• Online Poker For American Players
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Is it legal to play poker online? The answer is complicated, especially to poker players living in the United States. The simple answer is that almost all online gaming laws focus on the providers rather than the players. There have been virtually no cases of online poker players being prosecuted simply for playing. You can still legally play poker online for real money; US players of all stripes are welcome at Ignition Casino, the best online poker site devoted to American customers. We also offer a smooth experience when you play online poker on mobile.

In the past 13 years 59,000,000 poker players have viewed this page. I have kept logs of all major events and believe this is the most accurate guide to poker in the US, the first ever created over a decade ago. Las Vegas based casinos are opening online poker sites within Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. I now have a daily updated state by state law site at pokerwebsites.com. There is also a good guide at 2+2 forums for your state’s status if you seek further clarification.

Online poker has been declared legal in the U.S.A. binding Law H6663: UIGEA Clarification Act. Each State now has the choice to open a poker site. Three (3) states are fully functional and accept real money deposits for those located within NV, NJ, DE, and PA state boundaries (MI, MA, CA, and NY coming soon).

The following sites are licensed and regulated in Canada, Panama, and Australia respectively to accept players from the United States. Poker Stars and some other international sites have obtained a license from US licensing bodies to accept US customers – again.

I like to recommend this site because it accepts ALL 50 US States, which is the only site to do so other than SB Poker listed below. Accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Bitcoin.

Just like BetOnline, listed above, SB Poker accepts poker players from all 50 USA States. They are a growing poker site that also accepts Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Bitcoin with quick withdrawal speeds.

www.SportsBetting.ag (poker site)

Updated: October, 2017 – Compatiblepoker is not affiliated with the financial processors. Check State laws before gambling online or using any poker deposit option.

Updated October, 2017 – If you don’t see the site on this list they do not accept US players or are not a popular enough poker site to list.

Online Poker For American Players

Bowmans, Paddypowerpoker, Bluesquarepoker, Victor Chandler, Betus.com etc. consolidated with iPoker Network. Don’t accept US players.

For future reference see the state run poker info.

(These are common consensus from experts across the web. Always consult a lawyer before making your own decision.)

• 1. Is it illegal to play online poker in the United States?

  No. The USA clarified that ‘online poker’ does not fall under the Wire Act. Now, they are working to create more licensed poker sites within state borders. It is now clear that online sports betting is a federal crime but nobody has been arrested for playing online poker even at offshore sites without licenses. See state bans to your left about details and possible felonies.

• 2. Is it safe to play online poker in the US?

  The following question was answered by the authoritative online gambling legal expert, I. Nelson Rose. To summarize, he says you are not going to jail for playing at online poker sites without a US license. It is safe to cash/deposit checks from US poker sites as long as you’re reporting income. He advises not to keep too much money online at this current time.

• 3. Why did Party Poker, Poker Stars and other sites close down to US players?

  Party Poker closed to the US in 2006 to protect their investors because of the UIGEA Law. Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker’s domains were seized (.com versions) in 2011 because the US government used an organization that oversees .com domains where if the government believes they are committing a felony, they can go through ICANN to take away the site. Many switched their domain names to .ag or .lv and continued business as usual, PokerStars and some others left the US completely in order to get in on licensed State poker which started in 2013.

• 4. So what is the deal RIGHT now? Is poker banned and what happens next?

  Poker has been legalized in the USA by three states, Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey as of January 2017. Pennsylvania and California are anticipated to pass internet poker in 2017. You can still play legally online at Betonline.ag and other websites for now, and it is not illegal. People still play just not as much due to legal confusion. Casinos such as Harrah’s Entertainment is lobbying “for” poker and online casinos on a Federal Level so that each State can play with one another.

• 5. Can I play in my State and what is this situation with online poker in 2016?

  We are in a transition period at the moment. Online poker is legalized by some US States (Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey) and other states like California, Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania are making headway. A ‘State Pact’ is what players and the States are looking to create where, if your State allows online poker you will be able to play in the States that have joined together. States are worried that they will not be able to compete with the larger established offshore sites that service the US. People still play right now against others around the world at internet poker sites like Bovadapoker.lv. There is no difference other than it’s harder to deposit at offshore sites than at State run sites. States frequently banned by some online gaming sites offshore are Washington, Hawaii, Kentucky, New York, Missouri and Maryland.

- Many millions ($80) are expected to be re-imbursed by Full Tilt over the next week.

- Calvin Ayre (owner of Bodog/Bovada), and probably his team of researchers have published his 2014 prediction for online gambling. Here it is.

- I made my way up to New Jersey this week for a boxing match and to test out the poker sites located in NJ, the WSOP and Party Poker. The initial reports were right. It’s very difficult. I presume it would be easier to get money onto an offshore site than a ‘legal’ one. After attempting multiple sites I could not get verified because they require you to have at least 3 ‘strong’ wireless connections from where you are playing at. Despite staying in a casino which offer multiple wireless connections none were strong enough to give me access. I’ve read on the forums as well that depositing is still a nightmare with most credit cards being rejected.

- Happy Thanksgiving. It appears the launch of New Jersey the past couple days has been decent for the poker room WSOP, nothing earth shattering. They clearly seem to be the ones who will be the largest in the US. I logged in with a NJ and NV IP address to see what was going on. They have different promotions for the $10 free and there are bigger freerolls in New Jersey. I’m not sure if that’s because of state laws, or the higher potential in NJ, I assume the latter. It’s instantly obvious how much money is involved as when you see the homepage of the WSOP’s geo location of NJ or NV. They are now a poker room – with some news stuffed at the bottom right. The sites are still nowhere near the size of, say, Bovada and even futher light stars away from…PokerStars, literally and – literally. So, looks promising for poker in the US if one large state becomes a partner. Registration to deposit ratio is a huge factor when a player sees the amount or lack thereof tables open. People want action, not a grind.

- In an effort to further the potential for Federal Regulation of poker for a uniform poker player pool the Safe and Secure Initiative has introduced a 12% tax on deposits to online gambling sites. The players would not have to pay for this, the gambling site would.

- Lock Poker is spinning lies once again. Lock Poker announced that they had stopped allowing deposits via Skrill, but in fact it was Skrill that suspended Lock from letting customers deposit. Basically Skrill is stopping players from getting scammed. I was informed this today, and am awaiting further clarification from the Skrill rep that contacted me to correct the news.

- With anticipation of poker being launched in New Jersey, the programs are starting to send out emails to advertise on sites like this one. I’ve already received two emails, one from the (name removed) and another from Income Access to promote US based programs in NJ. Until they reach a sustainable player liquidity above those of offshore sites, I see no reason to recommend them over the ones right now. The sites we recommend are safe and payouts are quick so the only legit reason to have our customers playing at Ultimate Poker or whomever is if the player pool is superior, and it is not even close nor will it be until state compacts are fulfilled. Not only that but dozens of operators are trying to launch sites. Only a couple will succeed and the more sites, the worse the liquidity. State compacts are a must.

- I have not spoken to Poker Stars, but the news circulating is that they are not on the list to go live in New Jersey on the 21st of this month when everyone else is. Personally I think they are working on the details and while others are saying how this will ‘cripple’ PokerStars entry into the US, I think it’s not a big deal. People aren’t exactly jumping up and down to play poker these days but what PokerStars has that everyone else does not is a huge database of real money players emails. As long as they get the license, they will be fine in my opinion. The only real competitor they have is the WSOP.

- Let the propaganda begin. Today I received an email from Micahael Waxman, founder of the Safe and Secure Initiative (for online gambling). The article which can now be read here makes me realize how we can talk about corruption in the American system all day long but we have no recourse. Things could be worse, but watching and being involved in this industry through media over the past 10 years has really opened my eyes to the reality of politics. Anyway, the article talks about how ‘unsafe’ offshore sites are (their competition they still try to dismantle) and how credit cards are a necessity to poker sites with US state licenses – and a bunch more propaganda that continually makes me roll my eyes and shake my head.

- The WSOP launched their poker site today at wsop.com. As of near 11:30pm est, there were only a few tables going. So far pretty slow. I could not test the software because I am not located in Nevada but it seems to use the same standard software of their partners, 888poker. This is the second Nevada, U.S.A. licensed poker site. None have launched for any other state, yet.

THIS PAGE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE! Any US poker sites or US casino deposit methods are for informational purposes. Remember to always get help if you feel you’re having problems with online gambling. For pending State laws in your area see theppa.org bottom portion of their homepage.

Choosing to play poker online for money is simple – once you know what to look out for. This page covers everything you need to know on playing poker online in the US. We break down how to find a safe and easy to beat poker room, and rank the best casino sites to play online poker for real money in the United States. This includes poker sites like Bovada Poker, Ignition Poker & America’s Cardroom.

Before you jump into a US real money poker game, though, here are the key factors to consider:

Play Poker Now

• Site Safety: Choose licensed, trusted and tested rooms
• Game Selection: What choice of games are available, and at what buy-ins?
• Bonuses / Rewards: How well will your play be rewarded?
• USA Friendly Poker Site: This depends on which state you are playing from.

These days, the biggest and best US poker rooms are based offshore. They are licensed by their host country, and welcome players from all over the world – including the USA.

You can also find smaller in-state poker rooms. Four individual US states currently provide regulated online poker rooms, namely Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Games are shared between players from the first three states mentioned, with the US poker market expected to grow as more states start to offer regulated online poker for real money in the future. Likely contenders include such states as West Virginia, Maryland, Missouri and New York.

Best Online Poker Sites for Real Money in 2020

Deposit Limits: $10 - $5,000

Accepts: Visa, Bitcoin, Mastercard, Bank Wire

Ignition is a popular option for players in the United States. They offer most popular cash game variants and more than $1.5 million in weekly online poker tournament guarantees. Ignition also offers Zone Poker, similar to Zoom Poker where you’re moved to a new table and dealt a new hand every time you fold.

Ignition Poker also offer a wide variety of poker promotions.

Join Ignition Poker here and get up to $2000 free!

Deposit Limits: $10 – $5,000

Accepts: Bitcoin, Visa, Bank Wire

Licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Bovada is one of the oldest online poker sites servicing America. Bovada offers anonymous tables and a mobile-optimized design allowing play on all mobile platforms. The design makes it feel like you’re playing in Las Vegas rather than your home computer.

They offer a wide variety of cash games and tournaments with over $1.5 million in weekly guarantees. Online cash poker.

Join Bovada Poker here and get a $500 bonus!

Deposit Limits: $25 – $25,000

Accepts: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Visa, MasterCard, Money Transfers, Bank Wire

Sportsbetting.ag offers a robust online poker option with excellent cash game and tournament action. For cash games, they provide weekly cash leaderboards with $10,000 in prizes weekly. They offer over $45,000 in weekday guarantees, over $130,000 in guarantees on Saturday and over $275,000 in guarantees on Sunday.

If you like fast-fold poker variants like Zoom Poker, you’ll love Boost Poker. Get a new hand every time you fold in this fast-paced game.

Join Sportsbetting.ag – 100% up to $1000 for new US players!

Deposit Limits: $25 - $2,500

Accepts: Bitcoin, credit cards (MasterCard, Amex, Visa), money transfers

Intertops Poker is fully licensed by Curacao and the Netherlands Antilles and offers a wide variety of cash game and online poker tournaments. Their software is available as both a PC downloadable client and a mobile-optimized web version.

This site is perfect for players looking to grow their poker bankrolls at lower stakes.

Join Intertops Poker here and claim a 200% match bonus!

Deposit Limits: $25 - $25,000

Accepts: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Visa, MasterCard, Money Transfers, Bank Wire

BetOnline is the newest online poker site for American players. This site is part of the BetOnline group which includes a well-known and reputable Sportsbook as well as an online casino. BetOnline launched their poker room in 2012 and has quickly become one of the largest US accepted poker rooms on the market.

When you make your 1st, 2nd and even 10th deposit to the poker room, you will receive 25% upfront in cash.

Join Bet Online Poker and qualify for a $1,000 deposit bonus!

Deposit Limits: $50 - $25,000

Accepts: Visa, Mastercard, Bitcoin

America’s Cardroom is one of the most popular online poker rooms for American players with over 1 million hands of poker played daily. They are a popular room because they readily accept American players and offer a wide variety of online payment options including Bitcoin.

America’s Cardroom offers a wide variety of tournaments with substantial daily guarantees. Their Sunday tournaments have guarantees ranging from $50,000 to $150,000.

Join America’s Cardroom here and claim $1,000 in bonus cash!

Deposit Limits: $50 - $10,000

Accepts: Visa, Mastercard, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Wire

Black Chip Poker is a legally licensed online poker real money site for US players. Licensed in Costa Rica, BCP is part of the Winning Poker Network. New players qualify for a 100% deposit bonus up to $1,000 or you can take advantage of the cryptocurrency offering, giving you a 200% match bonus when you make your first deposit with Bitcoin.

The poker room provides a variety of tournaments including the Million Dollar Sunday tournaments.

Join Black Chip Poker here and claim a 100% match bonus!

You can play poker online for real money in the United States as long as you’re outside of banned online gambling states like Washington. If you’re looking for where to play online poker from the USA, or which casino sites accept US players, check out the poker websites above. Each casino site provides players with a special bonus and have the ability to process poker deposits.

8 Things to Look For Before Playing with Real Cash

The list below covers the main factors to consider when choosing an online gambling or online poker real money USA site. It is important to choose a site which works for your experience level and skills. If you are a recreational player, who enjoys the occasional casino game and casual poker game, then your requirements are different from those of a multi-tabling pro grinder.

1) Comparing The Features of Different Online Poker Sites

A great online poker site has a good selection of poker games featuring a wide variety of buy-ins and game combination. The Winning Poker Network, 888poker and partypoker, for instance, regularly runs large poker tournaments, while online poker players can easily find high limit poker cash games at site such as Bovada and Ignition. If you plan on enjoying poker from your iPhone or Android Smartphone, the fast-fold game ‘Zone Poker’ from Bovada is also good choice.

2) What to Look for in Poker Site Reviews?

When visiting an online gambling news or poker news sites, focus on those real money poker reviews based upon first-hand experience. This will show in comments about navigating through the menus, the softness (or otherwise) of the games – and other small features. When reading poker reviews, it’s also best to get more than one opinion for a more well-rounded view.

3) How to Compare Poker Bonus Offers?

Welcome bonuses are good for boosting your initial bankroll. However, different poker site have different bonus ratings, with these bonuses then varying in their size, as well as terms of satisfaction. Furthermore, your welcome bonus will typically expire after 30 to 60 days, so make sure your site offers subsequently offers ongoing rakeback, loyalty schemes and regular promos.

4) What Games and Variations are Available?

The three basic poker formats are cash games, poker tournaments and Sit n Goes. While No-Limit Holdem is the most popular variant offered at US online poker rooms, other poker formats available include Pot-Limit Omaha, Razz, Stud and Draw. Needless to say, choosing the biggest sites also means more games and a wider variety of stakes to enjoy.

5) Licensing at Legal Online Poker Sites for Real Money

Check the poker room has an online gambling license before depositing at any online poker real money USA site. After all, licensed legal online poker sites are required to adhere to the strictest legislation and operating standards. Reputable international sites are licensed by the governments of their host countries, with popular jurisdictions including Curacao, Panama, The Isle of Man, Malta and Kahnawake in Canada.

6) Banking at US Poker Sites: Depositing and Withdrawing

Getting your money deposited on a online poker real money USA site is straightforward, with the most common poker deposit methods as follows:

1. Credit Cards: Widely accepted, though transactions can be blocked by banks, quick and easy when they do work.
2. Prepaid Credit Cards: Check with your site for the best working brands, then buy from convenience stores.
3. Bitcoin / Other Cryptocurrencies: One-off setup needed, though once you have a cryptocurrency ‘wallet’ these coins will solve your deposit and withdrawal problems completely.
4. Money Transfer: Send cash from your local Western Union or MoneyGram office.

Deposit methods are fairly similar across the various online gaming sites, including credit cards, money transfers, bitcoin, as well as other cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, withdrawing with cryptocurrency is easy, with other ways to withdraw your cash including as a paper check or bank wire. Make sure you check for minimum withdrawal amounts, and any fees, though. Withdrawal options and administration charges may differ, too, so look for sites with a low minimum, and at least one free withdrawal per month, such as Betonline.

7) Poker Site Complaints: Red Flags to Look Out For

There are always bad players who claim that every site has a ‘rigged deal’ simply because they do not understand the game well and are not be able to win money playing poker. Far more important are any complaints concerning delays in payments, which are a red flag for any poker site. Also, customer feedback concerning the softness of poker games is important, with numerous comments suggesting a site is full of pro ‘grinders’ probably worth avoiding.

8) The Small Print: Read the Poker Rooms Terms / Privacy Policy

Check the terms and conditions of a poker site before you play with real money, and look out for online gaming caps on withdrawal amounts, high minimum withdrawals and time restricted bonuses. Reputable poker rooms have a ‘Responsible Gaming’ policy and self-exclusion options, as well as a number of contact methods, such as phone number, e-mail and physical address.

Frequently Asked Questions

You’ll find detailed answers to some common questions below. These cover a wide range of topics, from which is the best room through to how to play using Bitcoin!

Is Playing Real Money Poker Legal from My State?

Offshore poker sites are not under US jurisdiction. They do, however, maintain their right to accept players from anywhere in the world, including the United States. There may be no US federal laws stopping individual players from enjoying casino games and real money poker online, but state laws do vary, though. Some States, for instance, already have legalized regulated online poker rooms, including New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware and Pennsylvania. On the other hand, some states have clearly banned real money online poker games, thus making poker illegal, including Utah and Washington State. While federal law prevents banks and gambling sites transacting within the USA, legislation does not cover individual players.

Are There Any USA Friendly Poker Sites That Accept Bitcoin?

Yes, all the main offshore online poker sites accept Bitcoin as a payment option. There are some sites which accept other cryptocurrencies, too, including Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Ethereum.

What is the Best USA Online Poker Site?

A perfect site would include soft games, a huge choice of tables, big guaranteed tournament prizes, plenty of promotions and bonuses – and smooth, fast software that can be accessed from many different devices. Several sites come close, with the biggest and best USA real cash poker rooms found here.

How do US Poker Sites Structure Themselves to be Legal?

The ‘Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act’ of 2006 prohibits financial transactions to online gambling sites in the USA. Sites offering real money poker games to American players stay legal by being located outside of the US. The sites we subsequently recommend are fully legal in their host countries and maintain the right to welcome players from anywhere in the world, citing global free trade laws. Meanwhile, federal can enforce the UIGEA on the US banks and financial networks, but UIGEA does not cover players.

Is Playing Online Poker Profitable?

One of the best things about online poker is that skilled players are able to learn poker strategies and win money. While you won’t be profitable right away, if you are better than your opponents, then over time your bankroll will grow. You’ll need to study, though, and once you have identified your own leaks and developed winning poker strategies, making a living playing online poker becomes possible. You can even transfer your skills and poker strategies to the live arena and play at land-based casinos such as the Rio in Las Vegas, which hosts the iconic WSOP tournament series every year.

What Can I Do if a Poker Site is Delaying Payments?

That depends on the licensing arrangement of the site you are playing at. If you chose an unlicensed site, then your chances of getting money back if they close or go rogue are small. As far as legal online poker at international licensed sites is concerned, complaining to their official licensing body will provide you a much better chance of being paid. After all, the loss of a license is something many United States poker sites take seriously.