iPoker Review: Pros, Cons, and Key Features of the Poker Room

RedStar is one of the oldest and most trusted online poker sites in the world. It opened its virtual doors in 2005 and has been operating for over 18 years. On May 19, 2020, RedStar was among the poker rooms that transitioned from MPN to the rapidly growing iPoker Network following the shutdown of Microgaming. iPoker, notably, ranks in the global top 5 by traffic volume. RedStar Poker is a flagship room and the main skin of the network. Its key advantage is that it specifically caters to Russian-speaking players: the platform, client, and support are fully available in Russian. RedStar enjoys a strong reputation thanks to soft fields, a transparent rakeback system, a wide variety of available games, and a flawless record on payment reliability and player safety.

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In 2022, the iPoker Network experienced a major revival and is now the fourth-largest online poker site globally. This means you’ll find action around the clock regardless of stakes or game type. Furthermore, RedStar offers the most generous rakeback plan on iPoker—fixed at 35%—and the largest welcome bonus of 200% up to $2,000! Read our detailed iPoker and RedStar review below to see how you can benefit from playing on one of the world’s top poker platforms.

iPoker Network Overview and RedStar’s Role

The iPoker Network was founded back in 1999 and has since grown into one of the biggest poker networks. In 2020, around 15 skins joined iPoker, many of them migrating from the now-defunct MPN. Notable flagship skins include RedStar, William Hill, Titan Poker, Winner Poker, Betfair Poker, and Betsafe Poker.

In 2015, the iPoker 1 and iPoker 2 player pools merged, significantly boosting player activity. For example, in the Hold’em cash games section, it’s now easy to find dozens of tables across all stakes up to NL100. NL200 tables typically see around 20+ active tables, while higher stakes (NL400–NL1000) see up to 10 tables. Omaha traffic is a bit lower—around 20–30% of comparable Hold’em limits.

Why Play on iPoker: Room and Traffic Review

In 2020, iPoker and RedStar Poker ranked 11th in traffic according to PokerScout. The average number of players at cash tables was about 850, with a total average of around 1,600 players. The network includes many different skins, making RedStar Poker an excellent choice for growing your bankroll easily.

According to 2023 PokerScout data, iPoker averaged around 2,500 cash players, trailing only giants like PokerStars and GGPoker (with 8,000 and 7,000 connections, respectively). Peak hours on iPoker run from 23:00 to 03:00 MSK—common for European networks. RedStar’s prime time aligns with European evenings, which is very convenient for CIS players.

Software and Tools

iPoker software is developed by global IT leader PlayTech, ensuring access to all essential features for online poker. With a stable internet connection, users can enjoy smooth gameplay without lags. While not all iPoker skins offer a Russian interface, RedStar is one of the key exceptions.

The most well-known utility is iPoker Tools. Third-party software is allowed, including HUDs and trackers like Hold’em Manager 3, Poker Tracker 4, and Hand2Note. The only limitation applies to fast poker tables, where the HUD works only at the first table of a given stake. In 2020, iPoker also limited table selection with two rules: lobby and table nickname anonymity (revealed only after posting the big blind), and an updated sit-out rule (you must sit out from all tables at once).

RedStar Rake Structure

Rake is only collected when players see a flop. Here’s a detailed rake breakdown for RedStar Poker:

RedStar Bonuses & iPoker Promotions

All new iPoker players get a 200% first deposit bonus up to €2,000, with 60 days to clear it. The bonus is released in €2 chunks for every 200 Status Points (10% rakeback).

Additionally, players receive four tickets to €200 weekly freerolls after their first deposit. There’s also a monthly reload bonus of up to €300, released at €1 per 200 points—another 5% rakeback.

As with most poker rooms, casino or sportsbook bets don’t count towards clearing the poker welcome bonus. Players who claim casino or sportsbook bonuses won’t be able to use them for cash game or tournament buy-ins—but they can withdraw those funds and later deposit them into poker separately. Still have questions? If you still have questions, you can ask them in Telegram.

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Freerolls, Tournaments, and Cash Games

By simply registering and making a first deposit, players receive not only a 200% bonus but also the right to participate in the poker room’s freeroll tournaments. The only condition for most freerolls (€50 Tournament Ticket Freerolls, €25 Tournament Ticket Turbo Freerolls, €50 Fish Party Ticket Freerolls, and €50 Pot Limit Omaha Freerolls) is playing at least one raked hand in the past 24 hours. To join the Sunday freeroll with a guaranteed prize pool of €3,000, players must play 100 raked hands within a seven-day period.

In addition to freerolls, players can join daily tournaments with real cash prize pools. If you’re not confident in your skills yet, you might want to start with beginner-friendly events like the €11 6-Max Turbo Freezeout, €10 6-Max Bounty, €1.10 Ticket Satellite (Turbo Freezeout), €5.50 Ticket Satellite (Flip), €40 The Micro Deep Fifty-Five (Booster), and many more. While these tournaments offer relatively low guaranteed prizes, their low buy-ins make them ideal for cautious players who are just getting a feel for the competition.

For more experienced players seeking tougher opponents, Red Star Poker offers tournaments like the €1,000 Daily Deepstack, €300 Mini Terminator, €500 Mini King Tusk, €100 Turbo Early Bird 1R1A, €300 Late Night Turbo Rebuy, €500 Bust The Bank, €250 Morning Madness, €7,500 Daily Mosh Pit, €1,250 Daily Mini Mosh Pit, and others. Just to clarify — the number at the beginning is the prize pool, not the buy-in. These tournaments feature higher guarantees, and therefore, the buy-ins are slightly steeper. For example, the “Terminator” (Super Bounty) tournament with a €1,000 prize pool has a buy-in of €33. Still, there are excellent value options, such as the €1,250 Daily Mini Mosh Pit with a modest buy-in of just €5.50.

Note that the tournaments mentioned above are Texas Hold’em. However, the poker room also offers Omaha and Blaze (fast-fold) cash tables and tournaments. Players who enjoy fast-paced action can visit the Blaze section, with games ranging from €1 to €50. While the Omaha section features fewer tournaments than Hold’em, players can still participate in daily events like the €1,000 Fantastic Four with a friendly €5.50 buy-in. Don’t forget about unique games such as Twister, Fast-Fold, Age of the Gods, and others.

Over 90% of all cash game traffic on Red Star Poker is concentrated around 6-max Hold’em tables. Full-ring tables at all stakes, from NL2 to NL20, remain mostly inactive. As for Omaha, the selection is limited to PLO. The highest traffic occurs during evening GMT hours, particularly at lower stakes up to PLO600. Higher-stakes tables, on the other hand, see more sporadic action.

Red Star’s version of fast-fold poker is called Speed Poker. Tables range from NL5 to NL100, but activity is primarily concentrated at the lower stakes, with fewer than 100 players connected at peak times.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

RedStar Poker supports all major payment methods for deposits and withdrawals. Players can use the following services:

• Bank cards
• Qiwi
• WebMoney
• Skrill
• Yandex Money
• Neteller
• ecoPayz

If you’re depositing via Skrill, make sure the email on your RedStar Poker account matches your Skrill wallet email. Also, keep in mind the following limits:

Red Star Poker has earned a solid reputation for safety and reliable withdrawals. All deposits and cashouts are processed quickly, and customer support is available 24/7, making Red Star Poker one of the safest sites to play on.

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Security and Licensing

Continuing on that note, the dedicated “Security” page explains that SSL encryption is used when transmitting sensitive data. This technology ensures that your private information — including credit card numbers and passwords — is protected from unauthorized access. These same standards apply not only to poker but also to the casino section.

RSP Entertainment N.V. is the company behind RedStar Poker, operating out of Curaçao. It holds a gaming license issued and regulated by the Curaçao government (Curacao eGaming), which authorizes it to operate poker, casino, and sportsbook offerings. This license allows Red Star Poker to accept players from Eastern European countries like Russia and Ukraine. While Curaçao licenses are considered less strict, Red Star Poker has received positive reviews from independent gaming portals around the world.

RedStar also guarantees fair play. Since its inception, the brand has been part of certified poker networks. For instance, details of the verification process are explained on the “Random Number Generator” page. Players seeking further clarification are encouraged to contact the support team using the details provided earlier.

How to Simplify +EV Play on iPoker: MagicSeat and HisHands Hand Histories

The iPoker network — home to Red Star — has long established itself as a stable platform with deep liquidity and a tight player pool, especially at mid-stakes. To beat iPoker consistently, it’s essential to not only have solid strategy but also make use of effective tools.

The first of these tools is MagicSeat — specialized auto-seating software that automatically finds soft +EV tables and seats you at the most profitable spots. With so many regulars in the iPoker pool, manual table selection becomes less efficient. MagicSeat eliminates the need to scan the lobby manually, saving time and helping you focus on what matters most: playing your best game against weaker opponents. This convenient auto-seating feature directly boosts your profits.

The second key component is up-to-date hand history mining — especially vital in a network where in-game stats on opponents are limited. The HisHands service provides fresh and relevant hand history databases for iPoker, including Red Star and other major rooms. These allow access to extended stats, helping you craft better strategies against regs. The hand histories integrate seamlessly with Holdem Manager and PokerTracker, so you can immediately use your HUD and analyze data in real time.

By combining MagicSeat for smart seating and HisHands for strategic hand analysis, you equip yourself with everything needed to crush the iPoker network — even against tough fields. This is especially important for consistent grinding, where every percent of winrate matters. Reach out to our support team to get more details or purchase a subscription at the best price!

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