “Sit & Go” at one of its many tournaments, Sky Poker has you covered. The homepage of Sky Poker promises that getting set up with the site is as simple as registering and then playing, which means there’s a difference between this site and the many sites out there that still require players to download special software before they start playing poker. It’s not quite the all-singing, all-dancing poker brand that PokerStars is, but there’s plenty to like about it.

Tombola

Tombola claims to have over fifty years of experience. That’s a somewhat controversial claim, and its veracity depends on some questionable interpretation of the origin of the company that founded it, but what we can’t dispute is its claim to be one of the top bingo sites in the UK. In fact, Tombola specifically claims to be the UK’s biggest casino platform. We’re sure that both Mecca Bingo and Gala Bingo would have things to say about that, but the numbers don’t lie. Tombola prides itself on two things – exclusivity and great customer experiences. The two things go hand in hand, with all the bingo games at Tombola being developed in-house and strictly exclusive to the platform. As the winner of multiple EGR Awards, Tombola has demonstrated that it’s more than capable of walking it like it talks it. It’s the most unique of our PokerStars sister sites, and offers you something entirely unlike the experience that awaits you at the others we’ve mentioned.

Can PokerStars Be Trusted?

★★★★★

PokerStars is a 2-star trusted casino.

1. Licenses and Fines	PokerStars is covered by a valid, clean UK Gambling Commission licence.
2. Accepts UK players?	It’s a world-famous brand, and it’s open to players in the UK.
3. Trustpilot Score	Awful. 1.4 out of 5.0 after over 250 reviews.
4. Operator Name & Location	Stars Interactive Limited, based on the Isle of Man.
5. Bonus Terms	Wagering requirements on bonuses in PokerStars Casino are complicated and unclear.
6. Customer Support	Chat is available if you’re logged in. There’s no support if you’re not logged in due to a technical fault.
7. Withdrawal Speed & Options	Several e-wallets, debit cards, bank transfers. Same-day transactions on e-wallets.
8. Number of Sister Sites	There are no PokerStars sister sites at the moment.
9. Games portfolio	PokerStars started as a poker-only site, but now offers sports betting and a large casino.
10. On GamStop?	PokerStars is on GamStop.
Overall SCORE >	★★★★★ – 2/5 Stars

PokerStars Review 2024

PokerStars might just be the most glamorous online poker brand in the whole world, known for its connections to sporting megastars and celebrities like the Brazilian footballer Neymar. However, it’s never been quite as popular in the UK as it has been in other parts of the world. It’s also become a much more complicated site in recent times. When you land on the PokerStars homepage today, you’ll be asked if you want to play poker or casino games, or whether you want to bet on sports. Is this a brand that’s successfully diversified its offerings, or has it watered itself down and lost its way? Let’s see.

PokerStars Welcome Promotions

PokerStars might offer three separate strands (poker, casino, sports), but you can only claim welcome bonuses on two of those categories – poker or casino games. The poker bonus is a 100% matched deposit with a maximum value of £400, which sounds like it should be a simple first-deposit bonus, but it isn’t. There are wagering requirements attached to the offer, but the terms of those wagering requirements are as clear as mud. You need seventy-five redemption points to claim each £5 of the bonus, with 6.5 points earned for every £1 you spend on poker. That means you need to wager over £900 on poker to claim the £400 bonus you thought you’d secured on entry.

The terms of the PokerStars Casino welcome promotion are similarly murky. It’s advertised as a simple “double your deposit” offer with a maximum value of £500, with fifty free spins thrown in to sweeten the pot. In this instance, the actual earning rate based on wagering isn’t stated. If we assume that it’s £1 per point – which could be wildly inaccurate – you’d need 2500 points to unlock the £500, which is £2500 of spending. We’ve never seen wagering requirements formulated like this before, and the lack of clarity makes them very confusing.

Other Promotions

The complicated nature of the PokerStars welcome bonus sets the tone for the rest of the promotions at the site. There are six “PokerStars Rewards” levels, with a different “treasure chest” awarded at each level. The higher the chest level, the better the quality of the rewards inside it. Players get one hundred “reward points” for every £1 paid in fees for tournaments or paid in rake for poker games, or one reward point for every £1 spent on sports betting. The conversion rate for playing casino games isn’t clear. To get a blue chest – the lowest level – players need 333 reward points. To get a black chest, which is the highest level, players need 100,000 reward points. The value of the bonuses in the black chest is calculated at £250. In the blue chest, it’s just 50p. There are multiple reward levels between the two, but like the welcome bonus, it’s all just a little bit too complicated.

What are the Pros and Cons of PokerStars?

Pros: Aside from having a reputation as a “glamour site,” PokerStars offers the full smorgasbord of big-money poker games, casino games and sports betting. The massive prize pots attached to the games at PokerStars are unlikely to be equalled at many of the other poker sites you may have visited in the past. It’s possible that the long-term reward promotions could be lucrative if you can work out how they operate.

Cons: The bonuses and promotions are far more complicated than they need to be and are likely beyond the comprehension of some players. Customer support is limited to live chat only, and even then, you need to be logged into your account to use it properly. Withdrawals can take a week or more to process. These are all surprising flaws for a site of such repute to have.

Top Games at PokerStars

We’re not going to go into the ins and outs of the top casino games at PokerStars Casino – that’s why we have an entirely separate page for it, which you’re welcome to check out. We’re also not going to focus on the PokerStars sportsbook because although it’s great that the site has one, it’s not really the point of the site. Instead, we’re going to talk about what PokerStars is known best for – its poker rooms and poker tournaments.

Whether you’re looking for No Limited Hold’em or specialities like Spin & Go poker, PokerStars has options for you. You can play poker against real players while seeing them face-to-face via webcam. PokerStars even makes it possible to play poker via Twitch. What PokerStars is really known for, though, is its tournaments. The site claims to run the biggest poker tournaments in the world, and based on the evidence, we can’t disagree. From the Sunday Million games to the Knockout Poker tournaments and the sports-themed PokerStars Kick-Off, this is a site that’s found a way to serve you the same game in one hundred different ways and still make it entertaining. That’s not to mention that if you can ace the tables at the PokerStars website, you could find yourself invited to play at real-world tournaments.

Withdrawal Processing & Support

When it comes to choice, the situation with withdrawals at PokerStars is good. When it comes to speed, it’s anything but. You can carry out transactions with PokerStars using your debit card, your e-wallet (Skrill, PayPal, Neteller, and MuchBetter are all supported), Apple Pay, Google Pay and even old-fashioned wire transfers. However, PokerStars insists on a pending period of up to 72 hours to consider debit card or bank transfer requests. Worse still, it might take between two and five business days beyond that to get your money to you. We’re not aware of any reason why this should be the case, and again, a brand of PokerStars’ repute should be moving much faster. In better news, e-wallets are eligible for same-day cash.

Customer Services & Licensing

Customer support is another area of weakness for PokerStars. There isn’t a telephone number to call, and we couldn’t even find an email address on the website. The site offers a detailed live chat service with real people so long as you’re logged into your account, but if you can’t log in – which is one of the most common reasons for people to seek assistance – you’ll have to dig through the FAQ section until you’re offered a contact option. However, as of the time this review was written, clicking the “continue without logging in” option simply closed the window without providing contact information. That means if you’re not logged in, you can’t contact PokerStars at all. We’re sure that’s a technical issue, and we hope it’s fixed soon.

As for the site’s licence – that’s UK Gambling Commission licence 39108, as held by Stars Interactive Limited. The same licence would cover all of the PokerStars sister sites if it had any. It’s a clean licence, with no fines or reprimands on record.

PokerStars – The Verdict

Oh dear – there’s quite a lot wrong here. Trying to work out how to extract the maximum value from the welcome promotion is likely to give you a headache. The other promotions at the site, carefully structured though they are, are no less likely to confuse you. The standard of customer care the site provides isn’t up to scratch, and PokerStars takes far too long to process withdrawals unless you’re using an e-wallet.

We’re amazed such weaknesses exist at a brand that’s so well-known for its flashy big-money tournaments, but unless money’s your only motivation and you’re happy to put up with all these shortcomings, there are better poker sites out there for you than this one. If anyone from PokerStars happens to read this, get in touch if you’ve fixed the contact problem, and we’ll happily update this review.

What are players saying about PokerStars?

Here are our condensed / reader’s digest summaries of recent player reviews of PokerStars.

• 17-Aug-2024 by Bigbaggy:
  PokerStars uses very advanced AI software that influences the outcome of the cards, making it anything but random. The pattern is clear once you spot it. The system seems to favour larger stacks, but only to a certain point, then switches to favour smaller stacks. In live poker, a bigger stack might win multiple all-ins, but on PokerStars, this rarely happens. It’s all designed to make it look fair. PokerStars isn’t what it used to be, and it’s clear they’re relying on these tactics to keep players coming back. Meanwhile, live poker is thriving, with more people flocking to local casinos. It’s time to question the fairness of online poker when live games are nearly impossible to fix. Good luck out there! – source: Trustpilot
• 12-Aug-2024 by Consumer:
  This is by far the most corrupt site I’ve ever played on. It started off great, but it quickly became clear that it’s a dangerously rigged site. The bad beats are relentless, and it feels like you’re playing against bots or employees who win with absurd hands every time. This happens not just in small tournaments but in expensive ones as well. I’ve played on many sites, and this one is by far the most corrupt and fixed. Even the casino games are predictable and not worth your time. Don’t waste your money here—it’s better spent elsewhere. – source: Trustpilot
• 11-Aug-2024 by Paddy:
  After five years of losing thousands, PokerStars refused to pay out on my USA gold medal bet. I bet on the USA to win by -3.5 in the second half, not the quarter, yet they’re now wriggling out of paying, claiming it’s not a winning bet. It’s not about the amount, it’s the principle of placing bets in good faith. I’m closing my account and moving elsewhere. When I threatened to close my account, their agents responded with threats. Don’t bother with this site—I’m gone. – source: Trustpilot
• 29-Jul-2024 by L Walker:
  PokerStars is a great site except for one major flaw—you can’t deposit or withdraw money. You can still enjoy the play money games if that’s your thing, but at least that way, you won’t risk losing your rent money. – source: Trustpilot
• 25-Jul-2024 by Valerie:
  The site keeps kicking me out in the middle of a game, saying, “You have not acted quickly enough,” especially during bonus rounds. Then it denies me access, and I lose my bonus money. This has happened multiple times, and it’s extremely frustrating. – source: Trustpilot
• 17-Jul-2024 by Malcom:
  One star is generous for this site. It’s the worst I’ve ever been on. The poker lobbies are full of bots that always seem to win with terrible hands, especially on the river. It’s a complete con and a joke. – source: Trustpilot
• 14-Jun-2024 by Zoe:
  Where’s my Seven Seas bonus box that usually lands on a Thursday? I played £40 to make up for it not being awarded, and got nothing in return. This issue needs to be escalated. I’ll be contacting your head office in Ontario. – source: Trustpilot
• 13-Jun-2024 by Kharis:
  The other reviews are spot on. I followed a link from an ad, but never received the award I was supposed to get. After an hour and providing verification, they gave me some lame excuse saying it wasn’t connected to any offers, so they wouldn’t honour it. Don’t waste your time—they won’t pay out. – source: Trustpilot
• 11-Jun-2024 by Mitz:
  I just won a significant amount of money, and now they don’t want to pay out. I’ve sent all the relevant documents, and they’re saying it’s under review. I used a friend’s card because mine wasn’t working, and we were together the whole weekend. My friend even contacted them to confirm he entered the details himself. This is a scam. – source: Trustpilot
• 23-May-2024 by Darren:
  I carried out an experiment on the site over the past month with the “free win spin.” Despite there being only four losing boxes on the wheel, I lost 30 times in a row. I suspect it’s because I haven’t topped up my account recently. This was to prove there’s nothing random about the odds on this site. I’ve also questioned the validity of their main poker rooms in the past. There are better poker sites out there that don’t feel rigged. – source: Trustpilot