PokerStars Rewards changes - FAQ

PokerStars Rewards is changing to give you a program that's better and easier to understand.

Why are you making these changes?

We listened to our players who asked for more transparency and value when it comes to rewarding. That's why we've made our loyalty program clearer, fairer and more flexible than ever before.

What's the main change?

We've switched to a volume-based program, allowing players to hit targets they set for themselves, always knowing exactly how much they'll get back for their play.

Players have said they want a program that is simple, fair, transparent and generous. That's why we went for a flat base rate set-up: The more you rake, the more you get. No fine print.

While we expect more gameplay to earn a Chest, we've also raised Chest sizes up to 40% for the top level, and we now give all rewards out as cash.

This way, players have more flexibility than with ticket rewards, as they can use their cash prize for any Real Money games they love.

Why are you changing the Chest earning requirements?

The new program rewards play and spend on our site more generously. We believe it's a better fit for most players.

There are those who invest more in rake than others. They'll get back way more than before. With rewards ranging from 15% to 40%, we're giving players excellent value, credited as cash.

There are also the more casual players and we've got them covered with Power Path.

With Power Path, you can play for little money and qualify for our biggest live and online events. It's an excellent reward for those who only play occasionally... but aim high.

Plus, there's the Daily Reward (where available). We're giving away one free ticket each day to all our players on Blue and Bronze Chest levels who join our Real Money Poker games. Start with Power Path Step 1, and you're on your way to the next big event.

But that's not all. We plan on giving our players more promotions this year than ever before. Prepare to be amazed at the number of exciting rewards we've got lined up for you.

So, don't worry if you don't play enough to directly benefit from our rewards program because you'll have Power Path and many other great offers. It's time to look forward, not only to a year with a lot of fun at the tables but also to great prizes.

What happens to my progress bar or (unfinished) Chest on launch day?

On the day we launched the new program, players continued earning Reward Points as usual.

If you had an unfinished progress bar, then your Reward Points were added to this one until it was completed. Only then did we move you to the new program.

If you're still working on completing it, you'll move to the new program as soon as you begin a new progress bar.

As it's an automatic process, you only move after your last progress bar - the one you started while under the 'old' program - is completed, has expired or been exchanged.

Your subsequent progress bar might be at a different Chest level than the one you were on before depending on your previous level.

You might see an increase, slight decrease or no difference in the rewards percentage you receive from then on.

Find below the adjustments we make when it comes to Chest levels:

• Level 1 (Blue) > Level 1 (Blue)
• Level 2 (Bronze) > Level 1 (Blue)
• Level 3 (Silver) > Level 1 (Blue)
• Level 4 (Gold) > Level 2 (Bronze)
• Level 5 (Diamond) > Level 4 (Gold)
• Level 6 (Black) > Level 6 (Black)

Why these adjustments? Because the new levels have very different play requirements and, by downgrading, we compensate for the difference and make sure we're consistent.

In other words, we're giving players the Chest level requirements that are consistent with the conditions set out for them so far.

If you play more or choose pricier tables (i.e. generate more rake), you'll move up to higher Chest levels based on your activity.

For our Black level players, we have some really good news: you can stay at this level if you want to, getting the higher rakeback rate, or exchange for a Diamond Chest after you've completed 40% of your new Black progress bar(s). We'd like to add that this exchange condition will only be in place temporarily.

Get familiar with our new loyalty program on our PokerStars Rewards website.

What happens to my current rewards or (finished) Chest on or after launch?

All your (cleared) Chests and (unused) rewards remain intact, and you can enjoy them as before. Nothing is going to change here.

What happens to the Black Chest level? Is it being removed?

We're keeping the Black-level Chest as it was so don't worry. It will just have a new Reward Point requirement and increased Chest value.

Check out our PokerStars Rewards website to learn more.

Why are you removing the Rakeback Challenges?

This is simply a change in our promotional offers. It's something we regularly do, with some long-term offers occasionally being affected.

We're looking for variety to keep all our users entertained. And by boosting our core rewards within the loyalty program, we can provide most players with a more rewarding experience overall.

In short, we've moved that budget back into the main loyalty offering, increasing the overall percentage of rewards returned to players. And you'll get it all as cash.

What is PokerStars Select and PokerStars Select+?

PokerStars Select and Select+ are our new Poker Loyalty schemes for the top bracket of players.

These are separate categories on top of the regular program. They've been designed specifically for high-volume players who are very committed to playing on PokerStars.

If you're a high-volume player eligible for PokerStars Select (+), you'll switch to our dedicated Select program offering rakeback, depending on your activity.

You'll be moved automatically if you meet the threshold.

• We'll move players who rake $/€50,000 in a rolling 1-year period to PokerStars Select.
• We'll move players who rake $/€100,000 in a rolling 1-year period to PokerStars Select +.

In short, you'll get a rakeback deal instead of the usual Chest rewards.

Can I apply for PokerStars Select (+) and is there a member limit?

Yes, you can.

Players are either selected automatically, based on their activity, or they can reach out to our designated Select team.

If you're a very committed PokerStars user, playing a lot on our site and generating a considerable amount of rake, you can go ahead and apply at:
select@pokerstars.com

There's no limit to the number of players who can join the Select program. But our Select coordinators might ask you for reasons why or evidence showing you think you'll reach the threshold.

What do PokerStars Select (+) players get?

We offer PokerStars Select (+) members special rakeback schemes. They'll get back a good portion of the rake they've paid to join our Poker games.

We'll credit these returns directly to their PokerStars accounts as cash daily.

What other consequences are there for PokerStars Select (+) players?

PokerStars Select (+) players will no longer see the PokerStars Rewards widget in our software or app or earn Reward Points. Instead, they'll receive exclusive PokerStars Select rewards and offers.

If you're interested in the full terms, you can read them on our PokerStars Rewards website.

Could I theoretically also opt out of the Select scheme?

Yes, you could.

Just contact us, and we'll forward your request to our Select Support team.

Why are you reducing Early Bird Zoom?

As we're increasing the rewards percentage overall (from 25% to 40% at the top Chest level), it's no longer viable for us to retain the 3X multiplier.

This means Level 6 players get an 80% booster (2X at 40%) as opposed to 75% under the previous conditions (3X at 25%).

Even at lower Chest levels, you'll be better off, because all players above Level 1 are now getting a higher base rate of rewards.

Either way, you still get double Reward Points for opening Zoom pools.

How about a refresher? Check out our Early Bird Zoom website.

Why are you removing Reward Points for Casino gameplay and Sports betting (where available)?

As part of the changes, we’ve removed Reward Points from PokerStars Sports and PokerStars Casino to fund new, exciting promotions, which we’ll be bringing to you soon.

We listened closely to feedback from our players and analyzed big volumes of gameplay data. This is when we noticed an imbalance in the rewards system. Poker players benefitted much more from the rewards program than our Casino and/or Sports players.

In short: we believe we can serve our player base outside Poker (or those not mainly playing Poker on our site) better by additional promotions specific to them.

Last but not least, we'd like to highlight the fact that we're not taking away any money from the overall rewards budget. Instead, we'll reinvest it to give you the best player experience.