Pokerstars Casino Canada - Reviewed by Canadian Experts in 2024
PokerStars launched in September, 2001, as one of the oldest sites for poker fans to play on the internet. It currently operates in Canada under Rational Intellectual Holdings Limited, holds a license from Malta Gaming Authority, and now features a casino and sportsbook.
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PokerStars Canada Review
PokerStars first appeared in 2001 as an online poker cardroom, but has since expanded to incorporate an online casino and sportsbook. The platform’s excellent selection of poker games remains its biggest selling point, bringing the best of poker to Canadian punters.
PokerStars offers a generous welcome bonus for new players and a decent variety of deposit and withdrawal options. This review will cover the casino’s bonuses, games, banking options, safety features, and responsible gaming options to help users decide if the popular poker cardroom is worth signing up.
Pokerstars Casino Quick Facts
| Minimum Deposit | C$10 |
|---|---|
| Owner | Rational Intellectual Holding Limited |
| Verified by | Gaming Labs |
| Available in Ontario | Yes |
| Payout Speed | 1-3 days |
| Banking Fees | No Fees |
| Number of Games | 1,300+ |
| Game Providers | Red Tiger Gaming, Yggdrasil, Relax Gaming, Playtech, Play’n Go, Pragmatic Play |
| Wagering Conditions | 1x for poker |
| Mobile App | Yes |
Pokerstars Casino Pros and Cons
Pros
👍 Decent sportsbook
👍 Generous welcome bonus
👍 Flexible deposit and withdrawal options
Cons
👎 No email or phone-based support
PokerStars’ Safety
| Products | Casino, Poker, Sports |
|---|---|
| License | MGA Licence (MGA/B2C/213/2011) |
| Founded | 2001 |
PokerStars is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) with the license number MGA/B2C/213/2011, making it a safe online casino. During our review, we verified the license’s validity, so players have nothing to worry about when using PokerStars.
PokerStars is part of the Flutter Group, a conglomerate of online casinos with a combined average monthly reach of over 12 million players in many countries. Besides PokerStars, Flutter Group is also in charge of Fanduel, Betfair, and Maxbet, demonstrating the group’s extensive reach and influence.
In addition to a license from MGA and an affiliation with Flutter Group, PokerStars holds a certificate of integrity from Gaming Labs, one of the world’s most prestigious game testing agencies. The certification, originally obtained in 2015, was last re-issued in November 2023 for a period of one year.
Welcome Bonus Offer
PokerStars Canada offers two separate welcome bonuses, which isn’t very unusual for poker casinos. Users get separate welcome bonuses for poker and casino games. Interestingly, a user can have either of the bonuses but not both. So, it's best to decide before signing up.
Here’s a breakdown of the two ongoing welcome bonus offers at PokerStars Canada:
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Poker Welcome Offer
PokerStars offers a 100% first deposit bonus up to $600 for users who choose the poker welcome bonus. While it sounds like a regular deposit match bonus, it’s a bit more complicated than that.
Users don’t get an exact deposit match bonus as soon as they make their initial deposit. PokerStars doesn’t even offer anything upfront. Claiming the bonus requires a player making a deposit of at least C$10 with a designated promo code.
Then, the user can start playing their favorite poker games to earn redemption points. On PokerStars, players earn 5 points for every dollar they spend on any poker game. In return, they can exchange the redemption points for cash in their Stars Account at the rate of C$5 to 75 redemption points.
When we ran the calculations, we noticed a user will need to spend significantly more than their initial deposit to accumulate enough redemption points to redeem their entire deposit match bonus, so, it's not one of the best bonuses we’ve seen.
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Casino Welcome Offer
The casino welcome bonus at PokerStars is more straightforward than the poker welcome bonus. Basically, it’s a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $100 to spend on slots and other casino games.
To redeem the bonus, a player will need to make a deposit between $10 and $100 using promo code ‘CASINO100’ and PokerStars will match the deposit. From our experience, the bonus only works for deposits through Interac, MasterCard, and Visa, and each of the deposits must be made within three days of each other.
The bonus cash from the casino welcome offer is only usable on specific casino games at PokerStars, including 3 Witches, God of Storms, Big Bass Bonanza, Book of Dead, Wild Wild Wolf, and Sweet Bonanza, among others.
As expected, the bonus comes with a wagering requirement, but not similar to that of other casinos. Instead, players earn redemption points as they use the bonus cash and subsequently exchange the redemption points for cash at the rate of 5 points for a dollar. Again, users will likely have to spend significantly more than their initial deposit to claim their full PokerStars casino welcome bonus.
This welcome bonus has a 28-day validity period. If a user doesn’t complete the wagering requirement within that period, their Casino Instant Bonus will disappear. PokerStars currently matches up to C$100 for its casino welcome bonus, making it one of the top 10 casino bonuses we’ve seen on Canadian iGaming sites.
Promotions
The casino and poker welcome offers were the only two bonuses we noticed on PokerStars as at the time of writing this review. However, PokerStars is famous for coming up with periodic promotions, especially during special occasions, so consider sticking around the Promotions page a bit to take advantage of any new bonuses as they come.
However, there’s a rewards program on PokerStars with a similar structure to a VIP program. The rewards program has six regular levels, with each tier offering reward chests and rakebacks on tournament fees as the user progresses.
The PokerStars reward levels are Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, and Black, in ascending order. These levels offer from 15% to 40% rakeback on tournament fees, with Blue having the lowest and Black, the highest.
To level up on the PokerStars Rewards program, players need to collect reward points. PokerStars offers reward points for playing poker games in the casino (100 reward points for every dollar spent on a poker game). Note that this program only works on poker games as PokerStars doesn’t offer reward points for spending on regular casino games and the sportsbook.
| Level | Reward Points | Rakeback |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 2,000 | 15% |
| Bronze | 6,000 | 17.5% |
| Silver | 20,000 | 20% |
| Gold | 50,000 | 25% |
| Diamond | 120,000 | 30% |
| Black | 250,000 | 40% |
Pokerstars Casino Payment Methods
PokerStars has a decent selection of banking options for deposits and withdrawals. The available options include credit and debit cards like Visa and MasterCard, direct bank transfers, Apple Pay, MuchBetter, and Instadebit.
Note that casino and poker welcome bonuses are only redeemable on first deposits using Interac, MasterCard, or Visa. Also, the gaming platform may require users to withdraw funds via the same deposit method in certain cases.
With that said, here’s some more information about depositing and withdrawing funds on PokerStars:
Deposit Methods
PokerStars distinguishes itself as an excellent online casino in the deposit department, offering at least a dozen options for players in Canada. While having a verified user account isn’t mandatory for deposits at PokerStars, the online casino may routinely require identity verification to comply with anti-money laundering legislation.
The minimum deposit amount on PokerStars is C$10 for most deposit methods (unless stated otherwise). To deposit on the platform, players must create an account, log in, head over to the ‘Cashier’ section, and select the ‘Deposit’ option.
PokerStars also offers Fast Deposit. The feature is exactly what it sounds like, allowing a user to fund their account while eliminating the usual wait time. For now, Fast Deposit is only available on Visa, MasterCard, and Neteller, but the casino may be working to extend it to other deposit methods soon.
| Payment method | Min limit | Max limit | Exchange fee | Proccessing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
VISA | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Mastercard | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Payz | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
MuchBetter | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Apple Pay | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Neosurf | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
eCheck | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
INSTADEBIT | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Paysafecard | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Interac | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Luxon Pay | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
Withdrawal
PokerStars automatically pays out players through their chosen deposit method. However, not all deposit channels on the site are eligible for withdrawals. For example, players who deposited using MasterCard, Paysafecard, or Neosurf will have to choose alternative withdrawal methods as these banking channels don’t support payouts in Canada.
To make a withdrawal request from a PokerStars account, players must ensure they have enough cash in their balance to withdraw. Then, sign into their account and open the Cashier section. From there, they can click on the ‘Withdrawal’ button and enter how much to withdraw.
Generally, PokerStars is one of the fast payout online casinos in Canada and processes withdrawals in under an hour, except for Wire Transfer, Stars Transfer, and Direct Bank Transfer. Also, all deposited funds must be wagered at least once before withdrawal, a pretty standard practice among online casinos.
| Payment method | Min limit | Max limit | Exchange fee | Proccessing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
VISA | C$10 | N/A | 0% | 0 to 1 hour |
|
Payz | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
|
MuchBetter | C$10 | N/A | 0% | Instant |
|
eCheck | C$10 | N/A | 0% | 0 to 1 hour |
|
INSTADEBIT | C$10 | N/A | 0% | 1 hour |
|
Interac | C$10 | N/A | 0% | 1 hour |
|
Luxon Pay | C$10 | N/A | 0% | 1 hour |
Casino Games
PokerStars has three major sections: poker, casino, and sports. The poker section contains a selection of video poker games, the casino is the typical online casino with slots and other games, while the sports section is a sportsbook with sports categories ranging from football to snooker.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to expect in each of the PokerStars sections:
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Poker
As the name “PokerStars” implies, the Poker section is the casino’s flagship section, as the platform’s primary target audience is online poker players. As expected, the website has nearly two dozen poker titles, including popular names like Omaha Hi/Lo, Texas Hold’em, 5 Card Omaha, 6 Card Omaha, Badugi, and Fusion.
Interestingly, the website features a “How to Play Poker” section to introduce new players to the game’s rules and mechanics. It’s not exactly a definitive guide for online poker, but it’s an excellent resource for getting started on an online casino.
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Slots
PokerStars Canada isn’t just about poker; it also features an online casino with a decent selection of slot games. We only expected a handful of slots, but PokerStars surprised us pleasantly with several hundred slots, at least. The slots can be sorted by New, Jackpot, Exclusive, Megaways, and Popular.
We sorted the slots by popularity and quickly found one that caught our fancy: Gates of Olympus. This popular Pragmatic Play slot features 20 paylines with four multiplier symbols offering up to a 500x multiplier. With fun features like free spins and tumble, the 6x5 slot is undoubtedly one of the most interesting slots at PokerStars and one of the most popular slots among Canadian players.
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Live Casino
PokerStars has a live casino lobby for players looking for a memorable live wagering experience. Granted, it doesn’t have nearly as many titles as the slots section, but the available titles were enough to ensure a fun iGaming adventure.
We played Live Blackjack and had a rewarding experience. There were no wait times between game rounds and the dealer was friendly and professional. From our experience, PokerStars is one of the best live casinos we’ve tested.
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Table Games
PokerStars features a handful of table games, with most of them either Roulette, Blackjack, or Baccarat. Most of the table games are from PokerStars, but we don’t see that as a flaw, as the platform was created to offer a table game (poker) to players.
Besides the poker section, PokerStars doesn’t seem to have many titles in the table game lobby, as we only found 22 table games. However, it wasn’t a problem as the available titles are interesting.
While most of PokerStars’ table games only support single-player mode, a few titles like Heads Up Hold’em, Roulette, and Blackjack have a multiplayer mode for a more engaging experience.
Sports Betting
PokerStars has a decent sportsbook with over two dozen sports categories and many leagues, offering an excellent variety to sports bettors.
The sportsbook features sports like basketball, soccer, tennis, and cycling, among others. There are also popular leagues like the NBA, MLB, MLS, and NHL.
Interestingly, the casino offers numerous sporting markets for each of the featured sports, with some of the most popular being the over/under, goalscorer, and correct score markets, comparable to what we see at top sportsbooks in Canada.
The odds on PokerStars’ sportsbook seem fair, especially on NBA games. We also found it’s one of the best betting sites to bet on the NHL. The live sports betting section is perfect for Canadians who enjoy the special action in live games.
Finally, there’s a Premier League predictions section on the sportsbook for Premier League betting guides. It wasn’t particularly surprising that it exists, considering the “How to Play Poker” section for poker.
Pokerstars Casino App
PokerStars has separate mobile apps for Android and iOS, allowing users full access to poker, casino, and sportsbook products. Like with most similar casinos, PokerStars’ mobile app isn’t downloadable from the App Store or Google Play Store. To download the app, open the PokerStars Canada website on a smartphone and download the appropriate mobile app for the device from there.
Some games on PokerStars are only accessible from the mobile app, so the application is necessary for the full on-the-go iGaming experience. For recommendations of similar mobile-based online casinos, check our guide on the best casino apps on the market.
Responsible Gaming
PokerStars takes responsible gambling very seriously, offering punters significant control over their wagering activities while providing help to struggling bettors. New users set a deposit limit once they sign up to moderate the amount they spend in the casino. As part of a broader network, PokerStars Sister Sites also offer the same high standard of responsible gaming features, ensuring that players across different platforms have access to crucial self-management tools.
Also, the casino only allows registration from players above 18. Providing inaccurate information during signup is easily detected through mandatory age verification during deposits and withdrawals, thanks to a robust and effective age verification procedure.
PokerStars also offers a self-exclusion feature players can use to lock themselves out of the casino to control wagering addiction. Canadian punters can access the self-exclusion tool in the “Responsible Gaming” page on the Account section.
A player can also limit themselves from specific casino games without necessarily losing their access to the rest of the casino’s games using the self-limits option on PokerStars.
Furthermore, there are links to gambling support organizations on the site, including top names like GamCare, GambleAware, Gambling Therapy, and the Canadian Responsible Gaming Council, for players dealing with compulsive gambling problems.
In summary, PokerStars is one of the best online casinos in the responsible gaming department. With a wide variety of tools to prevent and manage gambling problems, Canadian players should feel safe using the casino.
Customer Support
PokerStars has decent and responsive customer support channels, but they’re relatively hard to find, at least compared to similar casinos. For example, the casino has no live chat button on the website’s homepage. Also, we couldn't find a contact page.
To initiate a conversation with PokerStars customer support, a player would need to click on the “Help” button on the Information tab at the website’s footer. On the bright side, PokerStars doesn’t require users to be logged in to access help like some competing online casinos.
However, not logging in before starting a live chat will erase the chat history each time the user switches browsers or restarts their computer, so we recommend logging in before contacting support.
We also couldn’t find a contact phone number or email on the website, but PokerStars made up for that with a responsive live chat. When we messaged support to request for help with signing up at the casino, the response was almost instant, making it difficult to miss the the absence of phone-based support.
Despite the absence of email and phone-based support, PokerStars still managed to score high points on customer support, thanks to the responsive live chat. While we’d have preferred the live chat button right on the homepage, the response speed makes up for that flaw.
Overall Score
| Bonus | 10 |
|---|---|
| Customer support | 6 |
| Payment methods | 10 |
| Licensing safety | 9 |
| Design & usability | 9 |
| Overall | 9 |
PokerStars Canada has proven itself to be one of the best online casinos in Canada, both for poker and regular online casino games. With dozens of excellent poker games and over 1,300 slots, we never ran out of fun new games to play at the iGaming site.
The casino’s reputation and license from the Malta Gaming Authority make it a trustworthy brand, and the Gaming Labs certification adds to its credibility. With numerous responsible gaming and privacy protection measures, PokerStars has proven that it prioritizes its users’ privacy and well-being.
The website is responsive and easy to navigate, but we recommend installing the desktop or mobile app for the full experience, as several games don’t work on the website. Getting help is also easy for players. Simply head over to the “Help” page and start a live chat with the support team.
There isn’t a lot to complain about this casino, and we recommend PokerStars to players looking for a new iGaming site with diverse exciting offerings.
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