PokerStars To Expand Rewards Program in 2017

PokerStars is set to broaden the overhaul of its player rewards system that was instigated at the beginning of this year, and in 2017 will be implementing more changes designed to rebalance the poker ecology in favor of recreational players.
According to an announcement made by PokerStars VP of Corporate Communications Eric Hollreiser (photo) via his blog at the end of last week, the rewards system currently in place will be replaced by one that rewards PokerStars customers who play across all of its gambling products, including its sportsbook and casino, and not just poker. As Hollresier explained:
“Although players won’t have to play any specific platform in order to progress, [they] will receive rewards for many different things, rather than solely being rewarded for playing a lot of poker hands as is the case currently.”
The new overhaul will come as further bad news for the site’s legion of high-stakes, high volume grinders who rely on rewards to supplement their online winnings. At the start of 2016, it was announced that the SuperNova Elite program would be scrapped by the year’s end, causing an uproar amongst professional online players, who once haled the site for its “purist” approach to the game.
In recent years, however, PokerStars has had to adapt to a waning poker landscape by branching out into offering traditional gambling games, such as roulette, slots, and blackjack. Consequently, professional poker players are no longer the site’s priority, and PokerStars would now much rather overhaul its operation to appeal more directly to recreational gamblers.
Another change that is sure to frustrate the pros further is the decision to eliminate annual rewards, and while Supernova status will continue as part of the new program, it will be now become a monthly goal and not an annual one. Elaborating further, Hollier explained:
“..the vast majority of our players only play intermittently and casually; resetting VIP progress each month can make it a tough rewards system for those players to engage with. So, at some point during 2017, we will make the switch from the current monthly status system to one that is more personalized to your recent gaming activity and player profile.”