Mission statement

PokerStars encourages responsible gaming and is committed to ensuring that playing poker is a positive and fun experience for everyone. Most of our players enjoy poker simply as a form of entertainment. However, we also know that a small amount of players will occasionally:

Attempt to play, despite being underage.
Let poker take hold of them and have a negative impact on their life.

PokerStars provides thorough protection for those who are not permitted to play, and full assistance for anyone who wishes to limit how long they play for.

Verification of Age

How we check:

When a player signs up for a PokerStars account, they have to click a checkbox which confirms their age as being 18 years or above. This makes it clear that we don’t allow players younger than 18.
The registration process also involves the player having to tell PokerStars their name, address and date of birth, all of which are used to verify that the person is 18 years or above. If PokerStars feels that further proof is needed, a passport or drivers license may need to be provided.
PokerStars does not market or advertise its software at players below 18 years of age. This would go against not only what we feel is good business practice, but also our corporate and personal values.

How you can help:

You should try and keep your computer protected at all times. Its good practice to apply password protection to your desktop, something that all Windows computers can be made to do. This is especially important if you have children or teenagers in your house. Players should also ensure they keep both their screen name and password safe at all times. It’s possible to select whether you want the PokerStars software to remember your details when you log in again. If you feel that someone other than you may try to access your account, select for the software to not remember your details.
Another effective way of preventing children or teenagers from accessing your account is to use software which allows restrictions on how they use the internet. The following are examples of products that do this:

You should inform us if you are aware that an underage person has been playing on PokerStars. Any concerns can be sent to support@pokerstars.com. PokerStars will respond promptly and investigate the claim. If we feel that it’s necessary, the players account will be frozen and a request made for further identification to be provided. PokerStars takes such concerns very seriously.
Being a responsible parent or guardian in general can also help. If you hear your children discussing issues relating to poker accounts, or withdrawals and deposits, you should start asking questions. Similarly, you should also be concerned if you see PokerStars software on any computer your child uses. Uninstall immediately and ask questions.

Self-exclusion

If you feel that poker is no longer just entertainment and that it’s having an effect on your life, PokerStars can help. Consider these questions carefully:

Has poker playing ever meant that you missed work, college or university?
Has poker ever made you overlook the well-being of you or your family?
Have you ever had to sell anything, or take out a loan, so that you can keep playing?
Do you play until all your money is gone, on a frequent basis?
Do you regularly find yourself playing for longer than you planned to?
Has playing poker ever caused you to consider self-harm or to have suicidal thoughts?

If you answered yes to most of the above, we recommend that you visit Gamblers Anonymous. There are also features on PokerStars which allow you to set time limits on the amount of time you spend playing. This feature can be found in the main lobby of the PokerStars software. Click ‘requests’, then ‘Responsible Gaming’ and ‘Exclude me from playing’. Please note that once you have made the appropriate settings, these cannot be altered during the period of time chosen.

7 day, 30 day, 60 day and 120 day self-exclusion: These restrictions mean that you will not be able to play in any cash game, sit & go, or multi-table tournament on PokerStars.co.uk, PokerStars.com or PokerStars.net during the time you have selected. If you have any game tables open when you request a self-exclusion period to be activated, you will be asked to close them. The self-exclusion zone period will then begin. PokerStars will also unregister you automatically from any tournament that falls inside the self-exclusion period. In addition, you will also be unable to transfer or deposit funds from your PokerStars account to any other PokerStars account. PokerStars will not send you any marketing emails or newsletters in this period. Please be aware that PokerStars cannot accept more than two 7-day exclusions in a 30 day period. If a request is made for more than two 7-day exclusions in this period, PokerStars will activate an automatic, non-reversible 180-day exclusion.
6-month self-exclusion: This longer self-exclusion period works in the same way as above, except that PokerStars will also ask you to withdraw the remaining real money balance from your account.

PokerStars also recommends that you use GamBlock, a software programme that can be configured to restrict access to online gaming websites.

Responsible Poker Play

There are a few other general guidelines that can be followed to help make your PokerStars experience safe and problem free.

Always remember to play the game as a hobby, not as a means of making money or earning a living.
Never use money that you need for essentials, like food, bills or rent, to play poker with. Make sure that you only play with money you can afford and at limits that do not affect your financial stability.
When making a real money deposit, it’s important to never deposit more than you can afford to lose. The ‘cashier’ menu in the PokerStars software allows players to restrict the amount of money that they deposit. Click the ‘Cashier’ menu, then ‘Restrict Deposit Limit’.
Never try to win back money that you have lost, especially by attempting to play at higher limits than you normally would.
Avoid playing if you are feeling troubled, tired or depressed. Playing under these conditions can lead to you making bad decisions in the game.
Make sure that you balance poker with other interests, such as hobbies or any other form of entertainment. It’s vital not to let poker become the most important part of your life.

The following websites may provide further advice if you are struggling with any of the issues above: