I’ve played in pretty much every major poker room in the US. Still, for whatever reason, ACR Poker has somehow slipped under my radar, and I would be remiss not to review one of the largest online poker websites. And so I signed up on ACR Poker and made a small deposit just so that I could claim the welcome bonus and try a few hands to get the feel of the site.
Next thing I knew, I was competing in a massive $5 million GTD Venom tournament. All I can say for now is that ACR Poker lives up to the hype, and then some. For a more detailed analysis, read my full review below.
Details
- Acceptable Accepts US players
- Bonus Code -
- VPN Usage Allowed
- Language -
- Deposit Bonus 100% up to $2,000
- No Deposit Bonus -
- Max Jackpot -
- Available Devices Android Blackberry Mac iOS Windows
- Minimum Deposit $10
- Currencies USD
Payment Methods
Pros
- Huge welcome bonus
- Massive tournaments with over $1 million in guaranteed prizes
- Great traffic across the board
- Mobile-friendly
- Accepts more than 60 cryptocurrencies
- Trusted brand
Cons
- Charges fees on certain payment methods
ACR Poker Summary
ACR Poker formally known as Americas Cardroom has had a turbulent history in the US poker scene since its inception in 2001. The site started as a flagship skin of Winning Poker Network (known at the time as MyPokerNetwork), one of the first-ever online poker networks ever created. This small network featured several small brands, including DSI Poker, Aloha poker, Live Action Poker, and more. All of these platforms, including ACR Poker, were powered by Dobrosoft software.
Over the years, ACR Poker migrated to several networks. Most notably, it moved on over to Yatahay software in 2007. Yatahay had enjoyed great success in 2002 and 2003. As Yatahay software became more dated, ACR Poker lagged behind its competitors PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, in terms of market share.
A major divergence point occurred in 2011 when Yatahay bought Doyle’s Room, a poker site owned by renowned poker player Doyle Brunson who wanted to cut ties with online gaming following the Black Friday shutdowns. Rather than balling out the US market, a decision was made to rebuild Doyle’s Room from scratch and rebrand it into Winning Poker Network. As part of the rebuild process, the brand parted ways with all Yatahay sites.
Fast forward ten years, Winning Poker is one of the top 3 largest poker networks in the US, only trailing Bovada in terms of overall traffic.
One aspect that stands out at ACR Pokers is its substantial welcome bonus, which comes with an easy clearance rate. The massive intro offer is complemented with a variety of year-round promos and bad beat jackpots.
ACR Poker puts its best foot forward when it comes to tournaments, and in this regard, it puts its competitors to dust. The poker room hosts king-sized tournaments, including the $10 million GTD Venom MTT and WSOP Takedowns. A minor fly in the ointment is that almost all tournaments allow re-buys and buy-ins.
From the game selection standpoint, ACR Poker leaves nothing to be desired. The Big 3 of Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud are all available with accommodating buy-in limits, ranging from $.01/.02 to $30/60.
The user experience at ACR Poker is excellent. The site is super responsive, courtesy of SJH. Namely, the Winning Poker Network started using HTML5-based SJH software for all its skins, which are now much faster. The mobile experience is just as smooth and intuitive. The design is minimalistic, similar to the desktop version. You can get in on the action via instant play or download the client, which is, in my opinion, a far better option.
I found ACR Poker’s cashier well-stocked. My Bitcoin cashout went without a hitch, and I got my winnings within two days of submitting the withdrawal request. Outside of Bitcoin, the site accepts various payment methods, including Visa, Amex, Mastercard, money transfer solutions, and more.
Is ACR Poker Legit?
It most certainly is. The site is based in Costa Rica and has a stellar track record for timely payments. ACR Poker has been around for two decades and has never been a part of any scandals or accused of rigging games or not paying players their winnings. It’s a legitimate site, and the proof of it is in the pudding. Moreover, the platform is protected with 256-bit SSL encryption, which will keep your personal information and account safe 24/7.
ACR Poker Bonuses and Promotions
ACR Poker has a deep roster of bonuses and promotions, starting with a massive welcome bonus. Once you become a regular customer, you can take advantage of numerous promotions, mainly reloads.
Let’s look at what kind of incentives ACR Poker offers to new and existing players.
ACR Poker Welcome Bonus
ACR Poker serves up one of the biggest welcome bonuses that I’ve seen at US poker sites. After signing up and making a $25 deposit, new players are eligible for a 100% match up to $2,000, which is a massive monetary cap for a poker bonus. In other words, whatever sum you deposit in the $25–$2,000 range, ACR Poker will double it, or match it, dollar for dollar.
No bonus code is required for this particular offer, so as soon as you make the qualifying deposit, you’ll get a massive bankroll boost.
Remember that you can use this bonus on all of ACR Poker’s products, including poker, online casino, and sportsbook.
ACR Poker No Deposit Bonus
Sadly, ACR Poker doesn’t currently offer a no deposit bonus, though I can’t say I’m surprised. This type of promotion is not particularly common among poker sites. And besides, the welcome bonus is massive, so I’m not too disappointed by the fact that I didn’t get ten or twenty bucks for free.
Loyalty Program
ACR Poker runs a rewarding loyalty program called Elite Benefits. It uses the standard 6-tier structure, where the players earn increasingly bigger benefits as they move up the ranks. It starts with the Lieutenant level, and 5-star General is the final rank. Depending on your VIP status, you can earn as much as 35% rakeback. The points are earned in contributed rake methodology, based on how much rake you contribute to the pot.
Other Promotions
In addition to the excellent intro bonus, ACR Poker hosts several ongoing promotions. I recommend that you check out the promo section now and then since most deals are time-limited.
Here’s a small primer of the promotional giveaways that are currently on offer at ACR Poker:
- Refer-a-friend – ACR Poker gives away $50 for every successful referral. Your friends will also receive $25 when signing up.
- 7-day no Rathole – With this promo feature, winners at No Rathole tables must buy in with the same amount they won the next time they sit on the table.
How to Register and Claim Your Bonus at ACR Poker
The hoops you need to jump through to sign up on ACR Poker and claim the welcome bonus are minimal. I’ll navigate you through this quick and effortless process:
Click on my featured links to get transferred to the ACR Poker website.
Download the poker client.
Hit the Register button.
Fill out the application form.
Go to the cashier when you finish the registration and make a $25 deposit.
Enjoy!
ACR Poker Wagering Requirements
ACR Poker has a friendly clearance rate when it comes to the welcome bonus. For every 27.5 Award Points earned, you’ll release $1 of your match deposit bonus. Remember that the rake paid on The Beast and Sit & Crush weekly points races will not net you any Award Points.
Furthermore, you’ll have a limited time window to redeem the bonus — within 60 days of bonus activation.
Lastly, the name on your account must match the name on the credit card or other payment method used to make the qualifying deposit.
ACR Poker Poker Payment Methods for Deposits and Withdrawals
ACR Poker covers all its bases when it comes to banking. The site accepts several payment processors, from credit/debit cards, money transfers, e-wallets, and more than 60 cryptocurrency options. The limits are pretty reasonable and can suit both casual players and high rollers. I’m not a big fan of the fees, though, which the operator charges for certain transactions.
Deposit Options, Fees, Limits
There are numerous ways you can fund your ACR Poker poker account. The credit card fees are a bit off-putting, but the flexible limits for all methods somewhat make up for it. Here’s the full rundown:
| Method | Minimum Deposit | Maximum Deposit | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin/crypto transfer | $10 | $25,000 | Instant |
| E-wallet | $10 | $25,000 | Instant |
| Credit/debit cards (Visa, Amex, Mastercard) | Varies by card type | Varies by card type | Instant |
| Person 2 Person transfers | $50 | $500 | Up to 8 hours |
Withdrawal Options, Fees, Limits
You can easily collect your winnings through several banking options. Most of the deposit methods are available for withdrawals, too. Impressively enough, ACR Poker doesn’t charge fees on Bitcoin cashouts, although other payment methods may incur some.
Here’s an overview of the available cashout methods at ACR Poker, along with additional info on fees and processing speed.
| Method | Minimum Withdrawal | Maximum Withdrawal | Speed | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | $50 | $10,000 (one payout per day and up to five per week) | 24–48 hours | Free |
| E-wallet | $50 | N/A | 24–48 hours | Free |
| Checks | $100 | $3,000 (maximum one check payout per week) | 7–15 business days | $15 |
| Money transfer for pick-up | $100 | $350 | Up to ten business days | $60 on cashouts of $100-299 and $70 on cashouts of $300-350 |
Available Poker Games
ACR Poker hosts three of the most popular poker variants — Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud. The majority of the action revolves around NL Hold’em, although there’s substantial traffic across Omaha tables, too.
The site’s highlight is the tournaments, but there’s also a solid range of ring games to be found at a variety of stakes levels.
Cash Games
The poker site runs many cash games round the clock, including Pot Limit, No Limit, Fixed Limit Hold’em, Omaha High/Low, and Omaha. There are a few niche options, too, namely Fixed Limit and High/Low Stud.
Players can get some skin in 9-handed games, 6-handed tables, and even 2-player heads-up games. The buy-ins for these games start at $0.01/$0.02 and go all the way up to $75–$100.
The site also offers CAP cashed games whereby ACR Poker imposes a cap on the number of buy-ins. For instance, a $25/50 NL table may have a $1,500 cap.
Tournaments
This is ACR Poker’s claim to fame. In addition to an extensive range of MTTs and SNGs, ACR also offers jackpot poker tournaments. Multi-table tournaments are usually the most coveted option, and the largest one is a Sunday Major with a $150,000 guaranteed and a $215 buy-in.
Every once in a while, ACR hosts a $1 million guaranteed with $530 buy-ins. GTD Venoms take it up a notch with $5 million and even $10 million guaranteed in prize cash.
Freerolls with $50 in prizes are also available 24/7, as well as a bunch of satellites.
ACR Poker Mobile App
ACR Poker has recently released a mobile app compatible with both iOS and Android. From a UX standpoint, the app is top-notch. However, there’s plenty of room for improvement in the game selection department as it only features Cyclone satellite tournaments, Jackpot SNGs, and Blitz Poker (fast-fold version). That’s why I recommend the browser-based platform, which mimics the main client in all aspects.
ACR Poker Customer Support
ACR Poker is a high-profile poker room, so I expected them to offer both live chat and email support contact forms, and they delivered. The support team even replies on Twitter, which speaks volumes to their dedication to solving customer queries as quickly as possible. I would have liked to see a phone line as well, but these two channels work just as well.
Conclusion — Should I Play at ACR Poker?
Yes, I would highly recommend it to players of all skill and budget levels. And not just because of the great welcome bonus and other promotional treats you can get around here; it’s the overall package, from game variety to traffic, banking, and customer support. If you want to compete at high-stakes tournaments, ACR Poker is the place to be.
About the Author
Sadonna Price Author Sadonna is a mom of two and an avid poker player who also enjoys online casino games. She has been part of the online gambling industry for over a decade, working as a news and blog writer. Sadonna still plays Texas hold’em in her free time while her daily job revolves around providing insights into the online gambling world using her creativity and writing skills.
