| Updated: Betsafe opened its virtual doors in 2006 as an online sportsbook, but it soon added a casino and a poker room that quickly cemented its position in the European online gambling market. It is operated by BML Group Ltd., one of the largest and most respected gambling groups in the world today. The group is also behind industry-leading names such as Betsson, NordicBet Casino, Norges Automaten, Star Casino, and many others. As its name suggests, Betsafe is dedicated to providing its customers with safety, transparency, and reliability, which have always been the foundations of players’ trust in the brand. Plenty of other factors contribute to its strong reputation, with its solid software and impressive, user-friendly design among them.
One of Betsafe’s best features is its Poker Black room, which runs on the highly popular Microgaming Poker Network, commonly known as MPN. It attracts considerable traffic throughout the day and night, and poker enthusiasts who decide to play at Betsafe can choose from various tables, poker variants, and tournament options. Betsafe Poker Black can be downloaded to Windows computers, but it is also available as an instant-play platform. Its generous promotions and welcome bonuses are among the most attractive poker offers available and can help players secure seats at busy poker festivals or provide opportunities to win an exciting progressive jackpot.
Promotions and Bonus Terms
There are plenty of advantages to signing up with Betsafe Poker Black, and the most notable is the Welcome Bonus, which can reach €1,000. Newcomers can also take part in daily tournaments and enjoy the 10-Day New Poker Challenge, which is designed specifically for them. Prizes include cash, tournament tickets, and even free spins on slot games in Betsafe Casino. The gambling operator also runs regular promotions and tournaments for its loyal customers, offering prizes that include seats at major poker festivals across Europe.
Up to €1,000 Welcome Bonus
This exciting offer is available to all newly registered customers who play real-money poker games through the Betsafe Poker Client. Unlike welcome packages offered by most poker and gambling platforms, this is not a first-deposit bonus; instead, it is awarded gradually after the player generates €5 or more in rake. This package includes five different cash bonuses ranging from €25 to €1,000.
To receive it, players need to open a new account on the Betsafe website, download the Poker Client to their computers, and register a Poker Alias. They can choose the size of the Welcome Bonus from the Available Bonuses section of Poker Black and activate it by entering the corresponding bonus code. These promotional codes are displayed on the Promotions page of the site and must be used within 30 days of signing up for a new account. After the bonus is activated, the gambling operator starts releasing it gradually as players generate at least €5 in rake. For every €5 paid in rake in cash games or tournaments, a €1 bonus is credited from the user’s bonus account to their real-money account. This continues until the full bonus amount has been released.
The example above refers only to the smallest bonus of €25. The minimum rake required and the cash credited each time increase proportionally with the size of the chosen bonus. The term “rake” in this context refers to the fee charged by the house for each hand played in poker. The rake is paid by the player after each betting round and is a small percentage of the pot.
In addition to the cash bonus, all new poker players automatically receive a free ticket to the €888 New Player Freeroll, which is played the following Wednesday. They can take part in this tournament up to six times within six weeks of registering their Poker Alias. There is a guaranteed prize pool of €888, and the buy-in for all customers registered within the past week is €1. However, players who do not play a hand during the first blind level will be removed from the tournament. There is also a second option: a €1,000 New Player Freeroll, which is free for all new players registered within the last seven days.
10-Day New Player Poker Challenge
This is an interesting and generous offer designed to enhance the gaming experience for new players. To be eligible, customers need to sign up for a new account at Betsafe Poker Black, download the Poker Client, and choose an Alias. They then have the opportunity to complete 10 challenges during the first 10 days after registering. Progress in this promotion can be checked in the My Achievements section of the My Account page at Betsafe.
Each challenge consists of one or more tasks that must be completed within 10 days of registering a Poker Alias. You can complete them independently and in any order, and you will receive your prize immediately after completing each one. The rewards include tournament tickets worth €1.10 to €3.30, cash prizes, and free spins on selected slot games. After completing a challenge, you also receive an Achievement Badge that you can display at the tables where you play. However, there are certain restrictions for this offer. Players based in the UK, for instance, are not eligible for the 10-Day 10-Achievement Challenge.
Bad Beat Progressive Jackpot
Poker players know all too well that even great hands can sometimes lose. To reward those unlucky players, the gambling operator offers the Bad Beat Progressive Jackpot. It has a combined prize pool funded by small fees paid by all players who opt in. To qualify for the jackpot, you need to opt in, and you can opt in or out at any time, even directly from the table at which you are playing. When you opt in, you contribute €0.02 per hand to the progressive jackpot.
The jackpot is triggered when the losing hand in a Hold’em game is four of a kind or better. This means that four Twos or higher must be beaten by an even better hand. The stakes must be at least €0.10/€0.20. However, the Bad Beat winner, who is the player with the losing hand in a qualifying game, does not receive the entire jackpot. Instead, the jackpot is shared among all players at the table and even players at the same stake levels. If you become the Bad Beat winner, you receive 40% of the jackpot, while your opponent with the highest-ranking hand receives 20%. There are other prizes as well. Another 10% of the progressive jackpot is credited to the players at the same table, and 10% goes to those playing at the same stake levels. The remaining 20% is used for the next jackpot.
Additional conditions must be met for the jackpot to be triggered. As already mentioned, only Hold’em games with stakes of €0.10/€0.20 or higher qualify, while the losing hand must be four of a kind or better. In addition, both the winning and losing hands must include both hole cards, and the losing hand must go to showdown. Only players who contribute to the jackpot can receive a prize. Interestingly, the jackpot can still be triggered even if the two players involved in the Bad Beat did not opt in. In this case, they will not receive prizes, but all other qualifying players at the table or playing at the same stake levels will be rewarded.
General Bonus Terms
Not all players receive bonuses automatically when they register at Betsafe Poker Black or start playing for real money. They need to ensure that they are eligible to receive promotions and other special offers from the gambling operator by checking their accounts. Some bonuses must be claimed or activated manually, which can also be done in the My Account section of the downloadable Client. Various other terms and conditions may need to be met before a bonus can be received and used.
For example, every bonus is limited to one per person, household, email or physical address, computer, bank account, and IP address. Players from certain countries and regions may also be excluded from a promotion, but this information should be available on the promotion’s landing page. Casino bonuses are subject to certain wagering requirements, and although these requirements do not normally apply to poker bonuses, there are some exceptions. One is the 10-Day 10-Achievement Challenge for new players, in which some prizes include free spins on the following slot games: Rabbit in the Hat, Loose Cannon, and Lucky Koi.
The winnings generated from these spins must be wagered 35 times because they are credited to your balance as bonus funds. Regardless of whether you play on Betsafe Casino, Sportsbook, or Poker Black, you must meet the rollover requirements associated with free spins before making a withdrawal. In this case, you need to place bets equal to 35 times the winnings from the spins. Almost all video and classic slots contribute fully to the wagering requirements, while bets placed on roulette, blackjack, video poker, poker, and live games contribute only partially. The excluded games are all baccarat variants, Punto Banco, Oasis Poker, Live Three Card Poker, and the following slots: Aliens, Big Bang, Bloodsuckers, Castle Builder, Castle Builder 2, Dead or Alive, The Wish Master, Tower Quest, Eye of the Kraken, Eggomatic, Pearls of India, Scrooge, Champion of the Track, Devil’s Delight, 1429 Uncharted Seas, Super Monopoly Money, Wild Gambler, Kings of Chicago, Robin Hood, and Zombies.
Banking
Known for its excellent customer service and reliable payments, Betsafe offers a wide variety of deposit and withdrawal options. Players can choose the banking method that is most convenient for them, including credit cards, e-wallets, online banking, and prepaid vouchers. More importantly, players can rest assured that their deposits and withdrawals are secure. All transactions through the Poker Client or website are protected with 128-bit TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption, while customers’ deposited funds are held separately in accounts with regulated, tier-one banking institutions.
The gambling operator accepts payments in several currencies: EUR, SEK, NOK, USD, GBP, BGN, PLN, and CAD. When registering a new account, players need to choose a currency. Whenever a deposit is made in a different currency, the payment is converted to the account’s currency at an exchange rate determined by Betsafe. Most deposits are processed instantly, while withdrawals take longer because they must first be approved by the gambling operator’s financial department. This usually takes up to 24 hours, except when players request a withdrawal for the first time. You may also be asked to provide additional verification documents when withdrawing more than €2,000 or the equivalent in your preferred currency.
There are also certain limits to consider when making a deposit or requesting a withdrawal from Betsafe. These usually depend on the banking method used, but in general, you cannot withdraw more than €50,000 within a 24-hour period. The minimum deposit and withdrawal amount is €10, although most methods do not allow withdrawals of less than €20. All transaction limits and processing times are shown in the table below. The gambling operator does not charge fees for deposits or withdrawals, but if you request more than 30 withdrawals in one calendar month, you may need to pay a processing fee equal to 2% of the transaction value. This fee is at least €5.
Credit Cards
Despite the arrival of newer and arguably easier-to-use payment methods such as e-wallets, many poker players still prefer to use credit cards. Credit and debit cards are accepted virtually everywhere, making them convenient and widely accessible. They are exceptionally secure, and the risk of theft or unauthorized use is minimal. Betsafe accepts MasterCard, Maestro, and Visa cards, which are internationally recognized brands used by millions of people every day.
Deposits made by credit or debit card through the Poker Client are instant, although it may take up to five business days for the transfer to appear on your credit card statement. Although the gambling operator does not impose fees, your card-issuing institution may charge a fee of up to 2.5%. However, MasterCard and Maestro cards are not available for withdrawals, so you will need an alternative banking method to cash out.
Digital Wallets
Digital wallets, also known as e-wallets, have become incredibly popular in recent years due to their simplicity and fast processing times. These services allow customers to create electronic wallets and load them with real money from credit cards, bank accounts, or other payment methods. The wallet can then be used to make instant online payments and receive funds quickly and securely.
At Betsafe, players can use PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller to top up their accounts without sharing personal banking or credit card information with the gambling operator. Deposits made through these e-wallets are completed within seconds, while withdrawals are usually processed within a few hours of approval. There are no fees, but players should be aware that not all digital wallets are available in every country. For instance, PayPal can be used only by players in Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
Instant Banking
Players can also fund their poker accounts through one of the instant banking services available at Betsafe. Availability varies by country, so you may see only one or two of these services when you open the Cashier in the Poker Client. These services connect to your bank’s online banking system and allow you to move funds between your account and the online merchant in real time. Transfers are instantaneous, allowing you to play your favorite games within seconds.
Betsafe has integrated several instant banking services, including Trustly, Citadel, and SOFORT. Most charge a small fee for both deposits and withdrawals, but the exact fees are displayed in the Cashier. They usually do not exceed €2 per transaction. The amount you can deposit and withdraw also depends on the chosen service and your country of residence. In some countries, this banking method is displayed simply as Instant Banking in the Cashier section of the Betsafe Poker Client.
Virtual and Prepaid Cards
Betsafe’s long list of banking options also includes several prepaid vouchers and virtual cards that allow you to make real-money deposits within seconds. One is EcoPayz, a popular online payment service with several products, including an e-wallet and a prepaid virtual card. Using EcoPayz, players can easily top up their accounts or withdraw their winnings to their EcoPayz accounts.
Virtual Entropay cards from Visa are also available for making deposits at Betsafe. They can be purchased online, funded by a credit card or e-wallet, and then used wherever Visa is accepted. Poker players can securely deposit and withdraw through their disposable Entropay cards at Betsafe without paying bank fees. Another alternative deposit method is the prepaid Paysafecard, which is available as both a physical voucher and a virtual card. Transfers are instant, and these cards can be purchased from thousands of shops and retail outlets around the world. However, withdrawals cannot be made to Paysafecard.
Additional Banking Methods
To provide customers with greater convenience, the gambling operator accepts a wide variety of banking methods. While there is an extensive range of options for funding your gaming account, the payment methods available for withdrawals may be limited depending on your country of residence.
If none of the available withdrawal methods is accessible in your region, you can still retrieve your winnings from Betsafe through a conventional bank transfer. You can withdraw funds directly to your bank account, and the transaction usually takes five or six business days to complete. Betsafe also offers several country-specific payment methods, including the previously mentioned PayPal and SOFORT. Another service available through the Cashier is iDEAL, a popular online bank transfer service intended for customers in the Netherlands. It allows you to move funds instantly in EUR from a bank account registered with one of the associated banks in the Netherlands. You cannot cash out from Betsafe through iDEAL, so you will need to register another withdrawal method.
| Banking Methods | Minimum/Maximum Deposit | Minimum/Maximum Withdrawal | Deposit Timeframe | Withdrawal Timeframe | Countries Where Available | Currencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | €10 – €10,000 | €20 – €10,000 | Instant | 3 to 5 Business Days | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, BGN, CAD, DKK, NOK, PEN, PLN, SEK, USD |
| MasterCard | €10 – €10,000 | N/A | Instant | N/A | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, BGN, CAD, DKK, NOK, PEN, PLN, SEK, USD |
| Maestro | €10 – €10,000 | N/A | Instant | N/A | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, BGN, CAD, DKK, NOK, PEN, PLN, SEK, USD |
| Entropay | €10 – €10,000 | €20 – €2,000 | Instant | 3 to 5 Business Days | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, USD |
| Neteller | €10 – €45,000 | €20 – €45,000 | Instant | Up to 24 Hours | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, BGN, CAD, DKK, NOK, PEN, PLN, SEK, USD |
| Skrill | €10 – €45,000 | €20 – €45,000 | Instant | Up to 24 Hours | Most Countries | GBP |
| PayPal | €15 – €8,000 | €10 – €8,000 | Instant | Up to 24 Hours | Germany, UK, Ireland | EUR, GBP |
| Trustly | €10 – €1,000,000 | €20 – €10,000 | Instant | Up to 24 Hours | Sweden, Finland | EUR, SEK |
| EcoPayz | €10 – €10,000 | €25 – €5,000 | Instant | 3 to 5 Business Days | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, BGN, CAD, DKK, NOK, PEN, PLN, SEK, USD |
| Paysafecard | €10 – €200 | N/A | Instant | N/A | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, BGN, CAD, DKK, NOK, PEN, PLN, SEK, USD |
| Instant Banking | €10 – €10,000 | N/A | Instant | N/A | Most Countries | GBP, EUR, BGN, CAD, DKK, NOK, PLN, SEK, USD |
| Bank Transfer | N/A | €20 – €200,000 | N/A | 3 to 6 Business Days | Most Countries | CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, PLN, SEK |
| SOFORT | €10 – €1,000 | N/A | Instant | N/A | Germany | EUR, GBP, PLN |
| iDEAL | €10 – €1,000 | N/A | Instant | N/A | Netherlands | EUR |
Loyalty Program
The renowned gambling operator offers a loyalty program for all its customers. The scheme is called the Black Gold VIP Program, and unlike most online VIP poker clubs, it is designed not only for high rollers but for all active players. Every newly registered player enters the program as soon as they start playing for real money through the Betsafe Poker Client. Loyalty Points are earned by playing cash games or tournaments and can be redeemed for cash or tournament buy-ins.
Poker players can track their VIP level and points directly through the Poker Client. The more they play, the more rewards they earn. Players receive 10 Loyalty Points for every €1 paid in rake in cash games and for every €1 paid in fees in Sit’n’ Go or multi-table tournaments. The VIP program has four tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond, which are reached after players accumulate the required number of points. Higher VIP levels allow you to redeem Loyalty Points at a better exchange rate. Points expire 180 days after they are credited, so you need to use them before then.
Software
One advantage of playing poker at Betsafe is access to one of the world’s largest poker networks in terms of traffic. This is the Microgaming Poker Network, which is available as a free download and for in-browser play. By joining it, you can play various poker games against thousands of other players in real time. At Betsafe, it is called Poker Black, which was previously used to distinguish MPN from the other poker network available on the website, the Ongame network, known as Poker Red. After the latter was discontinued, Poker Black remained the only poker room offered by the gambling operator. This is hardly a disadvantage, however, as there is no shortage of players online at MPN. There are usually between 10,000 and 15,000 players, while the number exceeds 20,000 during peak hours.
Poker Black can be downloaded for free and installed on any laptop or desktop computer running Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10. Alternatively, poker is available through the instant-play MPN platform, which opens in all web browsers, although using the latest version of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome is recommended. Mac users are advised to open the poker room in Safari. In-browser play is the only available option for Mac users, as Poker Black cannot be downloaded to Mac computers. The downloadable Poker Client is reliable and user-friendly, offering customers a smooth, personalized poker experience with plenty of customization options. In terms of game variety, players can enjoy popular styles and variants, numerous tournaments, and special events.
Cash Games and Tournaments
Betsafe is one of the most popular skins on the Microgaming Poker Network. It offers a broad selection of cash games, Sit’n’ Gos, multi-table tournaments, and more. When they open the lobby, players can filter cash games by the number of seats, game type (Texas Hold’em or Pot-Limit Omaha), or stake limits. The Poker Client also offers Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven-Card Stud, Razz, Five-Card Stud, and Five-Card Draw. The room includes games for all types of players, with numerous micro-stakes tables (€0.01/€0.02) and games where the stakes reach €4,000/€8,000. The busiest games are, of course, within the low- and mid-stakes ranges, including €0.10/€0.20, €0.25/€0.50, and up to €5/€10.
The gambling operator also places a strong emphasis on regular tournaments. There are standard events, freerolls, satellites that can take you to major tournaments and poker festivals, and tournaments with guaranteed prizes. With buy-ins starting at €1.10, poker fans can register for multiple events running throughout the day. Players can take part in satellites for several live tournaments, including those for the MPN Poker Tour Morocco and MPNPT Bratislava packages. Alternatively, they can buy in directly for €1,500 and contact customer support to confirm their registration. Buy-ins for the satellites usually range from €55 to €135.
Players can also enjoy the popular Sit’n’ Go format, with more than a hundred games available at a time. They can also try Blaze poker, a fast-paced Texas Hold’em variant in which they join a pool of players instead of a single table. It is a quick-fold poker variant that can be played at multiple tables simultaneously. One of the most exciting games at Betsafe Poker is Fish Party Poker, which features a progressive jackpot and an attractive prize pool worth at least twice the buy-in. Buy-ins for these games range from €1 to €50, while jackpots can reach six-figure amounts. Fish Party is a no-limit Texas Hold’em game played in a Sit’n’ Go format, with players randomly seated at a three-seat table.
Mobile Poker
With Betsafe’s instant-play mobile platform, players can enjoy their favorite poker games on mobile devices running Android, iOS, or another mobile operating system. There is currently no native application specifically for Betsafe Poker, so users can play on the go by opening the website directly in their phone or tablet browser. The mobile version of Betsafe includes all the essential sections and functions of the desktop site, including the Cashier and Game Lobby. The number of mobile games is limited compared with the desktop site, but this is to be expected.
There is also a Betsafe Casino & Betting app for iOS and Android that provides limited access to the Poker Room. This application can be downloaded from the Betsafe website or, for iPhone and iPad users, from Apple’s App Store. It is available in multiple languages, including English, Czech, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, Spanish, and Swedish. The app requires iOS 8.0 or later, while the mobile site can be opened on devices running Android 4.2 or later or Windows Phone 10 or later.
Licensing Info
Acquired by online gaming giant Betsson in 2009, Betsafe is now among the most respected and preferred destinations for playing casino games, poker, and betting on sports. It operates according to high standards of safety, transparency, and integrity within the online gambling industry, focusing not only on providing a diverse range of products but also on fair play and reliability across all its offerings: Poker Room, Sportsbook, Casino, Live Casino, and Racebook.
Betsafe is operated by BML Group Ltd., a Nordic gambling group based and registered in Malta. The company holds licenses issued by the Malta Gaming Authority, while its services for residents of Great Britain are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Several products offered by Betsafe, such as the Sportsbook and games from Evolution and iSoftbet, are also licensed in Alderney and Ireland.
Customer Support
As a leading provider of gambling entertainment services, Betsafe also focuses on its customers and their experience on the online gaming platform. To help ensure a secure, fair, and smooth experience, the gambling operator has a professional Customer Support team available around the clock. Support agents are available to assist you and answer your questions, whether you are a regular player or have yet to open an account on the website. You can contact them instantly through the Live Chat option, by phone at +448083280028 if you are a UK resident, or by sending an email to support-en@betsafe.com.
Those looking for information about how to make a deposit or verify their user accounts, as well as those who wish to learn about the differences between poker variants, can visit the Help Section at Betsafe. It includes contact information and numerous FAQ pages across categories such as Poker by Microgaming, Casino, Sportsbook, Payments, Mobile, and Promotions and Bonuses. Another benefit for Betsafe customers is that the site is available in multiple languages. English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, and Spanish are supported.