Is online poker legal in the United States?

There is good news for USA players. No federal law specifically prohibits US players from creating online poker accounts and playing for real money online.

State laws are more complicated. Most of them fail to directly address US poker sites at all. Only one – Washington State – explicitly designates online poker as a criminal activity. On the other hand, more states are continuously examining regulating online poker within their borders. As of January 2020, six states have legalized and regulated online poker: Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan.

This website offers an objective, informed guide to all aspects of online poker sites, as well as the broader poker scene in America. We provide information about state and federal laws, all with the goal of keeping all internet poker players – from recreational players to poker pros – informed.

Yes, there are no US federal gambling laws that make online poker illegal. Playing Texas Hold’Em online is allowed in 48 of 50 states excluding Washington and Connecticut. Those states have specific laws directed towards online gambling while the other 48 have no such legislation directed towards offshore online poker rooms. Since there are so few states offering this option at this time, the sites based outside of the US are still the best option for the majority of American players seeking legal online video poker action. Non-USA players have an even wider selection of legal online video poker sites to choose from. Offshore poker sites where the base of operation is not in the United States are legal for American players. Furthermore, more states are forming legislation allowing legalized online poker to be regulated. This includes states like Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware. Online poker in the United States of America is a fairly complex subject. Many potential players mistakenly believe that it is illegal to play in the USA – a belief that is simply untrue! That is our conclusion after taking a look at the laws that have been drafted and the legal precedents that have been set. What’s Legal And What’s Soon To Be Legal. The history of online poker in the United States is complicated to say the least. Even in the last decade, laws prohibiting online poker rooms were challenged and upheld. Bills to legalize real money poker sites were passed in the House Finance Committee only to be struck down by the Supreme Court, etc.

The majority of players living in the United States won't have any issues playing poker legally in the USA. Useour interactive map to find everything you needed to test know about the gambling laws in your state.

Just click the image state to view your state laws.

Stay current with the gambling laws and news within your state here. Our gambling news section covers all aspects of US online poker news including laws and regulations, revenue, internet and brick-and-mortar establishments, and more. To understand the full picture of online poker in the US, it is important to stay informed about all of the laws related to American poker and gambling, even some pertinent happenings overseas as well.

It is the case that will never end, the cheating scandal that captured the attention of the poker world and beyond from the end of 2019 through this year. And while there is no finale, there is more drama. When we last checked in, the case surrounding Mike Postle, Stones
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Less than a week ago, PokerStars announced a new Blowout Series for its global audience. It is a way for online poker players to come together to kick 2020 out the door on a good note. This week, PokerStars US announced a few poker opportunities for its players in Pennsylvania
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Michigan lawmakers heard the call and responded. They knew that the launch of online gaming and sports betting sites would be consequential in generating some revenue as land-based casinos continue to struggle with pandemic restrictions. Lawmakers approved a process waiver, and the Michigan Gaming Control Board issued 15 provisional licenses
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Many poker fans know the name: Dan Smith. He’s a high-stakes poker player, one who has earned more than $36.7 million to date in live tournaments alone. Prior to the year of the pandemic, Smith trekked the world to play in Triton Million tournaments and European Poker Tour events, though
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Online Poker Compatibility - Mac / Linux / Mobile Poker

Even the best United States poker sites & online gambling sites aren’t equal when it comes to compatibility. Some sites only offer a Windows version of their software, while others are compatible with Macs and mobile devices. Use the links below to read about compatibility with your Mac, Android, or even tablets and Windows devices. Each review covers how to play on your device or setup, how to play for real money, and which poker or gambling sites support your operating system.

Playing poker on an iPad or iPhone is easy when you know which poker site offers real-money iPad poker games. Our Apple page covers US poker sites compatible with the iPhone and iPad, as well as the steps necessary to play real-money poker on your Apple devices.
Similar to our iPad page, our Android review covers real-money Android poker sites as well as online casinos. You should be able to find everything you need in this review, including which poker sites have Android apps, how to play for real money, and the specs required to play poker on an Android smartphone or tablet.
Do you own a Mac? If so, you should have no problems playing poker in the United States. Our Mac review lists the best Mac poker sites for USA players. All of the poker sites featured on our Mac page offer a native download, and some even include special bonuses available only to players that join from our legal poker site
Linux poker players aren’t as lucky as Windows or Mac players as far as options for legal poker sites. Our Linux review covers everything you need to know about playing poker in the US on a Linux. This includes the available options to play poker on a Linux system, how to perform a dual boot, and how to use and/or install Wine and the no-download Flash options.

What Are The Poker Laws at the Federal Level?
What Are The Laws At State Level?

International Poker Laws

Online poker in the United States is a topic that generates lots of information, much of it conflicting but all that can be broken down by state, as we have here.

As mentioned, legal United States online poker is not a black and white situation. Adding to the complexity of the issue are new forms of US online poker sites, such as subscription-based poker rooms that defy classification under traditional US gambling laws.

Many of these new formats, along with challenges to decades-old gambling laws, are being tested in courts across the United States and reexamined by legislators on a state-by-state level to keep up with technology, stay competitive with other states, and generate additional revenue.

While there may be always be some confusion regarding US law as it applies to the best US poker sites thanks to the bedevilling nature of the topic itself, one thing is definitely clear: Almost everyone from the United States has a variety of legal ways to play USA online poker.

As for the options for USA poker players, we have listed the following poker rooms as the best US online poker sites servicing the US market;

Our top ranked poker sites are legitimate, safe, secure and reliable. To gain a better understanding of the state of USA online poker, we have compiled all of the relevant information pertaining to online and live poker laws, the status of the US online poker market as a whole, some happenings around the world that may affect American players, and the potential for the game’s future.

The US Poker Laws at the Federal Level

The United States has been involved in gambling laws since lotteries were prevalent among early settlers and when New Orleans became the gambling center of the country in the mid-1800s. It wasn’t until the 1900s that states began to legalize bingo for charitable purposes, and Nevada led the way to broader legalized gambling in the 1930s.

This section focuses on the most prominent and influential federal laws and proposed legislation that have impacted United States poker sites.

Wire Act – Implications of 2011 and 2018 Decisions

The Federal Wire Act, also known as the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, was the first major law enacted to specifi

Online Poker Sites Legal In Us