With an average of about 20,000 real money cash game players logged onto PokerStars at any given time, the operator is by and large the world leader in the online poker industry. So many deposits and withdrawals are being processed on a daily basis, it only makes since for the company to take the next step in initiating its own branded payment solution. Enter stage right, StarsCard; the PokerStars prepaid MasterCard.
The new online deposit and withdrawal option has been launched by SafeCharge, a leader in live and online payment solution technology and proud member of MasterCard Europe. Players at the UK online poker room will now be able to sign up for a StarsCard and use it to make both deposits and withdrawals from within the PokerStars web and mobile clients.
StarsCard was introduced to UK online poker players one week ago on Thursday, April 16, 2015. According to this morning’s press release, the PokerStars prepaid MasterCard will eventually expand into international markets, although no specific timeframe was given.
Benefits of PokerStars Prepaid MasterCard, StarsCard
The StarsCard is available as both a physical card, and a virtual card, meaning it has a multitude of valuable features. Players can use their StarsCard anywhere MasterCard is accepted, both for land-based and online purchases, and because it’s prepaid, the holder can never spend more than they are willing to load onto the card.
The PokerStars prepaid MasterCard offers various options for funding. Players can visit a retail store and purchase a voucher to load the card, or go online and transfer funds onto the StarsCard via a debit card. The PokerStars card can also be linked directly to a player’s bank account for instant deposits and withdrawals.
According to the PokerStars website, “StarsCard is protected by MasterCard®, guaranteeing you the highest level of security.” Players are “eligible for load fee refunds” when using their StarsCard to deposit on PokerStars, and there’s even a StarsCard APP that allows members to “check balances and transfer funds on-the-move”.
How to Get a PokerStars StarsCard
It is free to register for a PokerStars StarsCard, and users can choose whether to maintain a physical card account, online virtual account, or both. There is a one-time fee of £4.95 when applying for a physical StarsCard. Registration and account management features are all available in the PokerStars web client.
There are usage fees associated with use of the PokerStars prepaid MasterCard, but comparatively speaking, they are much cheaper than most leading eWallets and other payment services. You can see a list of all StarsCard fees here.
StarsCard by SafeCharge
SafeCharge Card Services Ltd., a subsidiary of SafeCharge International Group Ltd., will manage the new PokerStars-branded payment solution. The company will take charge of administrating the facilitation of payments and all supplementary requisites that go along with it, like risk management, security and data encryption.
With multiple operations throughout Europe, SafeCharge is a trusted member of the advanced payment technologies industry, having maintained Level 1 PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) certification since 2007. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM (LSE: SCH), and its wholly owned subsidiary, SafeCharge Limited, is classified as an Electronic Money Institution authorized and regulated by the Central Bank of Cyprus.