First of all, https://playpokeronlineplay.com/ we always recommend that you find one with a valid and reputable gambling licence. Every poker brand that doesn’t have a valid license by an esteemed regulatory body is immediately excluded from further consideration.

Without such, the platform has free reign to do exactly what it wants. There aren’t any regulations that it specifically has to adhere to, so therefore, while it may not go the negative route, there’s always the possibility for it to happen.

We would never recommend you an unlicensed or unreputable online poker room, so you can always guarantee that the ones on our list are safe and secure.

To earn a spot on our exclusive list, a poker site must be adequately licensed. What’s more, it must use impenetrable security measures such as SSL encryption, DPOs, and high-end firewalls.

Bonuses

We’re constantly on the lookout for poker sites offering the juiciest welcome bonuses. The bigger the size of the sign-up offer, the higher the poker brand offering it will rank on our list.

On recommended poker sites, you’ll find an overwhelming variety of poker games, stretching from the ever-popular Texas Hold’em to Omaha, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Draw Poker. You’ll come across an equally impressive diversity in terms of the number of tournaments and cash games on offer.

Software quality

To establish the quality of a poker client, my team runs multiple benchmark tests, analyzing the site’s user experience, usability, and functionality. As a result, you can rest assured that you won’t run into any kind of performance issues on the sites I vouch for.

Banking

The cashier section must be packed with all kinds of payment methods, namely credit and debit cards, e-wallets and cryptocurrencies. Everyone is bound to find an easy-to-use, safe, and lightning-fast deposit method. Also, I steer clear from poker sites that charge sky-high fees for deposits and cashouts.

Customer support

It should be readily available for every user. In case you need any assistance, you can rely on the support agents to provide swift and efficient resolution to your problem through live chat and/or email.

The only other thing we’d suggest for you to do is find out what other players think about the poker site you’re intending to join.

Read not only our review of the platform, but other gamers’ comments as well. Find out if there’s any kind of recurring problem going on at it and how long it takes the site and support team to rectify such issues.

What we’re saying is, you need to ensure that the poker room is providing a good service and it doesn’t shirk around problems when they arise. Only frequent players would know about these issues, so check out reviews by other players to understand more about such.

Which Poker Sites Allow US Players?

There is no shortage of poker sites that accept US players. However, you shouldn’t rush into signing up with the first poker platform that comes to hand. Not all poker platforms are worthy of your attention, and some should even be avoided at all costs.

Our team of experts including myself have carried out detailed research and found that three US poker sites which are Ignition, BetOnline and Intertops are the go-to destinations for US poker players. Since each player has unique preferences when choosing a poker site, my advice is to check out other options and browse through the entire list listed on the table. Don’t worry; all these brands are exceptional. It’s only a matter of which one can accommodate your poker needs the most.

Are There Any Legal Poker Sites in the US?

There are, but quite a few of them. For example, the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement, the main regulatory body in New Jersey, approved and verified poker brands like 888poker and partypoker.

Other operators from our exclusive list are also licensed in various jurisdictions across the US and Central America. Bottom line - regardless of the poker site you choose from my page, you can rest assured that it’s appropriately licensed and regulated, therefore legal for US players.

Which US Poker Site Has the Most Players?

It’s tough to say since all my featured poker sites have excellent traffic. Usually, the best poker sites with the highest traffic are the more established brands like Bovada, JuicyStakes and partypoker. On these sites, you can easily find an open seat during peak hours, and there are plenty of tables to play at during the off time.

Do Any US Poker Sites Accept PayPal?

Very few poker sites in the US accept PayPal as a deposit and withdrawal option. Even the handful of poker rooms that facilitate PayPal transactions support only a limited number of countries, and the United States is not one of them.

PayPal abides by the rules of the countries it operates in, and since the gambling industry still hasn’t been regulated in the US, you’ll have a hard time finding a poker site that accepts it as a deposit option.

Luckily for you, poker sites from my list feature plenty of other payment methods that are equally efficient and secure as PayPal. For instance, there is a growing number of Bitcoin poker rooms that serve US customers. Due to the anonymity and transaction speed it provides, Bitcoin is a great payment option for poker players.

What’s more, a wide range of US poker sites accepts credit and debit cards and e-wallets like Skrill or Neteller. So, despite the absence of PayPal, I’m quite confident that you’ll be able to find a suitable payment solution on US poker sites. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Originally, it was a French colony, which explains a lot about poker’s origins being there. Because New Orleans operated as a major port on the Mississippi River, this meant that poker could travel along with the boats that went up and down the 100-mile stretch of water. This saw it introduced to various other ports and, subsequently, other towns as well. It is because of this that the middle of the 1800s saw the birth of the steamboat gambler.

At the same time, the deck of playing cards was expanded from 20 up to today’s 52 card set. The five-card poker version would also evolve at that time into a drawing game instead, with an additional round of betting being added to help sweeten the pots. It was at this time that hands could include the "flush" of five cards of the same suit. This was followed by the "straight" hand in the 1860s.

Poker hasn’t changed too dramatically in the way that it is played over the last 100 years at least. And even though several different variations of it have come to light, the basic rules tend to often remain the same. Decks and rules are pretty much standardised throughout. Yet, the idea behind playing poker is to try and make the very best hand that you can with the table cards and the cards you’re dealt.

While 5-card draw was the original popular poker game in the United States, things shifted towards stud poker, which in turn became seven cards. Texas Hold’em revolutionised the poker industry and remains as pretty much the most popular variation of the game everywhere.

Naturally, by the time the start of the 21st century came around, things were turning towards a more computerised setup. Poker sites did take hold of the USA for several years, until the introduction of the UIGEA that became effective in 2006. This made playing online poker and other online gambling options completely illegal in just about all of the country’s states. But we’ll take a look at that a bit more next.

Is poker legal in the US?

If you look at the whole picture, there are seven states and territories that have legalised certain forms of gambling within the United States. These include Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Georgia and the US Virgin Islands.

Furthermore, in 26 of the states, only horse racing betting is a legal form of gambling. As far as online gambling is concerned, this is only allowed in some of the states in an intrastate setup.

So, anyone playing poker within Nevada for example, can only play against other players located within that same state. Interstate agreements have been signed between Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada for online poker purposes, but we’ll touch on that a bit more shortly.

On the whole, online poker is pretty much banned in most of the states of the country, although players are not prosecuted for taking it upon themselves to access offshore online poker rooms. The only locations that provide legal online poker options are Delaware, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania for the time being. This does have the opportunity to expand to incorporate other locations, but only four states provide legal online poker options as things stand for now.

This wasn’t the case before 2006, when it was quite widespread throughout the USA. However, a bill was signed into law, known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which, when combined with the 1961 Federal Wire Act, pretty much outlawed all forms of online gambling from the country. There are so many ways to interpret and reinterpret the laws though, that it’s never been made entirely clear what is and isn’t legal. However, people have guessed that online poker cannot be played in a legal setting from within the United States of America.

This means that avid gamers have turned to foreign-based platforms, which the USA doesn’t really have any control over. Residents are not punished for depositing and playing poker games at these sites, so it pretty much functions as the only route that American poker players can take, unless they reside within one of the states that provide legal online poker.

Legal Regulations Concerning Online Poker in USA

The matter of legality was bound to call for licensing issues of these sites. However, you shouldn’t be surprised to find out that the same division arises.

Namely, the three states which have legal rights to host and provide poker sites are licensed by their corresponding authorities.

More precisely, the Nevada Gaming Control Board is responsible for Nevada gambling activities, while the New Jersey Casino Control Commission is in charge of both New Jersey and the State of Delaware.

These authorities provide licenses and maintain control over any irregularities. You can also have a look at Tim Glocks’s US Poker sites top list.

The remaining US citizens have turned to offshore poker sites. These are mainly licensed by respective authorities from the jurisdiction they’ve originated of. Such legislative bodies include the license providers from Costa Rica, as well as Curaçao eGaming. Although there’s a greater preference for the poker sites licensed by Costa Rica, there’s no confirmed reason to avoid those which are connected to Curaçao eGaming.

Up-to-Date List of States That Have Legalized Online Poker in the US

Currently, only four states are operating online poker - Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Michigan and West Virginia have also legalized online gambling and are expected to launch gambling sites in early 2021.

Let’s take a short trip down history lane and see how it all went down.

Nevada

In 2013, Nevada became the first state in the US to legalize and regulate interstate online poker within its borders. Not long after the DOJ changed its opinion regarding the Wire Act in 2011, Nevada’s lawmakers started working on the online poker legislation.

Being home to the world’s largest poker tournaments, including the WSOP, Nevada’s legislators realized that online poker would bring in a massive revenue boost to the state’s economy and bolster the existing poker industry.

Online gambling officially became legal in the Sagebrush State on February 25, 2013, when Gov. Brian Sandoval signed Assembly Bill 114 into law. WSOP.nv is currently the only site offering online poker services in Nevada. Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission regulate and approve this poker giant.