PokerStars PA: Review & Bonus Code (2024)

pokerstars
100% Matching Bonus Worth Up to $600 or $150 in Bonus Play

Brand Info

  • Established Date: November 2019
  • Regulated by: Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
  • Owner: Flutter Entertainment
  • Max Bonus: $600 or $150 bonus play money
  • Partnered Casino: Mount Airy Casino
  • APP: IOS and Android
Pros
Cons
  • Multiple welcome packages to choose from
  • Fantastic online poker tournaments including PACOOP
  • Detailed poker guides
  • Supports PayPal and Skrill
  • Lucrative rewards program
  • Sensational slot game library
  • User-friendly web design
  • Limited withdrawal options
  • No longer has a dedicated sports betting section
  • Could use more single-player poker and Blackjack games
  • Needs more Live Dealer options

Main Features

  • The option of two welcome packages
  • An abundance of daily casino game bonuses including the Tuesday Treat
  • Access to PokerStars sensational rewards program
  • Well-layed out poker playing guides

PokerStars PA Review

Dane Terrell
By:Dane Terrell

PokerStars PA was one of the first online casinos to enter the lucrative Pennsylvania online gambling market in 2019. Before entering the Keystone State, PokerStars established itself as an International online poker powerhouse with world-famous tournaments. Every year, Pennsylvanians compete for their share of the multi-million dollar jackpot with the Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker (PACOOP) and the Fall Fest.

Although PokerStars no longer maintains its sports betting partnership with Fox Sports Bets, it does keep its rock-solid partnership with Mount Airy Casino to give players in the Quaker State access to jackpot and megaway slots from elite developers like NetEnt. Besides the legendary poker tournaments, this PokerStars Online Casino guide, outlines the sophisticated apps, how to install them, and the responsible gambling measures that PokerStars Online Casino offers.

PokerStars Promo Code in Pennsylvania for 2024

One of the avenues that make PokerStars PA unique is the choice between the general welcome package worth up to 0 or the option for 0 in bonus play. While you don’t have to enter a PokerStars PA bonus code, the key is to play at least one hand of poker to qualify for the 0 bonus if you opt-in. It is wise to know your gaming habits and the bonus terms to help you determine which starter bonus is right for you.

The Stellar $150 Bonus Backup

If you prefer slot games, wagering a buck also triggers this phenomenal welcome prize. Once your account becomes active, you must opt into the $150 bonus play through PokerStars’ Challenges Area. Also, new members only have five days from the time their accounts become active to select this alternative welcome package. But unlike the general matching welcome bonus, PokerStars pays out this bonus in these installments:

  • From Day 0: New members receive a pair of Spin and Go poker tickets at $5 a piece.
  • From Day 1: New players get 50 bonus and free spins to use on non-progressive slot games and selected slot games.
  • From Day 2: Receive another pair of Spin and Go poker tournament tickets worth $5 a piece, plus a $10 Spin and Go ticket.
  • From Day 3: New members enjoy an instant $10 casino bonus to use on their preferred slot or table games.
  • From Day 4: New players receive a pair of Sit and Go Poker tickets worth $10 per ticket.
  • From Day 5: Conclude the $150 bonus play with a $30 instant casino bonus to use on various PokerStars slot and table games, including live dealer play.

PokerStars’ Treasure Chests

Instead of handing its new members all the $150 bonus play up front, PokerStars PA offers the installments in daily chests. Once the treasure chests become active in your account, you have five days to use each one or lose them.

Before joining the Spin and Go Poker Tournaments, recipients of PokerStars PA’s alternative welcome bonus have to ensure that they select these tickets before joining the tournament. For the bonus spins portion, these slots games are eligible for the bonus spins:

  1. Stars Invaders
  2. Diamond Stars
  3. Pharaoh’s Loot
  4. Frog of Fortune
  5. Tomb of Ra
  6. Aztec Explorer
  7. Stars Classic
  8. Royal Rush
  9. Wilbur’s Wild Wonder Land

And for an added treat, PokerStars PA new members get a complimentary ticket to a freeroll poker event that plays on the last Sunday of each month.

PokerStars PA Welcome Bonuses in Perspective

Online Gambling SitePokerStars Pennsylvania
Alternative Welcome Bonus:$150 in bonus play
Specific Bonus Code:None necessary
General First Time Deposit:100% worth up to $600
Specific Deposit code:Not necessary
Welcome Bonus Terms:New members can only choose one
Last Time Verified:January 1, 2024

PokerStars Ongoing Promotions

PokerStars PA keeps its daily promotions fresh to complement its twin welcome bonuses. From bonus spins to bonus play, here’s what PokerStars members can look forward to boost their winnings.

Philadelphia 76ers Bonus

Fresh off the presses, PokerStars has partnered with the Philadelphia 76ers to bring its esteemed Quaker State players exclusive access to bonuses they won’t find elsewhere. As a result, PokerStars players can look forward to special monthly freerolls throughout the NBA season. Some rewards will feature 76ers tickets, team gear, and PokerStars Online Casino reward points.

Spin of the Day

Every day, PokerStars PA members can spin the bonus wheel to pick up free prizes like free spins and other cash rewards. The great part is you don’t have to enter any PokerStars PA bonus code, but you must opt into the Spin of the Day feature. Once enrolled, it’s essential to take that fantastic spin before midnight Eastern Time. Otherwise, you lose the chance to rack up.

When you spin the wheel, you collect tokens. The more tokens you have, the greater the chance of collecting free spins and lucrative cash bonuses. You can play the Spin of the Day every day, but those daily prizes only apply to that week. Monday resets the feature.

The Tuesday Treat

Every Tuesday, PokerStars Casino members compete for the chance to add $100 to their accounts. During Tuesdays, you don’t have to opt into this feature. Instead, head to PokerStars PA’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages, follow them, correctly answer the question given that day, and then share it with all your friends and family. One player, every Tuesday, will claim the free $100 bonus.

PokerStars Online Casino will announce the lucky winner within 72 hours of the contest and will announce the winner through their social media pages. If you are the lucky winner, you have to wait at least 180 days to qualify to win again.

Payment Options at PokerStars PA

PokerStars goes first-class with multiple banking options to get Pennsylvanians winning. Quaker State players can rely on these reputable deposit and withdrawal options at PokerStars Online Casino.

  • Credit and Debit Cards: PokerStars gladly accepts Visa and MasterCard and their debit versions. Credits and debit cards are free, but new members must pass the credit authorization process. Quaker State players can use Visa and MasterCard for withdrawals.
  • PayPal: Used by millions worldwide, PayPal provides lightning-quick deposit approvals and can fastrack receiving payments.
  • Skrill: This ultra-popular e-wallet also processes deposits instantly with the cashier. Skrill is easy and free to use and setup and can also be used as a fast-receiving withdrawal method.
  • PayNearMe: PokerStars Online Casino members can visit local chain stores like CVS and Rite-Aid to fund their accounts instantly. Bring the appropriate barcode, pay the money, and have your account funded in minutes.
  • Vanilla Direct Add Cash: It is another instant-funding account service, but you can fund your account at more local businesses. PokerStars’ Cashier has all the businesses where you can fund your account.
  • Online Bank Service: Use online bill pay to fund your account and receive winnings instantly.

How to Sign Up at PokerStars PA

The journey to memorable and competitive online poker begins with creating your PokerStars PA account. Don’t worry. It’s pretty straightforward, and it only takes minutes with these steps either through the official app or website browser:

  1. Find the “Join” button at the screen’s top right, then click it.
  2. Next, enter your preferred email, then a trustworthy password and a username. Finally, press  the “Continue” button.
  3. Enter your birthday, phone number and address. 
  4. Once you finalize your details, press submit to begin your account verification.

PokerStars will send you a verification email if everything is in order. Otherwise, PokerStars Online Casino might request other information. You must be 21 or older and be physically present in the Keystone State to make real-money wagers.

PokerStars PA Software

Besides captivating and enticing promotions and gaming rosters, poker players consider the caliber of the online poker software as a determining factor in joining a premier online gambling site like PokerStars. There’s nothing more frustrating for an online poker player than being in the middle of a big hand and the software glitches or loses internet connection. Rest assured, PokerStars poker software is the envy of other major online casinos for these reasons.

PokerStars PA’s Poker Software Is a Horse

Well before PokerStars entered the red-hot Pennsylvania online gambling market in the winter of 2019, it had already established itself as an online poker powerhouse throughout International gambling destinations. PokerStars has been online since the fall of 2001, which gives it more than twenty years to perfect its poker software. Also, with a twenty-year headstart, PokerStars poker software is in tune with what hardcore poker players want and need to succeed at the virtual table.

Also, with a twenty-year lead, PokerStars ensures that its home run poker software cross-platforms on PCs, Macs, laptops, and mobile apps. ​No matter which device you use or if you play through the web browser, you can’t tell the difference in performance or look. PokerStars players can seamlessly sync into their accounts, no matter the device or web browser, and pick up their poker play where they left off.

Players Can Customize their Poker Experience

PokerStars’ poker software gives its beloved members supreme control of their online poker play. Quaker State members can assume the controls to tweak and re-size graphics, tables, and texts to meet their gaming needs. Members can also easily apply for PokerStars PA bonus codes and opt-in to other features with PokerStars software.

It also doesn’t hurt that PokerStars keeps upping its game and improving its acclaimed poker software with present-day graphical engines. Today, PokerStars uses the Aurora graphics engine to give its poker games ultra-realistic details and smooth gameplay from the first poker hand until you fold. Unlike other casinos, PokerStars Casino sticks the bare essentials to maintain a superior and reliable software loved by its members. 

PokerStars Poker Software Is Super Dependable 

Imagine carefully crafting your poker strategy for hours, and when the moment finally arrives to collect your well-deserved pot, the poker app fails. With PokerStars poker software, that isn’t even worth pondering because PokerStars has spent the past twenty years perfecting, re-tooling, and perfecting some more of their poker apps for nothing but the best in performance and service.

While no software is foolproof and 100% infallible, PokerStars sure gives it one heck of a run with super dependable up times. We’ve personally downloaded PokerStars poker software on several of our devices, and we remain speechless at its ruthless efficiency. Once you have downloaded and installed the poker software, you don’t have to worry about pesky or intrusive updates. PokerStars Online Casino updates its software when necessary while not impacting your poker play.

PokerStars PA App

Don’t even think about being locked to your computer or laptop because PokerStars mobile apps work like clockwork on the latest Apple and Android devices. PokerStars members will have no problem installing the app on Apple or Android devices. For Android users, you can find the PokerStars PA app at Google Play, while Apple users can find it at iTunes. Depending on your device, you might have to “allow downloads from unknown sites” to get installed.

Maximizing PokerStars’ App’s Capabilities

Players in the Quaker State can create their PokerStars accounts directly from the app, or they can log in from the apps without having to create a new account. Flawlessly linking account and betting history between the website and the app, here are some of the top features and benefits of using PokerStars’ mobile apps.

  1. Total Game Access: Unlike other PA gambling sites, the PokerStars apps sync the gaming library between the desktop websites and the apps, so you don’t have to worry about missing your game.
  2. Enjoy all the Desktop Functions: While other poker apps only care about the bare bones and essentials, the PokerStars poker app has all the bells and whistles available on the main website. You can even swap out themes to make yourself feel right at home.
  3. Claim Multiple Poker Tables: While there is certainly nothing wrong with playing at a single poker table, for those who need to push their limits, the PokerStars app lets them do just that by playing at up to five poker tables simultaneously. That way, you don’t have to wait in between hands.

PokerStars Games in Pennsylvania

If you were to focus on the jackpot slot games alone, PokerStars would be considered the total package for online casinos by itself. But there’s a reason why PokerStars PA carries weight worldwide – the magnificent online poker game ensemble. Believe us when we say that we have first-hand knowledge of PokerStars poker games, and you won’t most certainly be disappointed with the weaving of games like Texas Hold’em and the abundant Sit and Go tournaments.

1) A New Breed of No Limit Texas Hold’em

No Limit Hold 'em has instant name recognition as the top poker alternatives, and it is a staple for poker tournaments. PokerStars caters to its members' poker needs, which is why at the crack of dawn or in the middle of the night, PokerStars Online Casino members are assured of getting into the No Limit Hold 'em action either through the acclaimed poker software or the seamless apps.

Due to its unrivaled popularity, No Limit Hold 'em is the go-to poker game for simple to lavish online tournaments. It's not uncommon to find a No Limit Hold 'em tournament at all hours of the day and night with generous buy-ins under a dollar, but on the flip side, worth hundreds of dollars for six or seven-figure jackpots. But it's the low buy-ins that draw players to No Limit Hold 'em.

Often beginning with one to two-cent wagers, No-Limit is an excellent attraction for poker players with small budgets looking to win big. But, for high rollers and more seasoned players, No Limit Hold 'em permits them to make Major League wagers beginning at $25 and sometimes more than $50 a hand.

2) Discover Pot Limit Omaha Poker at PokerStars

Pot Limit Omaha shares several similarities to No Limit Hold’em by having a small and big blind, with the game moving around the playing table similarly. In the end, Pot Limit Omaha has players striving to build the strongest five-card hand to reign supreme.

But unlike No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Hold’em deals each player four hole cards compared to only two with No Limit Hold’em. However, Pot Limit Hold’em demands each player to use two out of those four hole cards and three general cards to put together their winning hand.

But Pot Limit Hold’em gets its signature name by having the playing hand’s value tied to the pot size. Thankfully, PokerStars software automatically tabulates the playing hand value on your behalf.

Besides classic Pot Limit Hold’em, PokerStars spices things up for its members by having Omaha Poker variations like Omaha Hi-Lo and Five-Card Pot Limit Omaha. PokerStars also has the neat Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Low game on hand. With Omaha Hi-Lo, the participants literally half the pot and compete to win both the hi and low parts of the pot.

3) PokerStars Mixed Poker Games Ensemble

In recent years, “Mixed Poker” games have surged in popularity in mainstay poker sites like PokerStars PA. Perhaps the rise in popularity is due to wanting to try something new besides the staple poker games. Still, Mixed Poker Games, like Omaha Hi-Lo, were usually played in some sort of order, but it doesn’t always apply to today’s poker competitors. Besides Omaha Hi-Low, PokerStars offers these off-beat poker titles:

  • Razz with Limit
  • Limit Stud Poker Hi-Lo
  • Stud Poker Limit
  • Triple Draw Poker with Pot Limit

Some poker players are so dedicated to their craft that they don’t consider others as legit poker players until they prove they have the chops to play complex titles like Eight-Game Poker. Eight-Game Poker challenges your poker skills because it involves eight separate games in a series.

Eight-Game Poker is so respected that the legendary World Series of Poker (WSOP) has it as its featured game for its signature poker championship game. Generally, Eight-Game Poker plays out over six hands with these standout poker alternatives:

  • Triple-Draw Poker
  • Limit 2-7 Poker 
  • Limit Hold’em
  • Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
  • Razz Poker
  • Seven Card Stud with Limit
  • Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo with Limit
  • No Limit Hold’em

Pot Limit Omaha is the final poker game in the Eight-Game Poker rotation. PokerStars lets its members enjoy Eight-Game Poker in cash-money games or through lucrative tournaments.

4) Discover Short Deck Hold’em

Short Deck Hold’em, sometimes called Six-Plus Hold’em, is a newcomer variant to the No Limit Hold’em series. Short Deck Hold’em has a devoted following in gambling meccas like the world-famous Macau and is often used as the main-event poker game.

Breaking all the rules, Short Deck Hold’em takes the number cards 2-5 out of the playing rotation. Furthermore, Short Deck Hold’em takes out the small and big blinds, which brings the pre-flop to the forefront. With the pre-flop out of the way, Short Deck Hold’em reverts to a traditional Texas Hold’em outing.

With so much billing and hype surrounding Short Deck Hold’em, many PokerStars players in Pennsylvania are scratching their heads about why it’s unavailable in the Quaker State. Hopefully, that changes soon.

5) Zoom Poker Is a PokerStars Staple

Of all the poker games available at PokerStars, Zoom Poker begins and ends faster than the other games. Because Zoom Poker is available as a speedier version of No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Hold’em, it gives these hardcore poker fans the best of both worlds.

Zoom Poker is unique because it allows players to fold either during their hand or in other players’ hands if the big bling phase is not going on. Similar to multi-player poker and tournament games, once you fold your hand in Zoom Poker, you are immediately seated at another active game, where you begin anew with new hole cards and new competition.

While Zoom Poker is thriving throughout the PokerStars universe, it is surprisingly not available like Short Deck Hold’em in PokerStars PA. Hopefully, the PokerStars brass remedy this situation in the near future and take PA online poker to a brand new level.

6) PokerStars Glorious Poker Tournaments

There’s no question that PokerStars’ bread and butter are the elite online poker tournaments. From sophisticated Sit and Go tournaments to ultra-competitive Bounty tournaments with massive jackpots, the poker tournaments are the main reason why so much love, care, and attention to detail goes into PokerStars’ signature poker software.

Poker tournaments work daily, weekly, and monthly at PokerStars, and they draw massive pools because players enter the big leagues with chip stacks. It’s simple. Once you’re out of chips, you get bounced from the tournament. Some poker tournaments give players the chance to buy back in. Unlike cash poker games, tournaments focus on buy-ins instead of rakes, which take a percentage of winnings.

And for an added thrill and adrenaline rush, PokerStars elite tournaments literally raise the ante for its blinds throughout the playing hands. But unlike slot tournaments, poker tournaments are much more generous in distributing the wealth. Because many of these poker tournaments feature buy-ins worth hundreds of dollars, especially in No Limit Hold’em, roughly up to 20% of the players can get a piece of the action. Some outstanding tournaments include:

  1. Friday Night Fight: Every Friday, starting at 8 pm Eastern time, PokerStars invites its members in the Quaker State to reserve a seat at the table for $100 and see if you have what it takes to be the last standing heading into the weekend.
  2. Deepstack Saturday: This Saturday tournament picks up where you left off Friday night – fighting against other players but with larger chip stacks and blinds. Deepstack Saturday’s buy-in begins at 100 bucks.
  3. Wednesday Storm: Get over the hump every Wednesday at PokerStars because it ups the ante for massive poker pots during mid-week. Players need to opt-in before the Wednesday Storm tournaments begin at 8 pm Eastern and buy-in at $100.

PokerStars PA is also home to the annual poker tournaments, the Pennsylvania Championship Of Online Poker (PACOOP) and the Pennsylvania Spring Championship Of Online Poker (PASCOOP). Both tournaments pattern themselves after the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

PokerStars’ Excellent Cash Games

The main difference between cash games and poker tournaments is that cash poker is driven by rake. The more players that join a six or nine-hand poker game, the greater the rake. Due to the rakes, cash games feature consistent small and big blinds during the flop parts of the game. And because cash game players can buy more chips while competing, PokerStars players find cash games too alluring to pass up.

Or, if players prefer, they can leave cash games after any hand, no questions asked. Poker tournaments, conversely, require members to compete until they win or they do not have more chips to continue. You can consider that cash games have the advantage in that regard because smart players who know when to hold or fold them can walk away with some winnings intact and leave if the losses begin to mount.

Like No Limit Hold’em tournaments, cash games appeal to members with small and big budgets. Depending on the cash game, players can buy in for as low as a penny, while the high rollers can drop $25 to $50 to get into the action.

PokerStars Customer Support

While PokerStars offers many positives, unfortunately, its customer support system is still a work in progress. We particularly found it annoying that trying to find quick answers became an ordeal. To complicate matters, PokerStars PA doesn’t have a live chat at this time. Email is the primary way to get the help you need from PokerStars.

PokerStars members can email the support staff through the built-in contact form on the website or via the app. They can also email PokerStars’ team at [email protected].

Responsible Gaming at PokerStars PA

There’s no question that PokerStars shows its love for its members in the Keystone State with heavy investments in its unrivaled poker software, smooth apps, and elite poker tournaments. But PokerStars PA perhaps shows its greatest love for its members in the Coal State by having a well-detailed, responsible gaming section.

While PokerStars enjoys making winners, it wants its members to do so responsibly. As a result, when visiting this section, members can find a well of information to try to help prevent online gambling addiction, such as:

  • Tips to detect early gambling addiction
  • Voluntary self-exclusion measures
  • Playing sessions
  • Loss Limit protections

Players can also place themselves in a “Cool Off Period,” known as the “Self-Exclusion List.” Members who place themselves on the self-exclusion list can opt to stay there for days, months, or possibly longer. In the cool off period, members won’t be able to participate in real-money games, nor will they receive PokerStars’ bonus material or any online casino in The Independence State.

When ready, members must apply to take themselves off the list through the PGCB. PokerStars also has contact details and phone numbers for professional gambling help organizations like Gamblers Anonymous.

PokerStars Review Verdict

With over twenty years of online poker experience, PokerStars continues its dominance in the Keystone State gambling market with sophisticated software and lavish promotions. Between lucrative daily tournaments and annual phenomenons like PACOOP, PokerStars is worth the investment. We give our expert rankings at PokerStars Online Casino stands today. 

  • Mobile App: 4.5/5
  • Web Platform: 5/5
  • Pricing & Betting Options: 4/5
  • UX: 4.5/5
  • Deposits & Withdrawals: 4/5

The Good:

  • Arguably the best poker software in the state 
  • Blockbuster poker tournaments
  • Detailed poker-playing guides
  • High-performing mobile apps 

Room for Improvement:

  • Inconsistent customer support
  • Missing popular variants like Zoom Poker
  • Limited withdrawal options

Bottom Line:

While some poker variants aren’t currently available, PokerStars has the ones that truly count, like Pot Limit Omaha and No Limit Hold’em, staples in its massive tournaments. With customizable and super-reliant software, PokerStars Online Casino players can win it all with cash games or daily, weekly, and annual tournaments.

PokerStars PA Overall Rating: 4.5/5

PokerStars Pennsylvania FAQs

Is poker legal in Pennsylvania?

Poker has been legal in the state since 2010 through an amendment to the 2004 71 Game Act. Online poker became legal in 2017. The PGCB controls its license.

Is PokerStars available in the Keystone State?

PokerStars has been available in the Keystone State since November 2019 as one of the first online gambling sites to open that year in the Quaker State.

Can I download PokerStars’s software?

PokerStars has a ready-made link to download its poker software directly from the website. It’s pretty straightforward to get the software to go on your computer.

PokerStars Online Casino Risky?

As a license requirement from the PGCB, PokerStars heavily invests in encryption techniques and SSL certificates to guard against cyber thieves. You can read the privacy section about how they collect your data. PokerStars only uses reputable deposit gateways to further safeguard your financial information.

Can I gamble in person at PokerStars?

PokerStars proudly partners with the Mount Airy Casino in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. If you are in the area, and you are at least 21, you can have a ball and win big in person. Mount Airy has plenty of poker tables and lavish rewards.

Does PokerStars Online Casino have promo codes?

It depends on the promotion. Check the bonus’s terms and conditions or the promotions page for PokerStars PA bonus codes. If so, opt into the promotion and enter the bonus code with the online cashier before the expiration date.