Betsafe Poker Review 2024

Betsafe Poker is the ideal choice for anyone looking fully licensed and regulated poker room based in Europe. The traffic is high and the software is easy to use, so it’s an ideal room for beginner players.

I personally prefer the freedom of unregulated sites like SwC Poker, but if you would rather the assurance of sending money to a regulated site, Betsafe is what you’re looking for.

Which countries do they accept players from?

Accepted Countries

Who runs Betsafe Poker?

Betsafe is actually owned by the same company that runs Betsson, which is a large European gambling company with a reliable track record.

Both sites look very similar, but I have a personal affinity for the colour scheme of Betsafe, which I why I prefer to use it over Betsson. It honestly makes no difference either way.

The actual parent company name is BML Group Ltd, and they are licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority (which is a good one).

So you’re in safe hands.

What’s the software like?

Their downloadable Windows/Mac desktop client is one of the best. It looks good, runs smooth, and is easy to navigate.

I also like how they’ve simplified the lobby to make it easier to find a seat – just click on the stakes you want and it will automatically find a table for you. Lazy, I know, but also handy.

However, biggest downside about the software is that the player first to act at showdown can choose to muck their cards if they have the losing hand. This takes an informational advantage away from the player in position, and I’m not a fan of this rule. As far as I'm concerned, the player acting first must show their hand.

But anyway, their instant-play browser-based room is a decent offering, but it's not as refined as the downloadable client.

But overall, the downloadable software is a solid piece of kit, which makes it one of the most playable rooms for both beginners and experienced multi-tablers alike.

What’s the player traffic like?

Excellent.

Cash games are consistently busy from €0.01/€0.02 all the way up to €5/€10, so you’ll never have a problem finding a game for the stakes you want to play at.

This is because Betsafe is part of the iPoker network, so it shares the same pool of players are from a range of different poker companies. It's the busiest network in Europe.

What deposit options are available?

Betsafe has all the traditional deposit options you could hope for, like Credit/Debit Card, Skrill, PayPal, and Bank Transfer.

You have to provide a copy of your ID though (and a recent utility bill), which is a bit annoying, but that’s what you get when you sign up to a regulated online poker room.

If you’re looking for a permissionless room where you can sign up anonymously and play, try SwC Poker instead.

Summary

I like Betsafe Poker for what it is – a regulated online poker room based in Europe. The traffic is good, the software is a pleasure to use, and there are no second thoughts about where my money is being held.

Still, I personally prefer the freedom of unregulated poker rooms like SwC Poker, because I don’t believe you should have to give your ID to anyone just to be able to play a game against other people on the Internet.

But that isn’t for everyone.

If you’re new to online poker and don’t like the thought of the unregulated sites, I happily recommend Betsafe Poker to you. It's a good room for getting your feet wet.