TON Poker Review
Messaging apps have more functionality than we thought.
On Telegram, there’s an app called TON Poker, which you can use for real money and free games. Accessibility and convenience have been the app’s main focus since the official launch halfway through 2023.
TON Poker aims to remove some of the usual hurdles and get you right into the game. Registration is a one-click process and transactions are instant, plus, you’ll be anonymous at the tables.
In our TON Poker review, we’ll talk about which poker games this app is best for and where the player traffic is focused. You’ll hear about the real money stakes, but also the free-play games that TON offers.
What is TON Poker?
In June 2023, TON Poker launched on the Telegram app, using Toncoins as their main currency. But in December 2023, the app started using USDT and it’s their primary gaming currency to this day.
The owners say that “ease and efficiency” has been TON Poker’s priority since the beginning. It definitely feels that way. Sign-up is instant, with no download or obstacles to playing online cash games and tournaments. A Telegram community with over 120,000 members and a refer-your-friend affiliate program are two other advantages of TON Poker.
TON Poker is best for No Limit Holdem cash games, across all of the app’s stakes. Even though the app has PLO4 and PLO5 tables, the traffic isn’t adequate.
Security and certified RNG are two things that TON Poker doesn’t publicly discuss. There doesn’t seem to be any record of licensing or certification either, which is something the company should cover in the future.
TON Poker Software Quality
For a poker app using a messaging app’s platform, TON Poker runs surprisingly well.
One click takes you through to the lobby, which is very easy to navigate. When you open up TON Poker through the Telegram link, you’ll see four navigational buttons: “Cash, Free, Tourneys, More”. These will get you to your games and things like the affiliate program.
If you are still learning how to play, the Free section will take you to a few different cash games that you can practice on.
The Deposit, Withdraw, and History buttons are at the top of the screen.
You’ll notice that there is no account section on your TON Poker app. Registration is done using your Telegram account and nothing else. Bypassing the usual forms and verification is just one of the ways that TON Poker makes online poker more convenient.
How is the gameplay on TON Poker’s tables?
The lobby is part of the Telegram app, but when you sit at a cash game table or tournament, a browser window will open.
There’s nothing fancy or over-the-top about the TON Poker tables. The action buttons and bet slider are standard and you won’t see any features like throwables or fancy backdrops. But, without those frills and intensive graphics, the app runs very smoothly on PC, Android, MacOS, and iOS.
Table features:
- Game chat
- Hand replays
- Ledger of wins/losses of players who visited the tables
- Rabbit hunting
- Switch between 4-color deck or standard colors
- Switch between dollar value or BB value chip stacks
- Volume slider for game sounds
How is the Player Traffic on TON Poker?
To be honest, the traffic on TON Poker is almost exclusively in the low and mid-stakes brackets - for cash games only. There may be the occasional $1/$2 or $2/$5 game going, but not around the clock.
Tournaments are non-existent as of May 2024. This may change in the future, but for now, TON Poker does not have any events or series in the Tourney tab of the app (free/real money).
Still the low and mid-stakes games have enough traffic to offer a bit of game selection. At your given stakes (low and mid only) there may be a few tables to choose from.
If you want to source a high-traffic site with lots of tables to choose from, just check out free online traffic monitoring service.
Cash Games on TON Poker
When you click on the Cash button in the bottom left of your screen, you’ll see the different stakes, with a small button to switch format. This is where you can switch between TON Poker’s formats, which are Texas Holdem, 4-Card Pot Limit Omaha, and 5-Card Pot Limit Omaha.
Holdem tables are 6-max or 9-max, with no heads-up tables. PLO tables are only in 6-max size.
Texas Holdem Stakes:
| Bracket | Stakes | Buy-In | % of Room Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | $0.02/$0.05 $0.05/$0.10 $0.10/$0.25 | $2.50 to $7.50 $5 to $15 $12.50 to $37.50 | ~75% |
| Mid | $0.25/$0.50 $0.50/$1 | $25 to $75 $50 to $150 | ~15% |
| High | $1/$2 $2/$5 $5/$10 | $100 to $300 $250 to $750 $500 to $1,500 | ~5% |
Pot Limit Omaha - PLO4 and PLO5 Stakes:
| Bracket | Stakes | Buy-In | % of Room Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | $0.02/$0.05 | $2.50 to $7.50 | 0% |
| Mid | $0.25/$0.50 | $25 to $75 | 0% |
| High | $2/$5 | $250 to $750 | 0% |
Our Review of TON Poker Cash Games
Action is focused in the Texas Holdem lobby, mostly in the Low and Mid brackets. At the higher stakes ($1/$2 to $5/$10), games are less frequent.
Holdem lovers will not have a problem finding action, but the absence of PLO and other formats is unfortunate. Also, there aren’t any fast-fold tables on TON Poker.
Anyone wanting a bit more variety should check other online poker apps like KKPoker, PokerBros, or PPPoker. These three apps have huge player bases with diverse games, not just Holdem.
Multi-table Tournaments on TON Poker (MTTs)
To host large poker series and a healthy spread of daily tournaments, online poker sites need player traffic. With enough buy-ins, they can afford to build a strong MTT lineup.
Whatever the reason, TON Poker does not have any events in the Tourney lobby these days. Neither real money nor free tournaments are running, which makes TON Poker primarily a cash game app.
Real money tournaments are most profitable when you play at bigger online poker sites. It’s more difficult for smaller apps to support them without thousands of active players online.
Some rooms are highly recommended for daily MTTs and overlays. GGPoker, WPT Global, and PokerStars are good starting places. Even for inexpensive buy-ins, you can find attractive prize pools to compete for. Larger poker rooms also have flagship series with life-changing amounts of money to win, which smaller apps can’t match.
New Player Real Money Bonuses for TON Poker
Unfortunately, TON Poker does not offer any deposit bonuses for new members. Still, the lack of bonuses might not matter to players who like the level of competition, convenience, and crypto-friendly cashier.
If you need a boost to your bankroll, then TON Poker might not be one of the best poker rooms to choose.
New players can get bonuses for crypto deposits or other payment methods on other sites. 888poker has their legendary no-deposit $88 bonus, ACR Poker has the largest matched bonus in the industry, and that’s just the start. Read our list of poker bonuses if you need more details.
How to Play TON Poker on Telegram
It won’t take long for you to learn how to play on TON Poker. There is no download and no registration needed. Here are the steps:
1. Follow the Telegram link from our Support Staff to TON Poker’s channel. This will lock in your rakeback of 30% from GipsyTeam (more about that in the next section).
2. Click on Start and you will receive a message from the TON Poker Telegram bot.
3. Select the option you want from their list:
- Play for FREE
- Play Freerolls and Tournaments
- Play for USDT
- Earn with our affiliate program
Any of the options will take you to the TON Poker app on Telegram and simultaneously log you in.
Now, you can play the real money or free poker options with the play chips TON Poker gives your new account.
Members are only allowed to have a single account.
Rake and Rakeback
At TON Poker, the rake is started as 5% in cash games of all formats. The cap is $5 across all stakes, meaning that low and mid-stakes rake is essentially uncapped.
GipsyTeam can offer TON Poker players a stable 30% rakeback from net-rake. This means that you can get a reliable rakeback program behind you while you play, without having to grind for weeks to reach a healthy rate.
On the 10th of each month, we’ll send you the rakeback payment for the previous month.
To lock in this rakeback rate of 30%, you need to get in touch with GipsyTeam Support on Telegram. There, we’ll collect some basic account details from you so that we can connect the rewards to your membership. Our staff are online around the clock and you won’t need to wait around for a response from us.
Deposits and Withdrawals on TON Poker
To deposit to your TON Poker account, you’ll need to have cryptocurrency of some kind. The good news is that lots of different coins are supported.
USDT and Toncoin are the featured coins for real money deposits.
You can also send P2P transfers of UZS, RUB, and KZT.
Other deposit methods include:
- BTC
- ETH
- XRP
- ADA
- SOL
- MATIC
- LTC
- Link
- Shib
- UNI
- DOT
- Near
- APT
The coins available for deposit may change in the future, so always refer to the TON Poker app for updated options.
Each option might have a different minimum deposit, which is 4 for USDT, and slightly higher for other coins. Check the exchange rate before you make a deposit.
How can you withdraw from TON Poker?
Like depositing, a withdraw from TON Poker is a quick process. However, you will need a USDT TRC20 address to make a withdrawal. This is the only option for withdrawing funds.
Do you need to verify your identity for deposits or withdrawals?
TON Poker reserves the right to verify your identity for withdrawals.
Advantages and Disadvantages of TON Poker
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Very quick sign-up process | Only one poker format with cash game traffic. |
| Playable on any platform: Computes or mobile | No MTT or freeroll schedule. |
| 6-Max and 9-Max tables | No Heads-Up tables (1-on-1) |
| Crypto-friendly with fast cashier transactions | No bonuses for new players. |
| Decent traffic for low and mid stakes Texas Holdem cash games. | No certified RNG. |
| Software runs smoothly with no load times. | Slow support response. |
| Some free-play tables for practice. | Questionable level of security. The poker room forbids bots and RTA, but we can’t be sure of the size of quality of the security team. |
| No known jurisdictional license. | |
| No Fiat currencies accepted. |
Alongside some decent advantages, TON Poker has some glaring disadvantages that we cannot ignore.
The unregulated nature that lets users reach the table quickly also seems to be the site’s weakness. The TON Poker Twitter is plastered with player allegations of lost deposits, unsuccessful withdrawals, and suspicious bad beats. More than the average amount of players allege that the games are rigged or that collusion is going on.
TON Poker Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does TON stand for?
A: TON stands for Telegram Open Network, a blockchain with various components.
Q: How long do deposits and withdrawals take to process on TON Poker?
A: Thanks to cryptocurrency, TON Poker deposits and withdrawals should process instantly, but may need to be confirmed by the TON Poker cashier.
Q: Can I use a HUD on TON Poker?
A: At the moment, it isn’t possible to use a HUD on the TON Poker platform. That being said, it might be developed in the future.
Q: Can I download my hand history from TON Poker?
A: At the moment, this function isn’t available.
Q: How can I contact TON Poker directly?
A: You can email support@tonpokerroom.com or use their official Telegram channel.
