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If you are based in the USA, and you’ve given thought to playing poker online, then you’ll have been met with a brick wall. Unless you happen to reside in a handful of US states, it’s likely that you will have been told that playing poker online the USA is a no-go.

That’s not entirely true, though. There may be a brick wall blocking your path, but that doesn’t mean that this is the only way to get to your destination.

In fact, many hundreds of thousands of Americans find a way to play poker online each year.

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The Big Question: Can I Play Online Poker in the USA?

Contents

• US Poker Laws, Rules and Regulations

Online poker wasn’t always taboo in the USA. In fact, it wasn’t until the passing of the UIGEA in 2006 put paid to the US online gambling industry that poker was effectively illegal. Sure, the Federal Wire Act prohibited bank transfers for gambling enterprises, but by and large, all forms of gambling in the country weren’t declared off-limits until 2006.

Even with those gambling laws, players in the USA continued to gamble at online poker sites. In 2011, though, with the Black Friday Scandal linked to PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and other leading poker rooms (which were found guilty of money laundering, amongst other charges) places to play online poker in the USA have been somewhat limited.

It is a tricky spot to be in, but where does that put your average US online poker today?

US Poker Laws, Rules and Regulations

Fortunately, the US Government decided to dial down the heat on online betting a notch a couple of years ago. They effectively gave each US state the right to decide its own online gambling laws (within reason) and this something that several US states have jumped on.

For instance, players based in New Jersey, and Nevada should have relatively few issues playing poker online, as it is legal in those states – under certain circumstances.

These poker sites have far less traffic than your major international poker domains because there is a smaller pool of players playing there. However, these are fully regulated and legal US poker sites, so, if you’re based in

New Jersey or Nevada (or another state where gambling online is considered legal) this is the ideal way to go.

Of course, not every state has legalised gambling online (most haven’t) so bona fide regulated online poker rooms aren’t going to happen for most Americans. You could always decide to play at an offshore poker room, though.

An offshore poker room ideal for American online poker players can best be described as:

• A poker room which is based outside of the USA
• One which openly accepts US players
• Offers the US dollar currency and the English language
• Will also offer US support and customer service (often toll-free)
• Provides American players with payment methods ideal for them

Offshore poker rooms may not be 100% legal in the USA, but in many cases, they are considered regulated and legal sites outside of the country. You are still going to want to do your background checking on an offshore poker room, though, and the first thing you’re going to want to do is to make sure that it is licensed.

Obviously, when compared to UK poker laws, and those in operation in most EU countries, the US poker laws are unduly harsh on players. UK players are, by and large, allowed to play at virtually any poker site (including offshore rooms) with an ample number of UK licensed poker sites out there, too, since online poker is legal in the country.

US Poker Licence Authorities

Firstly, there is no such thing as a “poker license”. What you actually have are gambling licenses. In theory, any major gambling jurisdiction outside of the USA which issues licenses is effectively an offshore casino. Some of the larger offshore licensing jurisdictions include the UK Gambling Commission, Malta and Gibraltar. However, the problem with these licensing jurisdictions is that they know that US players are prohibited, so they seldom offer them to offshore sites focusing on players from the USA.

The licensing jurisdictions of Costa Rica, Panama and Curacao are far less picky. For that reason, many of the poker sites which accept US players tend to be licensed out of these jurisdictions. Make no mistake about it, they are not as well regulated as the European ones, but they are still (by and large) safe and secure places to play poker online.

Not all poker licenses are delivered via offshore licensing jurisdictions. In fact, Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware and other US states which have decided to permit online gambling in some way, shape or form have also decided to issue their own gambling licenses. To that end, it is not uncommon to find poker rooms in those states licensed by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission or Nevada Gaming Control Board. These, as you can imagine, are totally regulated and represent the safest places to play poker online for US players.

US Tax Policy

Generally, US states have imposed taxes for any gambling games, even though they vary from one state to the other. Keeping records of all transactions should help you immensely.

Popular Poker Games in the USA

Even though the rules regarding US online poker gaming are much harsher than elsewhere in the world, those US players who do decide to gamble online won’t be any worse off in terms of games.

The licensing and regulated US poker rooms out of New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware have the usual array of games, such as:

• Texas Hold ‘em
• Omaha
• Stud and Draw Poker

If you venture out to offshore poker rooms, you will find an even larger selection of poker variants, although these may be unfamiliar to many US poker players.

The online poker rooms in Nevada do tend to offer tournaments which act as satellites to the WSOP (World Series of Poker) competition. Similarly, a handful of Nevada and Delaware poker sites may also be able to provide you with access to these competitions if you win satellites. However, offshore poker rooms seldom offer this. There are plenty of other Sit & Go tournaments, for you to play, though.

It is more challenging for US players to be able to play live dealer and mobile games than their European counterparts. Most US poker rooms are offshore sites, and thus these seldom offer live dealer software, or mobile gameplay.

However, those poker which are licensed in US states should be able to offer you both live dealer and mobile games without too much hassle.

Have a look at Online Poker America’s US section where you can find listing of poker rooms that you might not find it here.

Online Poker US Promos and Bonuses

There should be no issues in terms of collecting bonuses and promotions when playing at US poker sites. The legal ones tend to offer their own bonuses and promos, and admittedly, these are worth far less in value than at offshore poker sites, but there are still welcome bonuses, rake backs, deposit deals and tournaments for you to enjoy. Keep in mind that if you claim a bonus from an offshore poker room when playing poker in the USA, the bonuses are likely to be vast in size, have considerable wagering requirements, and require a promotional bonus code for you to claim them.

Depositing/Withdrawing Options Available To US Players

Players in the US will experience difficulty deposit and withdrawing at US poker sites. That is unavoidable. Whilst the Federal Wire Act issue no longer ties the hands of banks and payment methods to permit players to deposit at US poker rooms, few major banking providers are prepared to dive into a market which is still, by and large, illegal in most US states.

US players can deposit using credit cards, and a handful of wire transfer options, but e-wallets aren’t really on the cards right now. Withdrawals can be a bit of nightmare, too. Many US poker sites charge hefty fees for withdrawals, and the wire transfer/cheque options just aren’t good enough for speedy withdrawals. However, this is again a problem that players at New Jersey, Nevada or Delaware licensed poker rooms aren’t going to have, There are also some sites offering bitcoins, a popular cryptocurrency which also helps players get round depoist/withdrawal issues.

The Future of Online Poker in the USA

When the walls regarding online gambling came down at a federal level, there was light at the end of the tunnel. To date, Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey have fully legalised online poker rooms which are licensed out of their states, and a handful of other states (particularly on the Eastern seaboard) are considering similar laws.

One of the main reasons they might do this is the tax. There is a significant amount of revenue to be raised from gambling at poker rooms. Operators must be license fees to the state’s gambling commission, the poker rooms and operators must also pay tax on revenue, and then there is the issue of taxable player winnings. This is a considerable cash cow, and many states are not going to want to miss out on a slice of the pie.

The US has tried (and failed) to blockade offshore poker rooms but to no avail. VPNs, proxies and other means of accessing offshore poker sites have proven popular. In a losing battle, if you can’t beat them, joining them seems to be the next logical step. Of course, we’re a long way from seeing online poker legalised in most US states, and there is unlikely to ever be a federal law which permits gambling at online poker rooms. Gradually, though, the wheels of change are turning.

My Final Thoughts

Yes, playing online poker in the US is a challenge, but it is not an impossible one. Provided they are either living in one of the 3 states to offer licensed poker rooms, or they venture out to an offshore poker room, US players shouldn’t have too much difficult finding games and playing poker online. There are countries who have it better, but there are many which make it far more difficult for their nationals to play poker online.

FAQs On US Online Poker You May Like To Know

The UIGEA was a bill passed way back in 2006 that is called the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. This was a questionable bill passed by President Bush and it leaves the law to be interpreted by online poker players. It’s amazing that it took five years for the government to shut down the major United States poker sites after passing this bill. Online poker in the United States has been crushed since Black Friday, but when it rebounds it will do so in a big way.

Absolutely. Whilst online poker as a gambling game is technically illegal in 47 out of the 50 states (this number may be changing), playing for free online is totally legal, and it doesn’t constitute gambling. There are numerous sites which can help you out in this department, too.

There are 9 states in total which are drafting bills or have voted on them. These are Mississippi, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Hawaii, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California and New Hampshire.

Nothing will happen. The US does hunt down operators who offer their services to US players (and does only a so-so job at that) but there are no punishments in store for players betting illegally at poker sites. You may have a spot of trouble when it comes to your winnings, though. If you win a lot and don’t declare it as taxable income, that can cause you problems.

In theory, yes. There are somethings worth mentioning here, though. If you make a flying visit to a casino resort in Nevada, you can play poker online, but only at the casino resort’s webpage, and only whilst on the premises. Once you leave, this becomes impossible. If you are going to be visiting Las Vegas, though, why play poker online when there are perfectly good poker tables downstairs for you to enjoy?

You can’t sign up to a standard Nevada or New Jersey poker room just by flying over the border for a night. You need to be able to prove that you reside in the state long-term. So, this is a bit of a yes and no answer, really.

US Poker Rooms: The Best Legal Online Poker Sites in the United States

Ever since 2011, online poker players based in the United States have faced many challenges when it comes to finding sites on which to play their favorite game. Some offshore 'rogue' sites currently available to players in the US operate in a legal gray area that can make playing on them risky for American players. While we recommend you to avoid those sites, the good news if you are living in the United States there are now an increasing number of US eligible poker sites on which you can play legally.

Right now there are four states that offer legal and regulated online poker — Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In addition to the sites in these states — many of which feature some of the best online poker software around — there are other poker sites for American players that offer subscription-based poker which in most cases is legal in other states as well.

Our comprehensive US Poker Map includes everything you need to know about the status of online poker in all 50 U.S. states as well as the District of Columbia. There you'll find a ton of information not only about the four states where online poker is currently legal, but also about states where online poker has been legalized but regulation is pending, states where online poker is not legal but currently under discussion, and those where it is not legal and not presently being discussed.

Legal US Poker Sites

When it comes to Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, members of the PokerNews editorial team have provided in-depth analyses of each state's offerings, including explanations of the software they use, the promotions they feature, the traffic and game selection they provide, the support and banking options they offer, and much more to help you decide which among them are the best US poker sites where players can play for real money on these state-regulated online poker sites.

Additionally, we are constantly monitoring these sites and others for the latest changes and promotions, to make sure our reviews of the top US poker sites remain the most up-to-date in the industry.

If you are new to online poker, finding a room with great promotions and excellent software should be on the top of your list when it comes to deciding which are the best US online poker sites. Also, keep in mind that a room with a great customer support is always a good start. At the same time, more experienced online poker players should be hunting for poker rooms with the best games, biggest traffic, closely followed by great software.

Click below to read about current, state-regulated online poker sites:

As you'll discover by following the links above, New Jersey and Nevada currently provide the most options for US poker players, while online poker players in Delaware have three sites from which to choose, all of which use the same platform although each offer different bonuses and promotions.

Pennsylvania just launched its first online casinos in July 2019 with the first online poker sites not going online right away. As a much bigger state than Delaware, Pennsylvania has better potential for attracting larger player pools and thus may well start to challenge Nevada and New Jersey when it comes to providing the best poker sites for US players.

All Us Poker Sites

Speaking of player pools, it is worth pointing out that thanks to an interstate compact between Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, players in each state playing on WSOP.com/888 sites have been able to play against each other in combined player pools. It's possible Pennsylvania may also be allowed to become part of that interstate compact as well, making for even better liquidity for those playing in those four states.

Online Poker Sites For Us Players

Another point worth making clear to US online poker players — you don't have to live in the states with legal and regulated online poker in order to play on the sites. You only have to be within those states' borders in order to be allowed to create accounts and take part in the games.

Meanwhile if you are a US-based online poker player who doesn't live in Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania, you should look into subscription-based online poker as this is your only legal option.

The Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006 changed the landscape by which online poker operators could legally operate, specifically prohibiting 'gambling businesses from knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager that involves the use of the Internet and that is unlawful under any federal or state law.' Subscription-based sites in the US are not covered in this US law since there is no entry fee for any of the tournaments or ring games. While widely legal throughout the United States, some states do prohibit play on subscription-based poker rooms.

New Poker Sites

The software on many subscription-based sites is easy to use whether you have played poker online or not. Since the software was designed with the recreational player in mind, it is often web-based and not conducive to multi-tabling. The games are not only fun due to the casual setting, but you can often have opportunities for big prizes including packages to take part in land-based poker events, as well as cold hard cash.