We have worked hard to listen to our players concerns and address them by providing a more transparent and easy to understand rewards system
PokerStars has disclosed the full details of its highly anticipated new rewards program, set to go live next Monday, January 22, pokerfuse can reveal.
The program will roll out across multiple international markets. It is unclear if or when it will go live in the US and Ontario.
As initially revealed by pokerfuse last month, the new program boasts increased flexibility, more transparency, greater equality, and more generosity.
Key Highlights of the PokerStars Rewards 2024
- Scheduled for launch on Monday, January 22
- Offers more generosity, increased flexibility & transparency
- Ensures equal rewards for all players
- Introduces two new tiers — Select and Select Plus, with up to 60% rakeback — with annual rake targets.
- Increased volume requirement to clear Chests
- Weekly Challenges scrapped
- Places significant focus on Power Path
- Global rollout across the dot-com market, with a few country exceptions
Players can now earn up to 40% rakeback on the base program, a notable jump from the previous 25%. Working up through the tiers from Blue to Black is predictable and transparent, with zero personalization. The operator has eliminated entirely the controversial Weekly Poker Challenges.
Beyond the Black tier are two new tiers: Select and Select Plus, for high-volume players. These are highly reminiscent of the famous Supernova and Supernova Elite tiers from before. They offer up to 60% rakeback to the biggest grinders who hit high monthly rake targets.
But the revamped program caters equally to recreational players. A significant feature of the new system for entry-tier levels (Blue and Bronze) will revolve around the popular online qualification route, Power Path. Players in these tiers will receive $0.50 Power Path tickets daily, totaling $15.50 per month, regardless of their spending or rake amount, with the sole condition being the necessity to play at least one raked hand.
“We have worked hard to listen to our players concerns and address them by providing a more transparent and easy to understand rewards system,” Chris Straghalis, Director of Online Poker Experience at PokerStars told pokerfuse.
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Global Rollout with Some Exclusions
The new loyalty program is set to launch in several markets, including the global dot-COM (including dot-EU), UK, Estonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Spain.
However, certain markets like Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland have been excluded due to regulatory restrictions or commercial reasons.
Austria is included in the program but will not be eligible for the two new tiers, with lower generosity rewards. Notably, there’s no explicit mention of North American markets such as the US and Ontario. There’s a possibility that the operator might introduce the new program in these markets in the latter part of 2024.
Addresses Both Recreational and Professional Players
We feel that with the way we have structured the programme we have both addressed our high volume players by having a tiered approach that both gives them flexibility in when they choose to play
The operator will no longer penalize winners, shifting away from a focus on win rates to emphasize volume. Furthermore, all game types will be included and every tournament will count towards the program, unlike before which excluded certain high-stakes games.
“We feel that with the way we have structured the programme we have both addressed our high volume players by having a tiered approach that both gives them flexibility in when they choose to play but also rewards all of their play but also gives our more casual players a meaningful reward every day they play in the form of a Power Path ticket,” Ashley Chase, Associate Director of Generosity at PokerStars, told pokerfuse.
“What matters most is what our players think, and that’s the feedback we are most excited to hear,” Chase further added.
Not every player will see an increase in rakeback. In particular, those currently engaging in challenges at the 40% level with lower volume will receive less than the potential 65% offered in the new program. According to PokerStars, this subset represents 6.7% of the player pool.
On the flip side, a significant majority of players — 93%, according to PokerStars — are either ineligible for weekly rakeback challenges or do not actively complete them. These will all experience more generosity in the new program.
| Group | % of Players | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Completing 40% RB Weekly Challenge | 6.7% | Most will receive less rakeback |
| Completing 10% RB Weekly Challenge | 0.3% | Most will receive more rakeback |
| Not eligible for, or not completing challenges | 93% | All players will receive better generosity |
Increased Volume Requirement to Clear Chests
Another notable modification in the new system involves an increased volume requirement for players. In the current system, players are tasked with accumulating 333 Reward Points (RPs) in a Blue Chest to earn a $0.50 reward, resulting in a 15% rakeback percentage (players accrue 100 RPs for every $1 rake generated).
Under the updated system, the rakeback percentage for the Blue tier remains the same, but players will now need six times more RPs to clear the chest, resulting in a bigger chest value of $3.
Moving to the Bronze tier, there’s an enhancement in rakeback from 16% to 17.5%. However, players will now need 6000 RPs to unlock a Chest valued at $10.50, compared to the previous $1.50.
For the Black Chest, which was the highest tier in the previous system, players now require 250,000 RPs instead of the previous 100,000. This change leads to a quadruple increase in the chest value, going up from $250 to $1000, and the rakeback percentage increases from 25% to 40%.
PokerStars Rewards Program 2024
| Rewards Level | Rake ($) / Month | Reward | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue (no completion) | 0 – 19 | Daily Reward | 1 raked hand |
| Blue | 20 – 59 | 15% RB + Daily Reward | 2000 RPs |
| Bronze | 60 – 199 | 17.5% RB + Daily Reward | 6000 RPs |
| Silver | 200 – 499 | 20% RB | 20,000 RPs |
| Gold | 500 – 1200 | 25% RB | 50,000 RPs |
| Diamond | 1200 – 2500 | 30% RB | 120,000 RPs |
| Black | 2500+ | 40% RB | 250,000 RPs |
| Select | 50,000 – 100,000 (annual) | 50% RB + Exclusive Promos | N/A |
| Select Plus | 100,000+ (annual) | 50% Base (60% Spins & Zoom) + Exclusive Promos | N/A |
Supernova-Inspired Loyalty Programs
By far the biggest highlight of the new rewards program is the introduction of the “Select” scheme.
Indeed, achieving Select status requires a yearly rake of $50k, while Select Plus demands over $100k. Players at these levels will enjoy the perks of a dedicated account manager, exclusive offers, and promotions.
This harks back to the golden era of poker several years ago when PokerStars rolled out the Supernova and Supernova Elite programs. While the current offering may not reach the same heights of generosity observed in the past, where players could earn up to 74% rakeback, the introduction of Select Plus signals a return to the allure of the Supernova era.
These elite players will now be excluded from the platform’s standard promotions and offers. Instead, they will gain access to exclusive promotions tailored to their high level of activity, as per the operator’s announcement.
Select offers straight 50% rakeback. Select Plus kicks this up to 60% on all play on Spins and Zoom. Both also get access to exclusive promotions: At launch, this will be a weekly rake race with a $12,000 weekly prize pool, distributing rewards to 125 positions. For Select Plus, there will be a $17,000 weekly prize pool, paying out 70 places.
| Criteria | Select | Select Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Rake ($/year) | 50k – 100k | 100k+ |
| Reward | 50% + exclusive promos | 50% base; 60% Spins/ Zoom + exclusive promos |
| Maintenance | Average of $10,000 monthly in the previous 3 months or $50,000 in the previous 12 months | Average of $20,000 monthly in the prior 3 months or $100,000 in the previous 12 months |
| Launch rake race | $12k weekly prizepool paying 125 places | $17k weekly prizepool paying 70 places |
Addressing Previous Concerns
As reported last month, the new PokerStars Rewards program is designed to address various concerns voiced within the poker community.
The existing rewards system, featuring six tiers ranging from Blue to Black, has faced criticism for its lack of transparency and equality, particularly in the implementation of personalized weekly challenges.
While some players enjoyed the benefits of up to 65% rakeback through these challenges, others faced high targets, changing criteria, and opaque rewards. As per the operator, three-quarters of players receiving a challenge were not completing it, leading to frustration and a sense of unrewarded effort. The dissatisfaction prompted PokerStars to reevaluate its approach and design a loyalty program that is not only more straightforward but also accommodates a broader player base.
The effectiveness of the new loyalty program remains to be seen. However, with the program offering more rewards to the majority of the player pool and incentivizing high-volume play, an increase in cash game traffic is anticipated in the coming days.
The new PokerStars rewards program is slated to go live on January 22, 2024.
