PokerStars Rewards changes - FAQ

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

Our new-look loyalty program went live on June 3, 2024.

Why have you made these changes?

Players asked for more transparency and value in rewards. That's why the latest programs are clearer, fairer and more flexible than ever.

What are the main changes?

The new program allows players to plan their play. This means you'll always know exactly how much you'll get back for your activity online.

This program is simple, fair, transparent and generous. That's why we went for a progressive set-up, applying to everyone equally: The more you rake, the more you get.

• We've raised the number of reward points you need for all Chest levels.
• At the same time, we've increased the Chest values, so you'll get higher reward percentages.
  • Check out this Help Center article for the new numbers.
• We've already switched to a new reward type, and give out all rewards as bonus credits.
  • This way, you have more flexibility than with ticket rewards, as you can use your bonus funds for the real money games you love.

The new program only applies to Poker, while Casino and Sports have been taken out of PokerStars Rewards.

• We'll no longer credit reward points for Casino gameplay and Sports betting.
• Instead, Casino and Sports players will get more promotions specific to them, so they can expect more value than ever before.

The number of Chest levels players need to level up has been aligned to five for each level. This is a break from the old cumulative approach.

In a nutshell: While we expect more gameplay to earn a Chest, we've also boosted Chest values, and you still get all rewards as flexible bonus credits.

What stays the same?

We haven't taken any money away from the overall rewards but reinvested it to create the best player experience

This means keeping the basics so the overall program format and composition remain the same.

• You'll still receive Chests after you complete progress bars of a certain level.
• Reward points also stay. As before, you'll get them by paying tournament fees and/or generating rake in cash games.
  • Good news: For most games, you'll get more reward points than before. Check out the new earn rates below.
• There are still six increasing Chest levels represented by different colors, with the option to upgrade and downgrade.
• We'll keep the Exchange Feature.
  • Just a quick reminder: With this one, you can exchange your progress bar for a lower Chest level if you don't think you can meet your current points target.
• As usual, you can track your progress through the PokerStars Rewards widget on all our apps.

In a nutshell: With the overall program structure remaining, we focused on giving you more value and freedom.

Why have you changed the Chest earning requirements?

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

• There are those who put more in rake than others. They'll get back way more than before.
  • With rewards ranging up to 25%, we're giving players excellent value, credited as a bonus.
• There are also the more casual players and they get to enjoy Power Path.

Power Path in a nutshell:

• 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. We're giving away one free ticket each day to all our players on Blue and Bronze Chest levels who join our real money games.
  • Start with Power Path Step 1, and you could be on your way to the next big event.

But that's not all:

• We plan on giving players more promotions this year than ever before.
  • Prepare to be amazed by the number of campaigns we've got lined up for you.
• More specifically, we're funding new initiatives for our Casino and Sports players.
  • We hope you like surprises.

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.

Whoever you are, great entertainment and amazing prizes are heading your way.

What happened 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. You probably already saw a change in the rewards percentage after transitioning.

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.

Which activities count?

• You can only fill this 'last' progress bar with reward points collected through Poker gameplay.
• Reward points credits for Casino and Sports ended on June 3 for any progress bar, even if started under the old program.

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

These are the Chest level adjustments based on the old program:

• 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 3 (Silver)
• Level 6 (Black) > Level 4 (Gold)

Why these adjustments?

• The new levels have very different play requirements, and by downgrading, we compensated for the difference and made sure we're consistent.
• We applied Chest level requirements similar to the conditions set out for the players before the switch to the new program.
• Finally, this is a one-off measure during transitioning. 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.

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

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

All your (cleared) Chests and (unused) rewards remained intact for you to enjoy them as before. Nothing changed here.

What happened to the Black and Diamond Chest levels?

We've kept all Chest levels, so don't worry. They just have a new reward point requirement and Chest value.

Although the two highest levels were downgraded to Silver and Gold in the move to the new scheme, players didn't lose out due to the overall increase in reward funds.

Check out this Help Center article for the new numbers.

Why have you removed the Rakeback Challenges?

We sometimes change offers, which can affect long-term ones.

Players love variety in entertainment. And by boosting our core rewards within the loyalty program, most players are now at the receiving end of a more rewarding experience overall.

In short, we've pushed up the overall percentage of rewards returned to players. And you're getting it all as bonus credits.

What is PokerStars Select and PokerStars Select+?

PokerStars Select and Select+ are our new Poker loyalty schemes for top-bracket 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 Spin & Go on PokerStars.

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

Do you meet these thresholds?

• PokerStars Select: players who contribute €50,000 or more in Spin & Go tournament fees within a rolling 12-month period.
• PokerStars Select+: players who contribute €100,000 or more in Spin & Go tournament fees within a rolling 12-month period.

In short, it's a pure rakeback deal instead of the Chest rewards.

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 daily to their PokerStars accounts as a bonus. They can track their progress with a daily puzzle in the Challenges window.

Check out the return percentages for each game variant in this Help Center article.

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 of Spin & Go tourneys on our site, 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 other changes are there for PokerStars Select(+) players?

PokerStars Select(+) players will no longer see the PokerStars Rewards widget in our apps or earn reward points. Instead, they'll get exclusive PokerStars Select rewards and offers.

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

Can I theoretically opt out of the PokerStars Select(+) scheme?

Yes, this is possible.

Just contact us, and we'll speak with our Select Support team.

What's the earn rate for reward points under the new program?

We've changed the earn rate like this:

• For playing Spin & Go tourneys (including Spin & Go Max) and/or Zoom cash games, players now get 200 reward points for every €1 they pay in tournament fees or rake.
• For playing cash games (excluding Zoom) and/or Sit & Go tourneys, players now get 120 reward points for every €1 they pay in tournament fees or rake.
• For registering in multi-table tournaments, players still get 45 reward points for every €1 they pay in entry fee.

Why have you reduced Early Bird Zoom?

As we've increased the rewards percentage overall (up to 25% at the top Chest level), it was no longer possible to keep the 3-5X multiplier.

You still get double reward points for opening Zoom pools.

Fancy a refresher? Check out our Early Bird Zoom website.

What about reward points for Casino gameplay and Sports betting?

As part of the changes, we also removed reward points from PokerStars Sports and PokerStars Casino to fund new, exciting promotions. These are heading to you soon.

Why?

• We listened closely to feedback from our players and analyzed big volumes of gameplay data.
• It turned out that there was an imbalance in the rewards system in favor of Poker players. They benefited much more from the program than Casino and/or Sports players.

In short: By adding personalized promotions, we better serve the players who love playing Casino and/or betting on Sports.