For two days now, PokerStars has been operational in the state of New Jersey, offering limited online poker gaming. Players can freely log on and create a new account or gain access to a previous account, but only as many as 500 players can be logged on during the soft launch time frame. The testing phase will continue until the 21st, when the brand is expected to be fully operational.
When an online poker room goes through a testing phase, it involves operations of the gaming software. The software is tested so that any bugs can be fixed for thousands of people log on to try and play poker. PokerStars offered only limited gaming for these first three days but for tomorrow and Sunday, players will be able to compete 24/7.
During the first day of the launch, players were able to enjoy cash games, spin and gos and sit and gos. Game play was set from 4pm to midnight the first two days and then today, players have from 8am to midnight. This is the rules set forth by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, to see an increase of duration during the testing phase.
During the testing phase, PokerStars will see their geo-location services tested. This will be to ensure that players who are not located in the state are unable to play. Customer signup will be evaluated as well as verifications and other procedures that the site must provide. There were reports of issues with the client download early on but this issue was quickly repaired.
Additional issues included the bonus code for depositing. PokerStars is currently offering two bonus offers, a free $50 in game play or a 100% bonus worth up to $600. Players apparently were unable to access the bonuses by using the codes provided. A representative for PokerStars stated that if a player was unable to use a deposit code, the site would still honor the offer and apply the bonus.
Installing the gaming software also seemed to be an issue for some players when using a Mac. The client software seemed to have a bug that would blow up during the installation of the software. PokerStars has acknowledged there is a problem and is working to provide a solution. Mobile users have seen issues with downloading as well on Android and iPhone devices. PokerStars is telling players to search for the app in the Apple Store for iPhone devices while Android users are being told to go directly to the website for PokerStars New Jersey.
Players who had accounts already with PokerStars were told they could use their old account, basically converting the information into a new account. This has also been an issue. Players are being redirected to a dot-com site which is not what is needed. PokerStars is also working on this issue, trying to find a correction.
A weird problem being reported by players is a sound problem. Some say they have heard a change in the audio when running the client. It is a funny sound coming from their system or players are not hearing anything at all during game play.
Players who visit PokerStars NJ in the coming days will find they have access to many popular poker variants including Triple Draw, Stud, 8-game and Badugi. Standard games includes No Limit, Pot Limit Omaha and Limit Hold’em in several varieties. The online poker client also includes a casino that has been integrated into the gaming software, providing users with the option to enjoy casino games as well. We shall continue to monitor the game play and report on any changes, especially after PokerStars is fully operational.