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Mar 11, 2017 These online poker sites are legal in the U.S. And can provide you with ways to win some real money. Check out WSOP NJ, 888poker NJ, Global Poker, and more! Additional Factors For Consideration when playing online poker for real money. US poker players which reside in the remaining states that haven’t legalized gambling need to be able to choose the best US-friendly offshore poker site. Aside from these major aspects covered above, there are some additional factors for consideration. Play online poker at 888 poker NJ - 100% regulated to offer real money online poker games. Get your $20 free bonus - NO DEPOSIT NEEDED.

Online poker is a far simpler undertaking than most new players think. With just a bit of research and patience, you can learn everything you need to know about playing online poker from the United States in well under an hour.

In this US Poker FAQ you’ll uncover detailed answers to over a dozen of the fundamental questions new American poker players have about getting started online. If you have a question and can’t find the answer on this page, please feel free to contact us here. .

General Questions About Online Poker in the United States

If online poker is a completely new pursuit, review this section to find answers to the basic queries beginning players regularly ask when they’re first starting to explore the world of US online poker.

What is Different About Online Poker?

Almost everyone in the US has played some form of poker at some point in their lives. While the transition might seem a little jarring at first, moving from your personal poker experience to playing online is actually a far shorter leap than it seems. The rules are the same, the deck is the same and it feels just as good when you get dealt aces online as it does when you’re dealt them live.

The one big difference that new players tend to be unprepared for is the pure speed of the online version. When you play at an online poker site, you’re playing a game that is something close to four times faster than a live poker deal. On top of that boost, you can play multiple tables at the same time. It’s possible to literally pack years of live poker into just a few weeks of intensive online play. While this sounds great at first, the pace of online poker presents a unique set of challenges, especially to novice players who need a slower pace of play to make good decisions.

Are American Online Poker Rooms Secure?

Any online poker market will inevitably host a handful of rogue sites, but the majority of the legal options for online poker in the US are completely reputable sites with long track records of offering stable and secure products. Secure US poker sites – such as any site we feature or review – will share a few characteristics, including:

1. History of payouts: We only suggest US poker sites sites with established histories of successful (and complete) player payouts.
2. Licensed and regulated: All of the United States online poker rooms reviewed on our site are licensed and regulated by a recognized jurisdiction.
3. Secure channels for play and banking: Any room we list for American players provides players with secure methods for handling financial transactions as well as totally secure environments for game play.

How US Poker Rooms Make Money

Poker rooms that accept American players make money the same way as just about any poker room, online or otherwise. They make money by charging a fee – taken from the pot in cash games and as a separate entry charge for tournaments – called the rake. You can review the rake of any US poker site on their webpage or by reaching out to support.

Is the Software Safe to Download?

Yes. There is an extremely active online poker community for US players that is constantly monitoring the reputability of poker site downloads. The Windows and Mac poker downloads are safe. We are unaware of any incident whatsoever involving malicious software and an American online poker room, so you can feel safe downloading software packages from our suggested US poker sites. The no download poker sites are also safe to use, however, at the time of this review, non of the US sites offer a no download option.Back to the FAQ

Available Games For US Players

The dominant game at all online poker sites available to American players is Texas Hold’em. Next in terms of popularity is Pot Limit Omaha, with stud games and other minor variants making up the rest of the lobby for a typical US poker site.

The Basics of Deposit Bonuses

You can’t visit the homepage of an American poker site without seeing a deposit bonus advertised in big, bold type. Deposit bonuses are a staple of all online poker rooms, and they work like this: You deposit a certain amount of money and the room gives you a bonus based on that deposit. The bonus money is separate from your regular funds and is restricted – you can’t cash it out or use it for play.

As you play at the room, you will gradually convert this bonus money to regular funds that can be cashed out or used for real-money play at the site. The rate at which this conversion occurs, along with the size of the bonus you can get, differs from one US poker room to the next. Terms of bonuses are analyzed in all of our US poker site reviews.

Are the Games Fixed Online?

Cheating is an unfortunate part of nearly all games. Online poker is no different than live poker when it comes to this issue. Fortunately for players, the major US online poker sites have developed sophisticated methods for identifying and putting a stop to cheaters in poker games online.

If you feel like a game isn’t on the level at a poker site, your best bet is to collect all of the hand records you believe show evidence of fraud or cheating. All online poker sites have dedicated security teams that will take your information, review it, and act accordingly. While not every suspected instance of cheating turns out to involve actual cheating, the best policy for players is to report everything that seems suspicious to the room and let the professionals sort out which is which. Back to the FAQ

How Much Do You Need to Deposit to Play US Online Poker?

The amount you should deposit depends on what games you want to play. The great thing about online poker is that rooms can offer much smaller games than would ever be possible in a live poker room. That means players can get plenty of mileage out of a small poker deposit. In fact, even a deposit of $20 can allow a typical player to get weeks of play across cash games and tournaments at any one of our suggested US online poker rooms.

We generally suggest that players begin with small deposits regardless of what stakes they are interested in playing. Small deposits allow you to take trial runs on sites without committing large amounts of money, and give you increased flexibility should you decide that a given online poker site simply isn’t working out.

Online Poker Banking for Americans

For players who are familiar with the game of poker but aren’t certain of how depositing works at United States-friendly poker sites, the following answers should provide useful clarification. Back to the FAQ

How Difficult is it to Deposit at an Online Poker Site?

A persistent myth has developed in some corners of the online poker community: Depositing at an online poker site from the US is difficult. That’s actually not at all the case, as depositing at most US-facing online poker sites is as easy as purchasing a pair of pants from a major online retailer. There are a variety of choices for US players who want to deposit at an online poker site, and most involve little more than a few minutes of your time. If you play poker online in New Jersey, New York, Washington or one of the commonly banned states, we suggest you check out our BetOnline Poker review as this site has no problems accepting players from any one of the 50 states.

Choices for Making Poker Deposits

Our site offers extensive guides to all of the major choices US players have for making legal poker deposits/ We suggest players review any of our following guides in order to effectively compare and contrast the various choices for depositing at an online poker room open to US players:

Banking Information Safety

While poker sites serving US players do provide secure channels for deposits and withdrawals, it still falls on players to ensure their own security. We strongly suggest that US poker players use a dedicated credit card or bank account for all online poker transactions, and further that these accounts should be monitored actively. The primary cause for concern is that US poker rooms do not handle most payment processing directly; instead, that job is contracted out to other companies, companies that may not be as reputable or established as the poker site itself.

Charges for Depositing or Making Withdrawals

Before the UIGEA and Black Friday, poker players from the United States never had to worry about paying a fee to deposit or cash out. Now, the reality is that players may encounter fees, sometimes substantial ones, while attempting to move funds to and from US poker rooms. Each payment method charges different types of fees, but by reviewing our guides to the different options for making your deposit at the poker site you can easily identify the one that offers the best combination of ease and value for you.

Online Poker in the US: Legality

The legal environment surrounding US online poker is a complicated one, and the nuances of that environment are constantly shifting. Arming yourself with some basic information regarding the legality of online poker in the United States is the best way for a player to make sound decisions regarding the choice to play poker online for real money. Back to the FAQ

Has Anyone Ever Been Arrested for Playing Online Poker in the US?

Based on our extensive research, we feel confident in saying that no one has ever been arrested or charged for simply playing poker online from the US. It is difficult to definitively assess the legality of playing online poker in each and every jurisdiction within the United States, but players can definitely take comfort in the apparent fact that even if the act of playing does technically violate the law, players are not a target of law enforcement in the US.

Depositing Legally at a Poker Site From the US

While the legality of playing poker for real money in some formats may be an open question, the legality of making a deposit generally is not. Federal law only covers the institutions that process the transaction, not the individual participants making the transactions. You should not encounter any legal issues when making a deposit at a US-facing online poker room.

Paying Taxes on Online Poker Winnings in the United States

Money won playing at an online poker room is the same as money won at a live poker room, and that means that it is subject to all applicable reporting and taxes. Players from the United States should definitely plan to pay taxes on any winnings from online poker sites.

In order to be in full compliance with tax authorities, players should keep a log of all of their online poker activity. A log of each session, including times and overall results, is your best asset if there is ever an audit or similar process involving your online poker play. If you have any questions about how to report poker income, your smartest play is to talk to a tax professional. Depending on how much of your income is derived from poker, you may qualify for special tax treatment that can reduce the amount of tax you’ll have to pay on your winnings from playing online poker.

Understanding the UIGEA

Poker players from the United States are often confused about the UIGEA. We have developed a comprehensive guide to the UIGEA, but the short version goes like this: The law, passed in 2006, directs financial institutions like banks to put procedures in place that block transactions related to illegal online gambling. The law does not outlaw online poker or make players subject to criminal penalty for playing at poker sites open to Americans.

Can Americans Play Online Poker After Black Friday?

Yes. While PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker no longer accept US players for real money online poker, several online poker sites still take American poker players. In fact, thousands and thousands of US players are online at any given time playing poker at the top sites for Americans.

Black Friday introduced no new laws or rules that changed the legal status of online poker in the US. Much like the UIGEA, the charges were focused on financial violations and not at all targeted on individual poker players. Back to the FAQ

Enjoying online poker while residing in the U.S is not as difficult as one might think. Most online poker sites will turn down any registration from the United States, but there are still several leading poker sites that do indeed accept U.S registrations to this day.

And, contrary to widespread belief, most of them are also operating legally within a regulated and licensed environment. The purpose of this article is to offer you all the information you need to have a safe and secure online poker experience while playing from the U.S.

To start things off; you will need to find a legit online poker site that is both trustworthy and reliable.

Top American Poker Rooms for January 2020All Poker Rooms are Licensed , Mobile Friendly Advertiser Disclosure

Contents

• U.S Legislation and Online Poker
• Frequently Asked Questions

With so many online poker sites available on the World Wide Web, it can be quite a challenging task to separate the good from the bad by yourself. That’s exactly why we decided to publish this article at Top10pokerwebsites to assist you in making a more educated decision before registering with an online poker room.

We’ve tested each online poker room extensively, completed in-depth research into the numerous options available, and compared how each of them performed in a variety of key areas. Only the top performers have managed to make it onto our list, and these don’t just accept customers from the U.S, they generously welcome them with open arms.

Read our comprehensive online reviews surrounding the best U.S facing online poker rooms right here at Top10pokerwebsites. You will find everything from the history of the online poker room to its current reputation. We also go into great detail regarding the poker network, the software used on the site, and the overall graphics you can expect once your account has been registered.

Furthermore, we take an in-depth look at the current welcome package and the on-going promotions on offer and include the wagering requirements tied to each of the spectacular offers. We then dive into the list of deposit and withdrawal options available at each online poker establishment and provide the processing times on each payment method to assist you in choosing the right method for your deposit and withdrawal needs.

Lastly, we give you an honest and unbiased review surrounding the security measures in place at each online poker room and the level of customer service you can expect when dealing with a problem on your account.

U.S Legislation and Online Poker

Online poker in the United States has never been illegal and will probably never be either. While outsiders, and possibly some insiders, will declare that enjoying online poker in the United States is a crime, the reality is that it’s not. Even though it’s virtually impossible for online operators to provide online poker games to U.S players due to certain legal restrictions, online players were never breaking the law by playing at a virtual felt.

When you look at the U.S legislation, online poker encountered several problems when the U.S government decided to implement the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) that formed part of the SAFE Port Act. Online poker was thriving before politicians decided to disrupt the online poker community by making it impossible for U.S poker players to deposit. Mainstream advertisements, generous giveaways, and big money tournaments ensured millions of online players enjoyed the virtual edition of poker. However, after the U.S online poker legislation transformed into a ‘grey area’, the total number of players and operators have dropped significantly in the United States.

Fortunately, that dark grey cloud is starting to disappear and things in the United States are beginning to look a lot brighter. To get a better understanding of U.S legislation and online poker, let’s look at the main factors, starting with the implementation of the UIGEA to the changes that are currently taking shape in the United States when it comes to poker regulation.

What is the UIGEA?

In 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act was passed, outlawing the processing of funds between U.S citizens and online poker establishments. This made it almost impossible for online poker players to play online. Although the bill excluded wagers between tribal gaming operators and fantasy sports betting, it essentially rendered the entire online poker economy of the U.S obsolete.

After this U.S legislation piece came into effect, the online poker community took a serious nosedive as most online poker operator’s in the North American market had to pull out. In fact, not only did the poker economy in the U.S suffer but the overall industry too. However, even though online operators were facing legal repercussions, there were no online poker players that were being prosecuted. Therefore, although the UIGEA made it impossible for poker sites to process gaming funds, players were not being arrested if they played online. This made it possible for a handful of operators to remain active in the United States.

Black Friday

Even though the online poker sites that remained active in the U.S were technically banned from hosting real money poker games due to the U.S poker legislation, the online operators continued to argue that they weren’t actually doing anything wrong. This defence managed to keep them safe from the DOJ’s firing line for a couple of years. However, in 2011, three major online poker sites, including Absolute Poker, Full Tilt Poker, and PokerStars were shut down.

This momentous day in the history of online poker is now referred to as Black Friday which sent the online poker community into a downward spiral. With online players from the U.S facing lengthy delays before they could get their funds, the poker industry suffered its second significant slump. In fact, Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars had to pay a hefty fine to the DOJ to remain operational, and have a chance at re-entering the U.S market in the future.

Absolute Poker, at the time, was, unfortunately, unable to meet the demands of the DOJ and went into liquation with Full Tilt Poker also struggling. Luckily, PokerStars managed to build an enormous fortune and not only paid the DOJ, but also managed to cover Full Tilt Poker’s fine as well. This gave the Rational Group, a parent company to PokerStars, take full control of Full Tilt Poker.

Online Poker in the U.S: Then and Now

Prior to the UIGEA and Black Friday dealing powerful blows to the online gaming industry, online poker was an impressive enterprise. Investors, operators, and players all enjoyed several years of prosperity. The most notable aspect, prior to the U.S legislation of online poker, was how easy the games were as poker is a mainstream game and considered a national pastime with casual players being common.

Unfortunately, the U.S legislation caused professional players to stay and the fish to swim away. This developed a significant rise in the way online poker is being played, and therefore made it much harder for inexperienced players to be profitable.

However, as time goes by, the U.S climate has gradually started to change for the better. Although you could play online poker at a couple of dark corners of the internet over the last few years, there seems to be some much-needed light at the end of the tunnel. Online poker is still far from being a regulated industry when it comes to the U.S legislation. However, things are starting to look a lot more positive when compared to how they once were.

Online poker in the U.S initially sat with regulation at a federal level, but it has recently been taking shape on a state-by-state basis, allowing U.S players to gain access to the virtual game once again. Despite this being a less effective route of regulating online poker, most online operators are quickly seizing the opportunity by forming partnerships with land-based casinos to re-enter the U.S market.

A New Era

Online Poker For Money Usa

Only three U.S states currently offer regulated online poker, including Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey. However, as these markets grow, more governors are starting to exhibit an interest in regulating online poker. U.S states such as Iowa, California, and New York are all looking at the endless benefits of regulated online poker in 2017.

The main reason why U.S states are starting to regulate online poker is the power they enact with their own unique laws. Although the UIGEA is still in place, it will essentially be ruled out once a state passes a bill allowing online gambling in their respective state. For this reason, the likelihood of more states allowing regulated online poker looks promising, giving players access to online poker in the next few months.

In addition, the U.S legislation of online poker is moving towards online gaming at an intrastate level. This allows regulated states to essentially share their players that can link the entire country, and bring a rush of liquidity to the United States. Obviously, international connectivity is still years away. However, if regulators can assist in creating a stable online poker community across America, then a re-entry into the global market will undoubtedly follow.

Licensing Jurisdictions

When you do want to start playing poker online it will be dependent on just which US State you are living in or visiting in regards to just which licensing jurisdiction will be overseeing and regulating the poker sites you can legally play at.

Currently there are three US States that have embraced fully online gambling, and as such there are two different licensing jurisdictions that vet each poker site and then issue gaming license to poker sites based n three of those US States.

With that in mind please do pay carefully attention to the following section of this US online poker player guide, and always make sure you only ever play at poker rooms and poker sites that are displaying the logo and gambling licenses of the respective gaming commission or licensing authorities mentioned below depending on which US State you are in and wish to play online poker from.

Failing to follow our advice could see you playing at a poker site that has no safeguards in place in regards to you seeking help and assistance if you do every experience any problems playing at an online poker site.

New Jersey Casino Control Commission – If you live in new Jersey or the neighbouring US State of Delaware then you are going to find that you can legally play at any online poker site that has been granted a full gambling license.

Those sites will therefore be run and operated to the very highest of industry standards and you will be assured that every single poker game or online poker tournament you take part in is offering 100% fair and random games, and you will of course have no troubles getting pad your winnings speedily too.

Nevada Gaming Control Board – If you are living within the State boundaries of Nevada then you will be pleased to learn that there are now numerous online poker sites that have all applied for and have been granted a full online gambling license.

That is of course the very same gaming control board that licenses, regulates and oversees the running of all licensed gambling venues and casinos throughout Nevada and as such all sites that have obtained and have been granted one of their licenses is very highly regulated.

Costa Rica – If you live in any other US State other than the three mentioned above then you will be more than welcome to sign up to any online poker site that hold a Costa Rica license to operate.

There will be quite a number of different poker sites offering you all manner of poker games and poker tournaments licensed and regulated in Costa Rica and as such you will have no difficulties finding such a poker site online. However, do make sure you take a look at our range of approved poker sites licensed in Costa Rica as we have picked all of them out based on their track records.

Curaçao eGaming – One final online gambling licensing jurisdiction that has issued licenses to quite a number of online poker sites that are available to play in most US States is Curaçao, and those sites will allow you to fund your poker site accounts using US Dollars and will also allow you to play in any of their poker games or poker tournaments using US Dollars too.

You’ll be guided on how to access poker games in the United States, as well as the different game variants available. Whether you’re a Texas Hold ‘em fan or enjoy the challenge of H.O.R.S.E poker, there is a site out there for you.

Read on for to find the best US online poker room that checks all your boxes for the ultimate gaming site.

Frequently Asked Questions

This final part of our guide to licensed and legal US online poker site is dedicated to getting you the answers to a range of different questions that we do know many poker players will be seeking, if they have not yet experienced the delights of playing poker online.

All of the questions listed below are answered fully, and as such do have a good read through all of them as you are bound to find those answers of interest. Also do consider taking a look at our individual US poker site reviews as you will find a plethora of additional information in regards to what each of those sites has to offer you too.

You will find that when you sign up to any of our top rated US player friendly online poker sites then you will be able to play on both their online poker playing platforms and also on any mobile apps or mobile web compatible poker platforms those sites have on offer, if they do offer a mobile poker playing platform that is!

Your online or mobile log in details will work on both platforms and as such that does of course mean you will not have to register again to use the other type of platform!

We have spent a great deal of time picking out and selecting just which poker sites to showcase to all of our US based website visitors and with that in mind you should have no problems what so ever being able to play poker at our featured and approved poker sites!

Poker Online For Money

One thing that we are aware of and one thing that you as a player may also be more than aware of is that when you sign up to some online poker sites that cater for US players you will not have the option of picking form a very large range of different depositing options, and as such you may be limited in regards to what banking options you can pick and choose from.

However, it has been found that by using a pre paid debit type card which you can buy form a lot of retail outlets you will have a much greater approval rate and success rate when using such a card to make a deposit, so please do consider using such a deposit option for a hassle free way of playing real money poker online!

We are pleased to let you know that every single one of our featured online poker sites are going to allow you to find your poker site account using a range of different banking options, and one of the main attractions of selecting one of our featured sites is that your deposit you make into your account will be done so in US Dollar.

Some online poker sites will force you to have to make deposits in a different currency other than USD and those sites should always be avoided as there will be lots of charges and extra fees you will have to pay when not only depositing into those poker sites but when you wish to make a withdrawal too!

It will be dependent on just which method you have chosen o get paid your winnings by in regards to just how long you are going o have to wait to get pad out your winnings at any US player friendly online or mobile poker site, so always pick a method that will allow the poker site you have played at and have won at that will allow that site to pay you in the very fastest possible time frames!

US based online and mobile poker players do have a huge range of different poker tournaments that they can take part in and enter, both mobile and online US player friendly poker sites have plenty of tournaments up and running throughout the day and night.

If you are living in the US and want to find out just when any poker sites poker tournaments are up and running then visit the poker sites websites and take a good look through the poker tournament schedule as that will enlighten you on how every poker tournament has been structured and designed and when it will be going live too.

Play Poker Online For Money Usa

Competition is of course very strong between online poker site that offer US players a range of different poker games and poker tournaments and a such you are going to find there are some very high valued sign up bonuses and ongoing bonuses that you are going to be able to claim when you sign up to any poker site online.

However, as part of our selection process for picking out US player friendly poker sites we have made sure that every single poker room and poker site we present to you have its own unique poker rewards scheme in place. As such based on the level of real money poker playing action you give any of our featured US player friendly poker site you will be earning additional comps and bonus credits too.

The licensing commissions and gaming authorities insist that both free play poker games and the real money version of those game much play and pay in the exact same way except when playing for free you will be winning demo mode credits, unless you play in a freeroll poker tournament!

Online Poker For Cash Usa

There are not that many brand new poker game variants being launched online or at any mobile poker sites and as such you may not find a large number of brand new poker game variants being offered to you.

However, all of our featured and top rated online poker sites will of course give you access to every type of poker game you can think off and you may occasionally find some brand new types of poker games available to you at some of our selected and approved US player friendly online poker sites!

Online Poker For Money Outside Us Taxes

One final thing worth knowing is that even if you are living in the US you are going to get access to just as many very high valued poker site bonuses players based in any other country of the world, and all of our featured and approved US player friendly poker sites will be giving you access to both huge and generous new player welcome sign up bonuses and also a range of ongoing bonuses too..

Real Online Poker For Money

So look around and do make use of those generous poker bonus offers as soon as you possible can do as they are all there for the taking and you can claim them all with no delays too!