Players’ rewards slashed again at PokerStars

On 13th February, PokerStars Director of Poker Innovations and Operations Severin Rasset published a blog article on more changes to the PokerStars rewards system.

Several updates will be applied throughout 2019, starting with another cut into MTT rewards.

55% reward cut for PokerStars tournament players

“The first change will be implemented on Friday, February 15, when the reward point earning rate for scheduled tournaments will change from 100 reward points for every $/€1 in tournament fees paid to 45 reward points.”, Rasset writes.

It is understood from this article that these savings for the Stars Group will be reinvested in marketing efforts like bigger tournament series guarantees and better live event experiences.

On the bright side, cutting 0 in half isn’t much of a downgrade I suppose

— Bryan Paris (@bparispoker) February 13, 2019

Additional changes to the chest program to be released

The Chest program was implemented 18 months ago. The most common feedback from players has been that the experience of opening the chests has not been as exciting as originally hoped.

Also, a simplification of the core rewards system is in order, so Rasset continues to explain some of the upcoming changes.

Besides new and easier to understand chest levels, the removal of the boost feature and an exchange option to cash out rewards early, he also states,

“Adjusting the frequency and value of Stars Rewards Chests. The value of each Chest will be more than tripled, with the frequency of earning them reduced by a similar factor.”, so basically increasing chest values, but giving them out less often.

Rakeback – all the Rage

This announcement comes 18 months after the birth of Stars Rewards and 11 months after the rake increase of tournaments lower than $20, which caused a major uproar in the poker community.

The reductions of rakeback and rewards keep being significant and controversial over the past few years.

And while PokerStars continues on this steep trend, partypoker pushed in an opposite direction, by recently promising up to 60% rakeback.

More: Partypoker expands VIP offerings as Turbo Series approaches