If you visit the PokerStars website and click on the promotions you will see that they are offering a $600.00 sign up bonus when you make your first real cash money deposit. This seems to be a leftover bonus offer from before their website was seized by the United States government in Feb, so don't get your hopes up. Although the site still appears to be under seizure, you can play for fun money on the site, but real cash winnings appear to be blocked, particularly for United States Players, pursuant to the published notice on the website.
Public Notice You See When You Visit The Domain
"This domain name has been seized by the F.B.I. pursuant to an Arrest Warrant in Rem obtained by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and issued by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Conducting, financing, managing, supervising, directing, or owning all or part of an illegal gambling business is a federal crime. (18 U.S.C. – § 1955)
For persons engaged in the business of betting or wagering, it is also a federal crime to knowingly accept, in connection with the participation of another person in unlawful Internet gambling, credit, electronic fund transfers, or checks. (31 U.S.C. § § 5363 & 5366)
Violations of these laws carry criminal penalties up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Properties, including domain names, used in violation of the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 1955 or involved in money laundering transactions are subject to forfeiture to the United States. (18 U.S.C. § § 981 & 1955(d))"
You Can Still Play For Just Not For Real Cash Money
Even though the above notice is prominent on the site, at any given time you can see the real time player update is over 80,000 players, so the site seizure hasn't cramped the sites player traffic. However, players may have to download the "play money" casino software and be unable to wager for real cash money. We are still trying to hunt down details of whether other jurisdictions other than the United States are able to play for real cash money as some of the site information seems contradictory since the seizure. However, from what we know now, it seems that anyone playing on the site is subject to the play money software rather than actual cash wagers and wins.
Tags: poker stars, PokerStars
