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Bet Online is the newest poker site to hit the US market. The poker room offers a Mac and Windows download, and is the only US poker site to offer players an instant bonus on first deposit. While the poker room is new, the main site (www.BetOnline.com) has been operating since 2004 with zero complaints.
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Are you looking for the best US legal online poker sites or a real money poker app? If the answer is yes, then you came to the right place. This is one of our many online poker reviews where you can find more about the best online poker options.
Poker sites in New Jersey are well-known for offering cash games and tournaments across a wide variety of poker variants. Each also offers the best seasonal poker tournament series with lucrative guarantees and unparalleled cash game action 24/7. New Jersey offers legal online gambling websites and mobile apps across multiple verticals. Regulated NJ online casinos and NJ online poker sites first appeared in late 2013 for eligible bettors physically located in the state. If you’re playing online poker in the U.S. In 2019, chances are you’ve played on the Winning Poker Network, Ignition Casino or Global Poker at some point. These poker sites, and any other online poker site outside of the legal, regulated sites from Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, are not technically legally able to offer online poker to U. My current top 3 poker sites offering real-money play to US players are Bovada Poker, Global Poker, and Ignition Poker. I've extensively reviewed each one and each has earned my trust for a number of reasons.
Without further ado, keep reading to discover how to play the best online poker for money and how to form an online poker strategy. So, let’s get started!
Contents
Best Legal Online Poker Sites
- WSOP
- PartyPoker
- PokerStars
- Pala Poker
- 888poker
- Global Poker
Is online poker legal? It's not always the same as legal online casinos and legal online sportsbooks. All new players who decide to explore the vast universe of real money poker sites should know that federally, online poker sites are illegal. However, on the individual level, online poker is legal in some of the states.
Some websites such as Global Poker (which is a sweepstakes poker site) are allowed in 49 out of 50 US states. Only Washington does not allow it. At the moment of writing our online poker reviews, only four states offer legal online poker websites in the United States. These are the following: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware.
For more information about some of the available sites, make sure to consult our Global Poker review.
US Legal Online Poker: State by State
Is online poker legal in your state? If the answer is no, keep in mind that the situation can change pretty quickly. Unsurprisingly, Nevada was the leader of regulated online poker. Once the ice was broken, the domino-effect followed.
One by one, many states tried or are still trying to pass the legislation. As you can see, some of them even succeeded. The last one to recently pass online poker is West Virginia, and we expect more legal US poker sites to be launched in the future.
When it comes to future predictions, we believe that chances are pretty good for some of the states to overcome all the legal obstacles and finally launch real money poker sites so their residents become able to play legal online poker.
Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, New York are some of the states that’ll probably make some innovations when it comes to the possibilities of playing poker online. These are the states that have active supporters of online poker in the state senate.
What’s more, regulated real money poker sites in neighboring states can only have a positive effect on public opinion. Additionally, within the borders of the aforementioned states, you can find a considerable number of land-based casinos.
Many of them come with the best online poker rooms where you can play various variants of poker, including the most popular one - Texas Hold’em. In other words, these poker offline options make it easier to launch legal poker sites and eventually start to offer legal online poker.
States Where Legal Online Poker Seems Like a Distant Dream
From this point of view, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah are just some of the states where we can see a certain legislative hostility towards online gambling. Therefore, we don’t believe that we won’t be able to play Texas Hold’em online there for quite some time.
Sweepstakes Legal Online Poker - Play Poker Free No Matter Which State You’re In
As said before, Global Poker, a sweepstakes legal online poker site, can be accessed in all US states except for the state of Washington. This legal online poker platform was launched in 2106, and since then, many players use its services. The virtual currency gaming business model is what makes it unique.
Instead of playing for real money, players play poker free, using gold coins or sweeps cash. That’s why Global Poker often appears when players search for “play poker free” or “play poker online, free”.
To understand how sweepstakes poker works, let’s start with some poker basics and make sure to understand sweeps poker terminology clearly. There’s a difference between gold coins and sweeps cash, and there’s a reason for which “play poker online, free” is actually a bit of a misnomer here.
Gold Coins are the name for the virtual currency in Global Poker, and they are equivalent to what regular legal online poker sites usually call “play money”. In other words, you can’t cash them out, but you can use them to play Texas Hold’em online or participate in some of the available tournaments with other players. On the other hand, “$weeps cash” is a promotional, virtual currency that can be cashed out through PayPal.
To sum up, you can buy gold coins that don’t have any monetary value and can’t be cashed out. “$weeps cash” is obtained as free of charge once you buy Gold Coins. Because of this virtual currency online poker model, Global Poker is not quite considered an online gambling activity. Therefore, it’s allowed in almost all of the US.
Where Can I Play Legal Online Poker in the US?
Pennsylvania is the last state where online poker had become legal when PokerStars was launched there at the end of 2019. Right now that’s also the only available option to play online poker for money in Pennsylvania.
If we don’t count Global Poker, which can be accessed in 49 states, all the other legal online poker sites come with pretty restricted access. For example, Pala Poker and PartyPoker are only available in the state of New Jersey.
However, they are not the only NJ poker sites one can access. WSOP, America's top legal online poker site, is available in the Garden State, and it’s also accessible to all Nevada online poker fans as well. Likewise, PokerStars NJ, available both independently and within the FOX Bet app
Claim the WSOP promo code in New Jersey and Nevada to get a $1,000 signup bonus!Where Can I Play Poker Live?
Most of the land-based casinos across different states include special poker rooms where you can play live poker. Playing Texas Hold’em online is definitely the most popular option. After all, poker is an American thing, so it’s no wonder to see it available in the vast majority of mortar and bricks casinos.
In fact, instead of listing all the states where you can sit back, relax and try out your luck with live poker, it’s better to list all those where you can’t play poker online. It’ll be easier to remember this list:
- Alaska
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- New Hampshire
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
We must add that in Texas, private poker clubs aren’t forbidden. As long as no house makes a profit from the game, poker can be played in private places for fun.
US Online Poker Basics
When talking about the current status of legal US poker sites, there are two especially important laws that you should be aware of. Let’s take a look at these two federal laws that govern online poker in the country.
The Wire Act
The first one is the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, often called the Federal Wire Act. As you can see, it passed long before online poker or even the internet existed. However, it prohibits certain types of betting businesses to operate via wired communications.
In 2011, the US Department of Justice concluded that the scope of the act was limited to sporting events. Therefore, states, where online poker is now regulated, found that the bill didn’t apply to online poker nor other forms of gambling.
However, in 2019, the US Department of Justice reversed its opinion. The new opinion concludes that the Wire Act applies to all types of online gambling.
The UIGEA
The other relevant law is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from 2006. This law made it illegal for US banks to proceed with transactions for offshore gambling companies. That’s how they were pushed out of the market.
History of US Legal Online Poker
Online casinos started to appear back in 1994. They were usually situated in Antigua or the Isle of Man. However, the vast majority of their users were US-based customers. Two years later, in 1996, online gambling was also brought to the North American market soil.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established just outside Montreal. They started issuing licenses, and pretty soon, it was possible to find hundreds of new online gambling websites.
Once again, two years later and again in Canada, the first-ever poker online website saw the light of day. Planet Poker was the favorite source of fun to thousands of Americans who were spending endless hours playing the first real-money online Texas Hold’em.
Over the next few years, thanks to technological advances, better online poker software was developed, while the number of websites kept increasing. These online poker operators also started to offer various tournaments and cash games and got a solid fan base all over the world.
The Industry Kept Growing & Then It Collapsed
Even though there were different interpretations of the law, especially of the famous Wire Act, the newly developed industry kept growing.
The year 2003 is especially important in the evolution of online poker. Using an account from Tennessee, Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker after participating in the event through an online satellite. In Chris Moneymaker's case, we guess, it's okay to say that name determines destiny.
This online poker strategy was live-streamed on ESPN. Suddenly, the whole nation knew about Chris's story. A good number of Americans were hoping to be the next. All of a sudden, poker was everywhere on TV. Live games were followed carefully, and commercial breaks had one purpose: promoting online poker for money and playing Texas Hold 'em online.
The great number of promoted sites were, in fact, offshore online poker sites. A lot of them disappeared from American browsers after Congress passed the above-mentioned UIGEA in 2006.
However, even though a lot of sites weren't accessible anymore, online poker couldn't be erased that easily. Some of the offshore gambling companies had found a way around the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, but not for long.
In 2011, some of the largest online poker operators, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet, were accused of violating UIGEA and money laundering. These websites were definitely excluded from the significant US online poker market, which seemed to come to an end at the time.
Legal Online Poker Sites Rise Again
Also in 2011, the DOJ released a legal opinion that the Federal Wire act exclusively applied only to one form of gambling: sports betting. A few states saw this as a possibility, paving the way to regulated online casinos and legal US poker sites.
In 2012, Delaware was the first state that managed to do just that. Then, in December 2013, Nevada followed the example of passing online poker legislation. A week later, the Garden State became the third to legalize online gambling, and plans for NJ poker sites were made.
The first-ever regulated US online poker site was launched in Nevada in April 2013. Delaware and NJ poker sites went live that same year, a few months later. In 2017, Pennsylvania became the fourth state to join this group. West Virginia is the fifth state where online poker was regulated in 2019. Probably, more states will try to do the same thing in the near future.
Which State is Next?
Is online poker legal in California or New York? This is one of the frequently asked questions that people search for in the USA. They also search for different terms of poker terminology that sound unfamiliar to them. However, that’s another question that we could discuss on some other occasion.
Let’s get back to our question of legal online poker sites and the possible new markets in the USA. Michigan has made significant efforts to legalize online gambling, particularly online poker, while California, New York, and Massachusetts also seem to be moving in the right direction.
Real Money Poker App: How to Find the Best Poker App
It doesn’t matter if you are a Pennsylvania online poker fan or a regular visitor of NJ poker sites, the good news is that you can play poker whenever you want, anywhere within the borders of one or the other state.
Many of the best online poker websites have launched a dedicated real money poker app that you can easily download and install on your device. The best poker apps are available for both iOS and Android operating systems.
In order to find the best poker app, make sure you visit one of the websites we listed at the beginning of our review.
Also, before you replace your poker offline adventure with the one that can be found on the internet, make sure to read some of the online poker reviews and get to know the poker terminology used by the players worldwide. After a brief introduction to the poker basics, it’s time to create your own online poker strategy and join one of the legal online poker communities!
The market for online poker in the United States is, to put it mildly, in a constant state of flux. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for online poker players from America; new sites are opening all of the time and can be difficult to track, but they also tend to offer some of the most generous promotions and bonuses as they strive to gain market share.
For some help navigating the world of new online poker sites, you can either simply pick a site from our list of the top new poker sites for US players or continue reading for more analysis of the newer sites to open to the US market.
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This page provides you with the following;
- A list of the reccomended new sites for US players
- The advantages & disadvantages to playing on a new network / poker room.
- How to fund your account
New Poker Sites For 2021
Ignition Poker - 100% up to $1000 Bonus - Accepts Visa & Bitcoin
Ignition Poker is the newest poker site to join the United States poker market, which offers cutting-edge software for both Mac and Windows plus a dedicated mobile app. The poker room is able to support a good amount of low to mid stakes games and offers an easy to clear deposit bonus. Join Ignition Poker today and receive a 100% deposit bonus maxed out at $1000.
BetOnline Poker - 100% Instant Cash Bonus for New USA Players
Bet Online is the newest poker site to hit the US market. The poker room offers a Mac and Windows download, and is the only US poker site to offer players an instant bonus on first deposit. While the poker room is new, the main site (www.BetOnline.com) has been operating since 2004 with zero complaints. The company has built a solid reputation for providing prompt payments and top-level support. The poker room's traffic is mainly comprised of sports bettors, attributing to the soft cash games and wild tournaments. If you're looking for a new US poker site, Bet Online is definitely worth a try. As a new player, you'll receive a 100% bonus on your first deposit.
Are New Rooms Still Opening to US Players?
Yes. In fact, US players are seeing more new opportunities for online poker right now than they have at any point in the last several years. Part of this is driven by the exits of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker from the US market, which created a lack that several players are now rushing to fill. The US market for online poker has traditionally been a very lucrative one, a fact that continues to drive new operators into the space.
Most of the new US poker sites are not standalone rooms, but rather part of a network of rooms that already accepts players from the United States. Why would you want to play on a new room if it's just a skin on a network where you have an account already? One word: Value. As mentioned earlier, new poker sites generally have more lavish and generous promotions than existing rooms, because new rooms are - to put it bluntly - desperate for players. It's your job as a red-blooded poker player to take advantage of any edge, and the bonuses offered by new rooms are just as valuable as a fish at your table dumping off chips. It's all money in your bankroll at the end of the day.
What Are the Advantages & Disadvantages of New Sites
Some online poker sites are approaching 18 years online. Over those years, some sites have flourished, while others have stayed small or even disappeared. There are benefits to playing at the big older sites – though new poker sites have some big advantages too.
If you can get in with a room that is fresh on the market, you’ll often find fewer poker pros – who tend to play where there is a huge choice of tables. You’ll often also find big marketing budgets, which means more bonuses and cash rewards.
This page has you covered if you are considering playing at new online poker sites. First below, the pros and cons of new sites (compared to the older ones) are covered in more depth. After that there are some examples of newer poker sites you can check out. Finally, some info on getting your cash into new poker rooms can be found.
New Online Poker Sites – The Benefits
Online poker pros, known as ‘grinders’ are a fact of life for those of us playing online. This type of player will multi-table, often using software to highlight the inexperienced opponents at each table. It is natural for soft games to attract some pros. The problem occurs when they start to outnumber the new players. This creates a dynamic where it is hard for inexperienced players to win – their bankroll is gone before they learn the ropes!
New poker sites have the advantage of being smaller, and so not appealing to the poker pros – at least at first. With more recreational type players checking out the games, the games are more entertaining, and less tough by a long way.
The other big benefit of a new room is that poker sites often start off with significant marketing budgets to help them get off the ground. This will be used to offer attractive bonuses, free tournaments or to offer cash back type rewards. If you are prepared to move your bankroll around to take advantage of these new poker site deals, you’ll get more rewards for you’re the time spent.
New sites will often innovate. You’ll find new games, new designs and new compatibility with devices like iPhones or Tablets.
The Downside of New Online Poker Sites
While the big sites have more pros, they also have more choice. Having a larger player pool means more poker variations can be offered. It also means that novel variants have a big enough pool of participants willing to try them out. You also get bigger tournament guarantees and big promotions that would not be possible with a tiny player pool.
There is also a risk factor with a new room. Over time, different poker sites build different reputations in terms of how fast they process withdrawal requests and how responsive their customer service is. If your room is brand new, then you may not be sure if how reputable they are. In my experience, a licensed room with regular RNG (random number generator) testing will usually be ok. If you do hear about any issues with delayed payments, you need to be quick to get your money off of the site.
Are There Any New Sites for US Players?
The offshore poker rooms for US players have been static for some time. There are new games, new software and new promotions – though other than one new site, things have remained static.
Ignition Poker are the newest name. This site took over the poker room and players from Bovada last year. The software remains the same. As well as being the newest US poker site, Ignition Poker are also the largest. They are ahead of the Winning Poker Network (America’s Cardroom Poker) and BetOnline Poker in the traffic rankings.
There are some benefits to choosing this new poker site. Ignition Poker runs what they call a ‘recreational player model’. This involves anonymous tables, a ban on 3rd party tools and a cap on multi-tabling. You’ll find the games softer than average here as a result. The bonuses are generous, with up to $200 in bonuses for new players signing up.
Deposits and Withdrawals from Newer Poker Rooms
I recommend checking out the withdrawal process for your winnings before you make a deposit at any new poker site. Look out for minimum withdrawal amounts. Sometimes these are high enough (for example $100+_ to ‘trap’ the bankrolls of smaller stakes players.
If you are US based, then banks will try and block your deposits. There are several easy ways around this. Credit cards will work a lot of the time. You’ll need to make a purchase internationally to deposit. This is a one-way payment option, as withdrawals back to credit cards are not possible. Visa and MasterCard are the main (though not the only) brands.
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Pre-paid Visa cards have been used successfully for poker deposits by many players. Alternative options include Money Orders, Money Transfers (For example using Western Union) and the crypto-currencies. Currently, Bitcoin can be used for deposits at most online poker rooms. Litecoin can also be used at BetOnline or SportsBetting Poker.
Withdrawing is simple, though for US based players it can be on the slow side. If you deposited with a credit card, then the most common withdrawal method is via a paper check. Most sites will allow 1 free withdrawal each month, and then charge an admin fee for any additional withdrawals.
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You can also withdraw using Bitcoin or Litecoin. Bigger amounts can sometimes get a wire transfer, or use a money exchange office – for example MoneyGram.
Can I Trust New Poker Sites That Accept US Players?
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As recent events involving poker sites from around the world show, all poker sites carry with them some degree of risk. It doesn't matter if the site is based in the EU market, the US market or some other locale - online poker rooms can shut down without notice and delay or deny players access to their funds. These scenarios, of course, are the exception and not the rule, but we raise them only to make the point that there's nothing uniquely dishonest about US poker sites. Instead, players should be exercising caution regardless of what type of site they're playing on.
Will I Find Any Games on These Sites?
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New US online poker sites that are based on a network have a major advantage over new US rooms that are starting from scratch. Obviously, a room that is part of a network of sites will have traffic and games from day one, while a room going it alone is going to have to build those players one at a time.
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Since the overwhelming majority of new poker sites that welcome US players are part of a network, there shouldn't be much of an issue for players when it comes to game selection at those rooms. The major US-facing networks have solid traffic levels that will provide more than adequate game options for the vast majority of online poker players. Unfortunately there are no new poker sites that offer real money apps for Android or any mobile device.