Despite the uncertainty from lawmakers, you can be sure that online poker rooms will do everything in their power to keep the players happy, and internet poker giant PokerStars has shown that yet again, announcing changes to its VIP Club rewards system this week. The Black Card by Full Tilt Poker has drawn a lot of attention to that side of the internet, but PokerStars was quick to fire back and has reorganized its loyalty program in a way that should leave most players beaming with joy.

PokerStars doesn’t offer direct rakeback like some online poker rooms, but instead has a rewards system that is open to all members. When you play in real money ring games and tournaments you earn Frequent Player Points, which can be converted to cash bonuses, with higher value cash bonuses available to the players who earn over a certain threshold of VIP Program Points every month and year, thus earning themselves a special VIP Status.

As most of you will already know, for the serious grinder Supernova status is the most sought after. This is the second highest form of VIP Club membership offered by PokerStars, and is ten times more attainable than the ultimate Supernova Elite status, making it most players’ target of choice. Earning 100,000 VPPs in one calendar year earns a player Supernova and, until recently, this could be maintained throughout the next year by earning 7,500VPPs each month. In a change this week PokerStars has disappointed some members by changing their terms and only offering this special renewal up until October of the following year, at which point players must have earned 100,000VPPs to reattain Supernova.

While this was an upsetting change for some, it was accompanied by news which is sure to turn even the most bitter frown upside down. Until last week any cash bonuses purchased from the PokerStars VIP Store were not instantly credited into players’ accounts, but rather needed to be cleared by playing a certain number of raked poker hands over the weeks following the purchase of the bonus. This made receiving bonuses a lengthy process and players were forced to run the risk of not clearing the entire cash sum. As of October 1st, however, PokerStars has announced that VIP Cash Bonuses will no longer need to be cleared, and will instead be instantly credited into players’ accounts, thus removing the hassle and increasing the profits of valued PokerStars grinders.

If you’re not yet a member of PokerStars, they’re one of the biggest names in internet poker and for good reason. If you’re thinking about signing up, then check out our ACR Poker Download as, if you sign up through our links, you’ll not only be entitled to the great VIP rewards offered by PokerStars but also a $600 first-deposit bonus and $1,000 in monthly money-added and freeroll tournaments, exclusively for FlopTurnRiver members.