Though United States poker players don’t have the same range of options that players in European countries do, there are still plenty of real money games out there. The legal status of online wagering makes moving money around a bit complicated and risky, however.
- 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.
- The online poker real money craze started with tournament poker, and Ignition Poker is proud to offer the No. 1 online poker tournament experience on the planet. There are daily and weekly can’t-miss tournaments, highlighted by the top Sunday major in the US, the $100K Guaranteed.
This guide covers the available options, explains exactly how they work, and highlights the best and safest venues for real money poker online.
There is a new era in real money USA poker games as individual states license and regulate the games. So far, there are five legal states for real money online poker: Nevada, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Jersey. These states require that a brick-and-mortar casino licenses the poker sites. NJ Poker PA Poker NV Poker MI Poker US Poker. Overall, players in the United States will have a smaller selection of real money poker games to choose from. There will be fewer tournaments running and the guarantees will be smaller, too. However, that’s to be expected, considering the player pool is much smaller compared to the player pool outside the US.
Legal Online Games Within the United States
The legal status of online real money poker in the United States is murky, due to the broad recognition that it is a game of skill rather than chance. Though there is “wiggle room” of this nature in existing federal law, the federal government position has consistently been that it is just as illegal as any other casino game. After sites like Full Tilt and PokerStars were raided and shut down by the FBI in 2011, no other major sites have attempted to set up shop at a national level within the country.
Federal law defers to state law on this matter, however. Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware all presently allow people who are physically within the state to play online poker for money. Pennsylvania additionally passed legislation legalizing online poker in 2017 and is expected to begin allowing games to operate in late 2018.
The states guard against people logging into poker sites from other states by checking the location of their IP address. They usually further guard against the use of proxy servers and similar measures by asking registered players for a valid mobile phone number they can be contacted at. While the player is logged in, the site periodically “pings” the phone, using cellular towers to determine where the player is currently physically located.
The following sites are available in each state:
- Nevada: World Series of Poker, Real Gaming
- New Jersey: Borgata, 888Poker, World Series of Poker, PokerStars, Pala Poker, playMGM, Party Poker
- Delaware: World Series of Poker (accessed through the shared network of Dover Downs, Delaware Park and Harrington Raceway)
Delaware and Nevada have had a compact that allows players from each state to play together at real money tables for several years. New Jersey joined that compact in October of 2017.
You don’t have to be a resident of one of these states to legally play poker there, you simply have to be within the state borders while you are playing.
Casinos and Poker Rooms Outside the Country
Federal law also forbids anyone in the United States from playing at online casinos located outside the country. However, individual players are almost never punished. Instead, the government opts to fine banks that allow transactions with offshore casinos, and the banks in turn block attempts to fund offline casino accounts.
There are some workarounds that United States players can employ to get around bank restrictions. It’s important to be aware that many of the most reliable casinos around the world forbid players from the United States, however.
It helps to understand a bit about how casinos are regulated in other countries before jumping in. Each country that allows online gambling has some sort of a gaming commission that is supposed to oversee these casinos and ensure they are not cheating or treating players unfairly. However, not all gaming commissions are created equal. Some have better reputations for enforcement of rules and laws than others.
The gaming commissions that tend to have the best reputations, like the UK Gambling Commission and their various whitelisted territories, also tend to require casinos to not allow players from the United States. Unfortunately, the international casinos that accept American players also tend to be in regions that have questionable gambling regulation. Most are licensed in either Curacao or Costa Rica. Players should be aware that they will have very little legal recourse against poker rooms and casinos in these territories if they decide to pull a fast one, and should research the reputation and history of any casinos they are considering making a deposit at very carefully. It’s also important to read the fine print, as many of the international online casinos that accept United States players do have a list of certain states that are excluded.
That said, there are a few overseas poker sites that are popular with United States players and have reasonably good reputations. Most of these are sites that formerly operated in the Kahnawake territory of Canada, but were forced to leave in 2016 when the tribe came to an agreement with casinos in New Jersey to forbid players from other states. They include Ignition (formerly Bovada), America’s Cardroom and Betonline.
Free Options with Real Money Rewards and Prizes
One final possibility for United States players is to play at sites where play money is wagered, but cash prizes and other valuables are given out for winning tournaments and for accruing loyalty points.
For example, though real money games at the World Series of Poker site are limited to people in the legal states, anyone in the United States can play their free games. Tournaments with prizes are sometimes offered, as well as the ability to win a bracelet and a seat at the live World Series of Poker.
Other sites that offer free games with real prizes include PurePlay, FreePoker.Net, National League of Poker and Cafrino.
The Best Real Money Poker Options for United States Players
Players in the US are generally better off staying away from all but the largest overseas poker sites, due to the amount of risk and potential added cost. Serious players may want to plan trips (or even relocate) to one of the legal states, as they are expected to be pooling all of their players in the near future. And if you’re passing the time before a trip to a gambling destination, check out some freeroll tournaments to keep your skills sharp while also potentially winning some pots at no risk.
To get the best from an online poker site, it really needs to be a real money site. Playing poker can be fun but without that edge of having money on the line and something tangible to play for, it will fail to capture the imagination and any monetary value is done away with.
This site focuses on online poker in the United States. Below you will find our top five list of the best USA accepted online poker rooms where you can play for real money or free. We also provide you with comparison reviews so you can see which sites are the best for Macs, the most popular or even which United States poker sites have the most fish. If you're still unsure about a certain room, use the links to read our reviews which cover all aspects of real money poker.
The USA poker sites that are mentioned on this site are real money poker sites and quite often offer bonuses incentives for players to sign up with them. The welcome bonus offer is a very common trait in online poker rooms and most good poker players understand the importance of searching for the best deals possible.If you're new to playing poker online, we suggest you read some of the articles on this site first including how to deposit to a poker room. Not all poker sites are equal when it comes to payment methods, which is why you will see some accept a certain methods while others do not. We have dedicated pages for each deposit option that is viable to US players.
Best Real Money Poker Sites for US Players in 2021
Understanding The UIGEA And How it Impacts Real Money United States Players
To understand the difficulties that many US based poker player’s face in finding an online poker site, it is important to understand the role of the UIGEA. The UIGEA was introduced after the Port Security Act and its main role centred around a shut-down it imposed on US banks. It was made illegal for United States banks to process a payment that was being made to a gambling site, which obviously affected USA poker sites.
This is where the confusion lies. Technically, the UIGEA has never made it illegal to play online poker while being in the US or being a US citizen but it certainly hasn’t made it easy to do so. A great number of poker rooms and sites believed that there was no opportunity to remain credible and legal while operating in the US market, so they moved out.
Thankfully this attitude was not taken by everyone and there are a number of poker sites for US players. The payment options are limited, especially compared to the era that came before the UIGEA changes but if poker players are keen to play online poker, there are opportunities to do so on USA poker sites.
Are There Any Legal Poker Sites in United States?
Of course, it is not just enough that there are American poker sites to choose from, players want to find the best sites accepting USA players. There is a thrill and excitement associated with playing online poker and if the sites weren’t able to provide a good experience, players would stop playing from them.
The best legal poker site is a matter of debate and personal opinion but the following sites are all ones that are worth checking out:
- BetOnline
- Sportsbook.ag
- Carbon Poker
- Sportsbetting.ag
- Ignition
All of these sites have their own merits and reasons to check them out and if you are looking for legal US poker games, you won’t go wrong with these choices.
Again, the important thing to remember is that it is NOT ILLEGAL to play poker in the USA, so as long as you check your state laws and regulations, you will be good to go on any of the above sites.
How To Deposit – What options do you have as US poker player?
Of course, to get a proper bonus or to make the most of your time on an online casino, you really need to be able to deposit funds into an USA friendly poker site. This is where many players have experienced problems but there are options where United States online poker players can fund their account and enjoy the thrill of playing poker for real cash.
Before the UIGEA crackdown, there were plenty of options to deposit funds into an online gaming account but nowadays, the options are definitely limited. That isn’t to say that there are no options though and the following options are all valid for US poker players.
Online Poker United States Real Money Tournaments
Visa Card: The Visa Card payment has become the top choice for poker players in the US. There is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that Visa is the option that has the greatest level of acceptance, so if you want to find the option with the least likelihood of being rejected, the Visa option is likely to be your best bet.
Can You Play Poker Online For Money
MasterCard: As you would expect, there is a strong use of MasterCard when making payments for online poker sites too but in comparison to the likes of Visa, players have found it increasingly difficult to deposit finds with MasterCard. In all likelihood, you will be fine if you choose to use a MasterCard to play in US friendly poker rooms, but there may be exceptions to this rule.
Online Poker United States Real Money
Western Union: Many players prefer to have a greater degree of variety when they make online poker payments and this is something that Western Union provides. The site offers players the chance to make payments online or you can even use a Western Union store if there is one near you. The major drawback that comes from using Western Union comes with the fee that they charge to use their service. This will often vary depending on your deposit amount.
Online Poker United States Real Money Game
Moneygram: This option is similar to the Western Union option and again, it allows players to pay online or in store. As opposed to a percentage fee charged by Western Union, Moneygram charges a flat-fee of $9.99 to use its services. It is up to each individual to think about which option is best suited.
When thinking about online poker sites for American players and the deposit methods, it is also helpful to think about how you plan to withdraw your cash. Many people find that depositing funds into an account is not a problem but there are delays when it comes to withdrawing your winnings.
Where To Play Online Poker
The above sites and above methods are going to provide the best combination with respect to cashing out but United States poker players definitely need to have patience when it comes to picking up their winnings.
Online Poker Legal In Us
All in all, while things are not perfect for the US online poker community, they are nowhere near as bad as some people are making out. If you are a US based poker player and you are keen to find some real money US poker sites, don’t worry, you can legally find the best options available by browsing our site.