PokerStars Casino Review

Launched in 2001, PokerStars is a well-known and established online poker provider. You could join many gaming sites in Canada, but few can rival this one for popularity, security and safety. Its reputation alone ensures that PokerStars is a trusted venue to play poker, online casino game, slots, and live dealer casino games.

Many Canadians may mistakenly believe that PokerStars only caters to the poker-playing crowd. That isn’t true, though. Yes, online poker games are its forte, and there is a PokerStars school for beginners with ample tutorials for you to learn how to play poker. Furthermore, there are VIP poker tournaments and no shortage of top online poker competitions for you to join. However, there is also an immense slot collection and an array of table games at your disposal. Online slots also appear in tournaments, and you’ll find a delightful selection of free spin bonuses to enjoy to boot.

This secure site is operated by Flutter Entertainment and provides licensed, regulated and legal poker, casino and sports betting options for players in Ontario. Our review will delve deeper into what PokerStars online casino can offer.

Signing Up & User Experience

Joining PokerStars Casino is a doddle for any new bettor. All Canadians can join the online casino with the same sign-up process whether you use the PokerStars Casino mobile app or want to register via your web browser.

After visiting the online gambling site, you can hit the green “join” button. What follows is a short registration e-form. PokerStars Casino Canada wants you to enter your details into the form before submitting it. After doing so, you can start to look at the PokerStars casino bonus. That’s the next step in our PokerStars casino review.

Why did PokerStars get shut down?

PokerStars was closed in April 2011 as part of the Black Friday investigations by the US Department of Justice. The Associated Press claimed alleged violations of bank fraud and money laundering. Those issues were resolved, and PokerStars relaunched under new and better management and with stricter regulation. It has been a safe and trusted casino for over a decade since.

Is PokerStars casino a real money site?

Yes. While PokerStars Casino allows you to play free games and take advantage of bonuses such as free spins, it is still a real money casino and poker room.

PokerStars Casino Bonuses and bonus codes

After registering and depositing, you can play casino games straight away. However, you may wish to boost your balance by claiming a PokerStars deposit bonus. The bonus offer is there for all first-time depositors joining the Canadian casino for the first time. Let’s look closer at it and some of PokerStars other innovative promotions below:

PokerStars Casino Welcome Bonus

Become a new member of PokerStars Casino, and you can double your deposit with their welcome bonus. Your initial deposit can be boosted by up to C$1500 and 50 bonus spins. This offer comes with fair terms and conditions, including wagering requirements, and can be claimed through transactions made using most banking methods.

A minimum deposit of C$20 is required to claim the welcome bonus. You can opt into the promo by using the bonus code “CASINO1500” when depositing. Free spins are triggered within 30 minutes of claiming the 100% match deposit bonus.

The free spins have values of C$0.10, which expire seven days after being credited. There are no wagering requirements on winnings from the free spins, but cash bonuses must be converted into withdrawable cash by earning redemption points at a rate of five points per C$1 of withdrawable bonus cash. Players should note that PokerStars Canada’s casino bonuses may vary depending on their region of residence.

PokerStars Live Casino Races

PokerStars Casino is home to live casino races. Cold hard cash is available weekly if you can take charge of tournaments and top leaderboards. Eligible games vary, so always check the live races page for the latest details.

Points are earned at a rate of 10 points per net C$0.01 won. Those points are used to construct the table and calculate the winners. The higher up the leaderboard table you end up with, the better the cash prizes you can win. Cash prizes typically range from C$5,000 up to C$10,000 pots.

Other tournaments may be supported, too. For instance, Weekly Cash Drops, specifically related to Pragmatic Play slots and table games, are a possibility at PokerStars Casino Canada.

Other Online Casino Promotions

You can find further PokerStars promotions available for poker players and sports bettors in Canada. An account with PokerStars Casino gets you access to those sites, and each of those domains has a promotions page that can provide access to further offers and deals specific to those genres. For instance, expect to see sports betting offers in the sportsbook.

PokerStars Casino Games Selection

PokerStars Casino Canada is home to a host of exclusive popular games and titles you would typically expect to see at other top Canadian online casinos.

At PokerStars, you can play popular casino games like slots. You can try your hand at card and table games or have a crack at roulette games, PokerStars baccarat, or blackjack games. As touched on, you can use your account to wager on PokerStars sports offerings or experience their world-renowned poker platform.

After entering the casino, you can choose from genres that include PokerStars slots, roulette, blackjack, baccarat and sic bo, poker, table games and other filters. There are many live casino games in the lobby, alongside jackpot games. You can do that if you fancy playing European roulette with a live dealer.

Each of the filters listed above will also take you to a series of categories, where you can further break down your search for exclusive games. You can, for instance, filter out slot machine games by using new, jackpot, exclusive or MegaWays criteria. Naturally, you can also seek out games via a search box.

PokerStars Live Casino

Not all PokerStars casino titles are slot games. You’ll find a great number of table games; moreover, many of these casino games tend to be Canadian live casino titles. PokerStars table games include live casino titles such as Spin & Win Roulette, Mega Fire Blaze: Roulette, PokerStars All Bets Blackjack, Playtech’s Baccarat and Blackjack games. You can also try your hand at game show releases, including The Money Drop and Deal or No Deal: The Big Draw.

Casino Software

Plenty of software providers have come together to kit out one of the world’s most popular online casinos with games. Online slots come from the likes of Pragmatic Play, Big Time Gaming, Blueprint Gaming, Playtech, Play ‘n Go, IGT and more. Over in the live casino, you should expect to see games from Playtech.

Mobile Compatibility & Apps

PokerStars Casino can be played across various platforms. You can opt to download the app and play it on Windows and macOS computers. Alternatively, you can download mobile-optimized apps and software for gaming on the go. All players, irrespective of their devices and preferences, can play via a web browser, courtesy of the site’s HTML5 design.

Payment Options

Like most well-established operators, PokerStars Casino Canada accepts payment methods suitable for bettors in many countries. However, they do support Canada-specific options. A brief list is available on their home page, but you can find more when you enter your account.

Deposit Methods

PokerStars supports deposits made using Apple Pay, bank transfers, Instadebit, eChecks, Interac, MasterCard, MuchBetter and VISA. As a promoter of responsible gambling, and a site that wants you to play responsibly, PokerStars Casino lets you decide your own deposit limits.

Withdrawal Methods

PokerStars lets you cash out your winnings using Apple Pay, bank transfers, Instadebit, eChecks, and MuchBetter. Quick withdrawals are possible, with some methods offering a payout transaction time of under 24 hours. Speedy withdrawals can depend on whether you’ve cleared the KYC process. Payout times can stretch to 2-3 business days, depending on the banking method you select at the website. Check the cashier page for more details.

Customer Support

Whether you prefer poker gameplay, sports betting, or casino gambling, you’ll find that the casino site offers the same access to customer support. You can access a help section from the sports betting section, casino lobby or anywhere else.

After doing so, you can peruse in-depth PokerStars Casino FAQs or hit the “Contact Us” tab to be taken to an e-form. Bizarrely, their customer support service doesn’t include a live chat feature. The addition of live chat is one of the various perks we would want to see in the future.

Casino Security & Fairness

Playing at PokerStars is a thoroughly fair experience for players in Canada. The Malta Gaming Authority licenses the website (and UK Gambling Commission in the UK) but also has smaller Canadian licenses relevant to your province, region, or territory. Furthermore, PokerStars provides fair Terms and Conditions with its welcome offer and supports iTech Gaming Labs certified and RNG-certified gambling games from leading developers.

Responsible Gambling

Whether you start playing via the website, or the PokerStars Casino app, you can rely on responsible gambling tools being offered. Players can easily access these at the licensed betting site under their account options. The benefit and advantages of these tools are all too clear. You can set your own deposit limits, receive help from responsible gambling platforms, and keep yourself safe through software such as reality checks and session limits. Of course, we’d expect nothing less from one of the leading operators in the industry.

PokerStars Casino Conclusion

The betting site offers you a wealth of gambling options under one roof and with a single account. We found that, like most operators, this one supports games from dozens of software providers, including those with progressive jackpots. It is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority, offers phone-friendly action to players in Canada, and lets you bet in a secure environment.

Payment methods are Canada-friendly, you can play live dealer games, and it has an excellent reputation for fair play and top security. Ultimately, this is a platform that most Canadians may wish to get started at.