PokerStars announces ecology overhaul
Amaya Gaming-owned operator unveils plans aimed at making games more appealing to casual players
PokerStars has announced a raft of changes to its rewards programme designed to attract more recreational customers, as the firm pledged to scale its marketing to reach new audiences and lapsed players.
In a blog post on Sunday, Amaya Gaming’s vice president of corporate communications Eric Hollreiser said the changes would “improve the playing experience for all PokerStars players” and “drive increased play and more players to the ecosystem”.
At the heart of the changes are plans to rework Stars’ VIP programme in a move which will reduce rewards for high volume and high stakes players, with the operator’s previous rewards system of rebates, milestones and frequent player points to be unified into a single ‘StarsCoin’ measure.
The firm said the new system would result in improved rewards for “the vast majority of players” but that around 2% of the highest volume and highest stakes players would see their rewards “significantly reduced”.
“The reason we are focused on the highest status levels is because these rewards have become so enticing that we have inadvertently altered why some people play and how they play,” Hollreiser said.
“We are introducing these changes to move towards a more balanced long-term poker economy and to return the game back to one that rewards skill via winning at the tables rather than playing primarily for volume,” he added.
The changes, which are to be implemented from 1 January next year, will be followed by an extension of limits on the use of third-party software, which can give experienced players a major advantage over opponents.
In July Stars said it was planning a clampdown on third-party software and has already reduced data mining in its Zoom! game, restricted the use of heads-up displays and limited the use of Spin & Go seating scripts.
The firm said it planned to expand these restrictions through major changes within its software next year.
PokerStars also said it would back the ecology changes with the “biggest global consumer marketing campaign” in its history, with ambassadors Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr set to be at the heart of the campaign.
“The release of innovative new games and broad-based consumer marketing campaigns – including new campaigns featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr – will put the poker ecosystem on the right tracks to deliver growth for the years to come,” Hollreiser said.