Updated February 2026 • 14 min read
ACR Poker is the biggest tournament room available to US players. That is not a marketing claim — it is a math claim. $9.2 million in weekly guarantees, the $12.5M Venom, and over double the daily events of any other US-facing room. If you grind MTTs from the United States, you already know this room. The question is whether it deserves your volume.
The answer depends on what you play. For tournaments, especially low-to-mid stakes, ACR remains the best option for US players by sheer volume. The fields are soft at micro stakes, the satellite system lets you enter $2,650 events from under a dollar, and the February 2025 schedule revamp added 129% more events with shorter run times. For cash games, the picture is different: HUD support and competitive rakeback attract serious regulars, making the tables tougher than rooms like CoinPoker or WPT Global.
We need to talk about the elephant in the room. ACR has the most troubled security history of any major poker room still operating — bot allegations, RTA scandals involving their own ambassadors, and no regulatory body providing external oversight. We cover this honestly below because that is what Primedope does. The math and the controversy both matter when deciding where to put your bankroll.
ACR Poker Room Audit
Our interactive audit breaks down ACR across seven dimensions. Click any tab to explore the data, then open the cover sheet for the full analysis.
| Time (ET) | Event | Format | Buy-in | GTD | Primedope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Flagship Events | |||||
| 10:30 | Euro SpecialEU-friendly timing | NLHEDeep | $215 | $150,000 | ★ Flagship |
| 14:30 | Phil’s ThrillPlay with Phil Nagy | NLHE | $10,300 | Varies | ★ Flagship |
| 16:30 | Sunday SpecialBiggest weekly event | NLHE | $109 | $300,000 | ★ Flagship |
| High Stakes — $100+ | |||||
| 10:05 | PKO Deep — $15K | NLHEPKO | $109 | $15,000 | Best Value |
| 11:30 | PKO — $40K | NLHEPKO | $109 | $40,000 | Best Value |
| 12:30 | PKO Main — $50K | NLHEPKO | $215 | $50,000 | Editor’s Pick |
| 13:05 | Lunch HR PKO | NLHEPKO | $630 | $50,000 | Grind |
| 14:05 | Sunday $1K | NLHE | $1,050 | $100,000+ | Grind |
| 16:05 | Sunday High Roller | NLHE | $630 | $75,000+ | Grind |
| 18:30 | Evening PKO — $20K | NLHEPKO | $109 | $20,000 | Best Value |
| Mid Stakes — $22–$66 | |||||
| 10:15 | Sunday $40K | NLHE | $66 | $40,000 | Best Value |
| 10:30 | SmashLow buy-in, big GTD | NLHE | $22 | $75,000 | Editor’s Pick |
| 12:30 | Sunday $20K | NLHE | $33 | $20,000 | Best Value |
| 16:30 | PKO — $15K | NLHEPKO | $33 | $15,000 | Editor’s Pick |
| 18:15 | Loncar Sunday Double | NLHE | $55 | $50,000 | Best Value |
| Low Stakes — $0.11–$16.50 | |||||
| 10:15 | Sunday $10K | NLHE | $16.50 | $10,000 | |
| 12:30 | SplashSister event to Smash | NLHE | $11 | $50,000 | Editor’s Pick |
| 10:45 | PKO — $5K | NLHEPKO | $8.80 | $5,000 | Soft Field |
| 12:30 | Sunday $1,500 | NLHE | $3.30 | $1,500 | Soft Field |
| 18:15 | Boski Sunday Double | NLHE | $11 | $10,000 | Best Value |
| Time (ET) | Event | Format | Buy-in | GTD | Primedope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Daily Highlights — Mon–Sat | |||||
| 00:05–8:00 | Early Bird Specials13 events • $6K–$40K GTD | NLHE | $3.30–$215 | $6K–$40K | Soft Fields |
| 12:30 | PKO Main — $50KBiggest daily PKO | NLHEPKO | $215 | $50,000 | Editor’s Pick |
| 13:05 | Lunch High Roller PKO | NLHEPKO | $630 | $50,000 | Grind |
| 14:05 | Afternoon $1KTop daily guarantee | NLHE | $1,050 | $75,000 | Grind |
| 18:15 | Loncar Daily Double | NLHE | $55 | $25,000 | Best Value |
| 18:15 | Boski Daily Double | NLHE | $11 | $10,000 | Best Value |
| 19:15 | Daily Mystery Bounty | NLHEMYSTERY | $33 | $15,000 | Editor’s Pick |
| Fast Formats — Around the Clock | |||||
| Every 30m | Lightning PKO20-min late reg • ~45 min total | NLHEPKOTurbo | $0.11–$31.50 | $5–$1K | Bankroll Builder |
| Jackpot Warmup Bonuses | |||||
| Daily | Dual Final Table BonusMake 2 FTs same day = $2,000 | BONUS | — | $2,000 | Free Money |
| Daily | Dual Win BonusWin 2 events same day = $20,000 | BONUS | — | $20,000 | Free Money |
Satellites run for weeks before each Venom, with step-ladder qualifiers beginning at freerolls. Multiple Day 1 flights feed into a single Day 2.
Primedope take: The must-play event for US-facing grinders. Field quality is mixed (soft satellite feeders blend with pros), and the sheer prize pool makes it the best risk-adjusted flagship available. Budget 3–5 direct buy-ins or focus satellite paths starting 4 weeks out.
The Primedope Rating
Every room gets rated across four profiles. These are not marketing scores — they reflect what we see in the data, the player pool, and the rake structure. Where ACR is strong, we say so. Where it falls short, you will see that too.
ACR Tournament Highlights
ACR revamped its entire schedule in February 2025 — 129% more events, 15% bigger guarantees, and faster run times. Here are the standout events from each day of the week.
Promotions
Ready to see the largest US-facing schedule for yourself?
ACR offers 100% up to $2,000 on first deposit. Over $9.2M in weekly tournament guarantees. 60+ crypto options with sub-1-hour withdrawals.
Visit ACR Poker →ACR Rakeback: 27% Flat vs Elite Benefits
ACR offers two rakeback paths. You pick one — the choice is permanent. Here is the math that matters for your decision.
Option A: 27% Flat Rakeback
Email ACR support to activate. You get exactly 27% of your weighted contributed rake paid back weekly. No tiers, no levels, no complexity. This is the right choice if you play low-to-mid volume and want predictability. The downside: 27% is below CoinPoker’s 33% flat rate, and you cannot switch back to Elite Benefits once you opt in.
Option B: Elite Benefits (VIP Program)
This is ACR’s default system. Six military-themed levels from Lieutenant to 5-Star General. You earn 5.5 Rank Points per $1 in rake, which convert to Combat Points via a level multiplier, then to cash. The breakeven vs 27% flat occurs around Major level (~$1,500/month in rake). Above that, Elite Benefits wins. Below that, take the flat 27%.
| Level | Monthly Rake | Effective Rakeback | vs 27% Flat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | <$500 | ~10–15% | 27% flat wins |
| Captain | ~$500 | ~20–25% | 27% flat wins |
| Major | ~$1,500 | ~30–35% | Breakeven zone |
| Colonel | ~$4,000 | ~40–45% | Elite wins |
| General | High volume | ~50–55% | Elite wins big |
| 5-Star General | Highest volume | ~60–65% | Elite wins big |
On top of either path, ACR runs The Beast (weekly cash game rake race) and Sit & Crush (SNG/Jackpot leaderboard), which add additional value for active players regardless of which rakeback option you chose.
Trust & Security
We would not be doing our job if we skipped this section. ACR has had documented integrity issues that you should be aware of before depositing. They have also taken steps to address them. Here is the factual timeline.
In 2018, poker content creator Joey Ingram published an extensive investigation alleging botting and collusion on the Winning Poker Network. ACR acknowledged a tournament registration exploit and promised remediation. In 2024, fresh bot farm allegations surfaced on poker forums. ACR’s initial response — a widely-mocked “$100K Bot Challenge” — was retracted after community backlash. ACR subsequently partnered with GTO Wizard for detection and hired security consultants.
In early 2025, two ACR ambassadors were separately caught with real-time assistance software visible during online play. ACR’s initial response to the first incident was dismissive before community pressure forced a formal investigation. Both ambassadors were eventually cleared of active cheating, but one was later fired after publicly stating ACR does not detect RTA usage.
The important context: ACR operates under a Curaçao license with no major regulatory body providing external oversight. This is not unique to ACR — most offshore rooms face the same limitation — but it means players are relying on ACR’s internal security team rather than an independent regulator. Their iTech Labs RNG certification covers card dealing fairness, not player behavior monitoring.
ACR Poker Overview
Cash Games
ACR runs NLH from $0.01/$0.02 through $200/$400, PLO (regular and 5-card), PLO Hi/Lo, Fixed Limit Hold’em, and Blitz (fast-fold) up to NL500. The standout feature is full HUD support — HoldemManager, Hand2Note, and PokerTracker all work natively with complete hand history export. Tables are non-anonymous. This is a major differentiator from GGPoker and WPT Global, which have moved to restrict or ban tracking tools.
Unique formats include 7-Day No Rathole tables (start with 10bb, keep your stack across sessions for a full week) and Bomb Pots (forced all-in-to-the-flop action every few orbits). Peak traffic hits 7pm–midnight ET with 2,500+ players across all stakes.
Payment Methods
Crypto is the primary banking method and the one ACR does best. Bitcoin, USDT, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and 60+ additional coins are accepted with $25 minimum deposits. Crypto withdrawals typically process in under an hour. Visa and Mastercard are available but hit-or-miss for US cards. One free check withdrawal per month. No PayPal, no e-wallets for US players.
Platform & Software
ACR underwent a major redesign in July 2023 with the rebrand from Americas Cardroom to ACR Poker. Desktop clients are available for Windows and Mac, with native Android and iOS apps for mobile. There is no browser-based play. The lobby is customizable with multi-tabling support, though some users report the filtering can be inconsistent. The notable gap: no waitlist feature for full tables.
Pros & Cons
- Largest MTT schedule for US players ($9.2M+ weekly)
- Flagship events with massive guarantees (Venom $12.5M)
- Rakeback up to ~65% for high-volume grinders
- Full HUD support with hand history export
- 60+ crypto options with fast withdrawals
- 24+ years of continuous operation
- Sub-$1 satellite paths to $2,650 events
- Unique formats: Bomb Pots, 7-Day No Rathole, Blitz
- Troubled security history (bots, RTA ambassador scandals)
- No regulatory oversight beyond Curaçao
- Cash games are reg-heavy due to HUD support
- Rakeback system is complex (Elite Benefits requires study)
- Fiat banking unreliable for US players
- No anonymous tables (recs can be targeted)
- No table waitlist feature
- Withdrawals limited to 1x/day, 5x/week
Where Can You Play ACR Poker?
ACR operates under a Curaçao eGaming license and is one of the oldest US-facing poker rooms online, accepting players from most US states since 2001. ACR is not regulated by any US state gaming authority — it is an offshore room operating in a legal gray area similar to other Curaçao-licensed operators.
Restricted US states include Washington, Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Mississippi. Internationally, players from France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Sweden, and French overseas territories are restricted. Players should verify the legal status of online poker in their specific jurisdiction before playing.