Highlights
- Huge welcome bonus
- Solid player traffic
- Fast withdrawals
Poker room details
- Network: iPoker
- License: Malta Gaming Authority
- Founded in: 2006
- betsafe.com/poker
Payment methods
Betsafe Poker Review
Betsafe Poker is a well-known online poker provider that has been in business since 2006. Founded by André and Christer Lavold, the brand was only in existence for 5 years since their official launch before Swedish iGaming giant Betsson acquired it for an up-front fee of €32.5 million. The deal included provisions for a follow-up fee in the region of €27.5 million depending on the brand’s performance.
At the time of the acquisition, Betsafe had a player pool of around 100,000 customers. But once the brand joined the Betsson Group, this pool expanded to over 500,000 players.
For many years Betsafe served mostly players in the Nordic countries of Norway and Denmark. However, since 2020, the brand has withdrawn from Denmark due to proposed tax increases for the iGaming industry. Since the Betsson takeover, Betsafe now has a significant number of players from other European countries and is one of the flagship poker skins on iPoker. The brand has also expanded its operations to Canada with a possibility of eventually offering services in the USA.
From 2006 until 2020, Betsafe ran on the Microgaming Network, but since the network’s closure in 2020, all poker brands in the Betsson Group now run on the iPoker Network.
In our Betsafe Poker review, we’ll take a look at just what makes this one of the most popular skins on the iPoker Network.
How to Sign-up
Signing up for a Betsafe Poker account is pretty simple. To start playing, all you need to do is follow these steps:
- Delete cookies from your web browser
- Head to Betsafe Poker here.
- Hit the red button with the text ‘Download Free App Now’.
- Install the client
- Click the Sign Up button and fill in your details.
- Make a deposit and play some poker.
Welcome bonus
The Betsson Group goes out of its way to ensure that all of its poker brands have an exceptionally good welcome bonus and Betsafe Poker room (along with Betsson Poker) is the pick of the bunch.
All new players get an incredible 100% first deposit match bonus up to €2,000. Yes, you read that right. When you sign up for an account with Betsafe, the brand will match any deposit of €10 right up to €2,000.
As soon as you make that deposit, you get your Betsafe bonus.
You’ll have 60 days to use up your deposit bonus which is plenty of time. However, you’ll need to play actual games in order to release your bonus which is quite standard for welcome bonuses these days.
So how does it work?
Well, for every €1 in rake at cash games or tournament fees paid, you’ll get 10 loyalty points. And then once you hit 250 loyalty points you can then exchange those points for €5 from your matched deposit bonus.
Trust us, if you play poker often, then this is a pretty good deal.
Just remember that the match bonus is only for your first deposit so have a think about how often you intend to play over the coming two months before deciding how much to deposit. If you’re a very regular poker player then it makes sense to deposit as much as you can to take full advantage of the bonus.
But the Betsafe Poker welcome bonus isn’t the only way you are rewarded. New players can also complete daily missions for a chance to win €10 in ticket rewards. There are four missions to complete each day and they can be as simple as collecting cards when playing.
Why is Betsafe Poker so popular?
Aside from that pretty sweet welcome bonus, there are other reasons why Betsafe is one of the most popular skins on the iPoker Network.
Here are just a few:
- Solid reward program
- Consistent traffic thanks to a shared player pool
- Plenty of action at both high and low stakes
- Rakeback of up to 30%
- Wide range of weekly tournaments (Twister)
Betsafe Poker UI
Betsafe was once considered one of the top 5 skins on the Microgaming Network, but we weren’t sure how the move to the iPoker Network would work out. Thankfully, it has been a major success with the increase in player traffic the most obvious benefit (more on that later).
If you know the iPoker Network, then you know Betsafe software features even if you’ve never played on this skin. The graphics are slick and responsive and it’s super easy to find your way around the lobby. Honestly, we doubt you’ll have any trouble at all finding what you need. We’re also happy to report that the client seems to be free of the annoying glitches you may find on other networks. But, as you know, the same can be said for downloadable software on most iPoker skins.
The Betsafe Poker client is available for Windows while Mac users can make use of the instant play feature. Betsafe Poker mobile app is available for both Android and iOS and both work quite well and are easy to navigate, making smartphones and mobile devices a fantastic option for playing.
While the Betsafe Poker software is nothing to get too excited about — it’s very similar to other skins on the iPoker Network — it does everything it’s supposed to do without a hitch.
And let’s face it, you can’t really ask for much more than that.
Traffic overview and games
So about that traffic. As you can imagine, when the brand became a part of the Betsson Group, there was a huge spike in player traffic. We’d expect nothing less considering the player pool expanded by 500%.
However, Betsafe was still a part of the Microgaming Poker Network until 2020, and it was the move to the iPoker Network that saw a more consistent flow of traffic.
Thanks to the move, we can now see roughly 4,000 players online at any given time and that can jump to as many as 7,000 or even more during peak European playing hours. With the brand being more active in Europe, this makes sense.
Interestingly, you’ll see quite a bit of action at lower stakes with as many as a few dozen cash game tables open at peak times. This is great news if you like to play cash games at micro stakes or low stakes. High stakes action is a little harder to come by during quiet times. That said, you should have no trouble finding good poker games if you’re patient.
The most popular cash games are Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha which you’ll find at stakes ranging from €0.01/0.02 up to €5/€10. When it comes to formats of poker games, you can find full ring, 6-max and heads-up tables from these stakes. There’s also Fast Fold Poker (Speed Poker), 6+ Hold’em or Short Deck, MTT and Sit & Go, and, last but by no means least, Twister Spin & Go. MTT players can find both guaranteed and freeroll tournaments running regularly.
In other words, it’s standard fare for an iPoker skin which means that the action and buy-in options are pretty good.
Can you use tracking software such as HEM?
Yes, you can indeed. This is one of the standout features of Betsafe making it an extremely popular choice for poker grinders.
As we all know, the general feeling in the poker community now is that HUDs are a bad thing so finding a good platform that is HUD-friendly can be tough. That makes Betsafe a great option for pro players and grinders.
Of course, this means that the games can be tough for beginners even at the microstakes levels.
But if you’re looking to improve your game, then there’s no better place to challenge yourself.
Rake and rakeback
Online poker providers typically make their money with rake or fees of anywhere from 5-10% and Betsafe is no different.
However, the brand does try to keep it simple with rake structure ranging from 5% – 6.67% for all real money cash games. Fees on MTTs are 10% and 7% for Twister Spins.
So what about Betsafe Poker rakeback deal?
Well, that can be as much as 30% depending on how much you play and how many loyalty points you earn. When you play real money games, you receive loyalty points based on your volume.
The loyalty system is a simple one that is quite similar to the likes of Betsson Poker and other poker sites on iPoker.
There are four tiers and your level depends on how many loyalty points you earn in the previous month. Betsafe rakeback increases as you earn points & go up the levels from Silver to Diamond which you can see from the table below.
Silver — 0 to 199 — 10%
Gold — 200 to 999 — 15%
Platinum — 1000 to 2999 — 20%
Diamond — 3000+ — 30%
You’ll need to remain consistent in your activity if you want to stay at the same level each month as you will drop down the levels once you stop earning points. That 30% rakeback might seem a little unobtainable for the average player but for high volume grinders, it’s one of the best rakeback deals on the market.
Restrictions
Betsafe simply requires that you are 18 years of age or older or you are over the legal age for gambling in your country of residence. There are also the usual stipulations that you must be playing for yourself (not a company or another person) and that you are legally allowed to gamble at online casinos.
As a regulated site, Betsafe serves countries where online gambling is legal. While Betsafe offers poker globally and is a fully licensed by Malta Gaming Authority, players in the following countries are not permitted to play at Betsafe.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Greece, Greenland, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Hungary, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Norfolk Island, N. Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia, UAE, United Kingdom, Yemen, United States and its dependencies, military bases and territories including but not limited to Am. Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, N. Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
This may change as the company seeks more licenses in specific countries and in states in the USA. So even if your country is listed above, it’s worth checking out the terms and conditions on the Betsafe website to see what the latest restrictions are.
Promotions and campaigns
Of course, there’s the new player first deposit match of up to €2,000 and those daily missions for €10 ticket rewards that we discussed earlier.
Then we have a slew of Twister Tournaments such as the €50,000 Twister Races that are split into weekly €12,500 races running every Monday until Sunday.
The iPoker Network (which Betsafe runs on) also runs the Royal MTT Series which saw a prize pool of €300,000 in 2020.
Aside from that, there’s not a whole lot more going on in terms of exclusive promotions for Betsafe players. There may be the odd one-off promotion here and there but that’s about it.
That’s not necessarily a negative thing though as providers that offer tons of promotions tend to factor in lots of conditions into any bonuses or rewards.
In other words, Betsafe likes to keep things simple and straightforward. Nothing wrong with that.
Deposits and withdrawals
As with most poker providers, Betsafe Poker offers a great variety of deposit methods that are straightforward and fast. Credit card and e-wallet deposits are processed quickly at Betsafe.
The minimum deposit is set at €10.
Payment options include:
- Bank Transfer
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Maestro
- Trustly
- Paypal
- Paysafecard
- Skrill
- Neteller
These banking options may be slightly different depending on your location so check your local site to see what options you have.
Withdrawals are just as painless although they do take longer to process. While Betsafe tries to process all withdrawals as soon as possible, your chosen withdrawal method may mean a longer wait time. For example, credit card withdrawal times are determined by the payment provider and not by Betsafe.
Withdrawal options for most countries include:
- Bank Transfer
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Maestro
- Trustly
- Paypal
- Paysafecard
- Skrill
- Neteller
Generally speaking, there’s a minimum withdrawal amount of €20.
Remember that these may differ depending on your location so once again, we recommend that you check your options once you have signed up.
Pro’s comments
To be added
Betsafe Poker FAQ
Betsafe Poker is 100% legit. The brand is headquartered in Malta and holds licenses in Malta, Italy, Denmark, United Kingdom, Georgia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Columbia, Croatia, Kenya, and Estonia.
It’s a globally recognized brand that has established itself as a major player particularly in the European online poker market.
It’s also worth noting that as part of the Betsson Group, Betsafe benefits from its parent company’s reputation. With over 5 decades in the gambling industry, Betsson has a very solid reputation for providing great customer service and maintaining a very high level of security with regards to customer data and information.
Betsafe Poker’s rakeback is one of the most competitive rakeback packages on the market.
As is common with most providers, rakeback on Betsafe depends on the level a player is at in the loyalty program and ranges from 10% – 30%.
The loyalty program has four levels, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond with rakeback determined like so:
Silver — 0 to 199 — 10%
Gold — 200 to 999 — 15%
Platinum — 1000 to 2999 — 20%
Diamond — 3000+ — 30%
Betsafe Poker offers all new players a 100% first deposit match bonus of up to €2,000. This is one of the best welcome bonus deals available on the market but it must be noted that it is only available for first-time deposits. So new players should think carefully about how much they want to deposit before making that first transaction.
The deposit is released in increments of €5 for every 250 loyalty points earned in the Betsafe loyalty program. Loyalty points are earned at a rate of 10 points for every €1 paid in rake or fees.
There are also €10 ticket rewards for completing a maximum of four daily missions that include collecting cards during hands.
Unfortunately Betsafe is not available in the USA yet. However, as poker legislation is pushed through in many of the county’s states, it could only be a matter of time before Betsson applies for a licence for Betsafe to operate in specific states.
While Betsafe doesn’t hold a licence issued by a Canadian authority, Canada does recognize the brand’s MGA licence. So yes, Betsafe is legal in Canada.
Unfortunately, Betsson has decided to close its Betsafe online poker room in the UK. This is a recent development that saw the Swedish iGaming giant close 8 of its brands in the United Kingdom so it could focus all of its efforts on one UK brand – Rizk.
As part of the Betsson Group and the iPoker Network, Betsafe has access to a shared player pool. This means that at any one time there could be in excess of 4,000 players online. This figure rises significantly during peak times and can climb to as high as 7,000.
Betsafe is a skin on the world’s biggest online poker network, the iPoker Network. The brand used to run on the Microgaming Poker Network but when the network closed in 2020, Betsson moved all of its online poker rooms, including Betsafe, over to the iPoker Network.
Yes, you can easily play Betsafe on your mobile phone. There’s a dedicated app for both iOS and Android devices which works very well on both tablets and smartphones. Players who prefer not to download an app can also use the instant play feature through the web browser on their mobile device.
Yes, it does. As part of the iPoker Network, Betsafe offers access to a huge range of daily and weekly tournaments that include the ever popular Twister Spin & Go and the MTT Royal Series.
Yes! While HUDs are frowned upon by most online poker platforms, Betsafe allows player tracking software in its poker rooms. This makes the brand a great choice for online poker grinders.
As with all of the brands in the Betsson Group, Betsafe has great customer support options.
There’s a great Help section with FAQs and if you can’t find a solution to your problem there, you can contact customer support team 24 hours a day.
Contact options include:
- Live chat with a 30 second response time
- Email support at [email protected] with a 30-60 minute response time
- Call back support with response times of 15-60 minutes.
Author
Beasts Of Poker
Editorial team curates and publishes in-depth reviews and ratings of online poker sites by using their extensive industry experience. Content is created by both in-house team of experts and outside authority contributors.
Our rating
Pros
- Trusted brand
- Solid rewards
- Consistent traffic
- Wide range of tournaments
- Great for grinders
Cons
- HUDs allowed (tougher games)
- Unavailable in the UK
Games and formats
- Texas Holdem
- Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO)
- Multi-Table Tournament (MTT)
- 6+
- SNG
- Speed poker (fast-fold)
Payment methods
- Bank Transfer
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Maestro
- Trustly
- Paypal
- Paysafecard
- Skrill
- Neteller
Restricted countries
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Greece, Greenland, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Hungary, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Norfolk Island, N. Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia, UAE, United Kingdom, Yemen, United States and its dependencies, military bases and territories including but not limited to Am. Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, N. Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.
