1. While online poker is not legal in California, live poker in brick-and-mortar card rooms is legal in the state, with players fortunate to have more card rooms to choose from than in any other state. Charitable, nonprofit organizations are also allowed to host “ poker nights ” along with bingo games and raffles, but only once per year.
2. Legal real money online poker in the USA is our another topic to talk about. Many potential players mistakenly believe that it is illegal to play in the US. This is not true! Very few states have laws on books covering online pokery, and it is therefore very legal to play in the comfort of their home in almost every US state and region.

• Is Real Money Online Poker Legal In Usa
• Will Online Poker Be Legal In Usa Right Now
• Will Online Poker Be Legal In Usa Online
• Is Online Poker Legal In Us

If you live in the US or you are traveling to the US and you want to play online poker, you might be a bit intimidated by the legal implications. The legal system in the US is complex and the laws differ from one state to another.

The Poker Players' Alliance is a US-based advocacy group for online poker legality. Their news feed includes articles following the most up-to-date action in various states and federal courts working on legislation for online poker. By Randy Ray & James Carter August 14th, 2019. Updated: January 2, 2020. The legality of online poker in the United States varies according to your jurisdiction. Contrary to what some sources might have you believe, no federal law specifically forbids online poker. For those who may be unfamiliar with the name the UIGEA was the law created to ban online poker from the United States and that ultimately led to the famous Black Friday.

If you don’t know where to begin, this is your survival guide. By the end of this article, you will have learned everything you need to know about where you can and cannot play, how to play on offshore sites, what to expect in the future, and a lot more.

Is Online Poker Legal in the US?

Is Real Money Online Poker Legal In Usa

This is the most frequently asked question on the Internet about online poker legality in the US. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of the US legislative system, there is no simple answer to it.

On the federal level, online poker is completely legal, no matter what some other guides out there state. However, the situation is a bit different on the state level. Individual states have the right to decide whether they want to explicitly legalize online poker or prohibit it.

In the majority of states, online poker is still not officially regulated. However, there are some exceptions. For example, Washington, Utah, and Louisiana explicitly prohibit their residents from playing online poker. If you decide to do it, you will be committing a felony.

However, so far, there have been zero online poker arrests. Absolutely no one has been prosecuted for playing poker online. Therefore, it is safe to say that you can play online poker if you live in one of these states without any major issues.

On the other hand, five states so far have legalized online poker:

• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Delaware
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia

Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware were the first three states to give their residents full freedom of engaging in online poker games. Thanks to the latest 3-state online poker pooling, players from these three states can now compete against each other online.

Which States May Soon Legalize Online Poker?

As you can see, right now, the majority of the states still haven’t legalized online poker. However, in the near future, things are bound to change for the better.

Right now, four more states are considering making online poker legal: California, New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan.

The state of New York has already introduced legislation to change the categorization of poker from a game of chance to a game of skill. This will basically make the game legal in the state.

Most people are keeping an eye on California, as it’s the biggest state with almost 40 million inhabitants. California has introduced many gambling and poker bills during the last couple of years, but all of them stranded, because of differences between stakeholders as the Indian tribes. As the tribes are not willing to compromise, legislation of online poker in California is not going to happen this year.

How to Check if a Poker Website Is Legal?

If you live in one of the five states where online poker is explicitly legal, you should pay attention to the websites where you choose to play. Unlike in Europe where there are numerous iGaming regulatory bodies that can issue licenses to gambling websites, that’s not the case in the US.

There is usually just one regulatory body per state that is allowed to issue licenses. Therefore, before registering and playing on a website, you should check what the name of that regulatory body is and whether your preferred site is licensed by it.

If you want to expand your choice of online poker websites you can play on, there’s another option — offshore sites.

Can US Players Visit Offshore Online Poker Sites?

In case you live in a state that has still not officially legalized online gambling, you can explore your options of playing online poker on offshore websites.

Many believe that playing poker on websites that operate outside of the US is illegal. However, that’s not the case. This belief is based on the UIGEA act passed in 2006 that prohibits offshore websites from offering their services to US residents.

However, this law does not prohibit US residents from playing on such websites. The legality of playing online as an individual is simply unregulated.

However, there are still some concerns you should be aware of. When playing poker on offshore websites, make sure that you do it on reputable, reliable, and licensed sites. In case you fall victim to fraud, you will not be able to seek protection from your local government.

Also, you should keep in mind that it might be more difficult to find deposit and withdrawal options in such cases. This is because a lot of banks do not allow gambling-related transactions using their credit and debit cards as they could face punishment from the government.

What Are the Most Popular Games Played Online?

Online poker sites in the US have a pretty decent selection of poker games. The most popular one, of course, is No-Limit Texas Hold’em. This is the preferred poker variation of US residents, which is why it is offered by every poker website in the country. Other popular poker variations include Pot-Limit Omaha and No-Limit Omaha. Omaha Hi-Lo and Limit Hold’em are not that popular but can still be found.

However, if you decide to play on offshore websites, you will gain access to an even larger selection of games. All websites will offer the variations listed above, but you can also expect to find Raz, 5-card draw, H.O.R.S.E., 7-Card Stud, and so on.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, the legality of online poker in the US is not a simple topic. Hopefully, after reading this article, things are much clearer to you. You should now have a clear idea of what is allowed and what’s not.

Generally, you should not have any reservations toward playing online poker on offshore websites, in case your state has still not legalized it. Just make sure to be cautious about your safety when doing so to avoid potential problems.

Back in New Jersey & More States to Come in 2020?

Currently, PokerStars is only available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Updated March. 5, 2020 – PokerStars launched in Pennsylvania and has the highest traffic of all regulated poker sites in America. It also hosted the Pennsylvania Online Championship of Poker. This was a huge series with more than $1 million in guaranteed prizes. It took years, but it looks like it was worth the wait for Pennsylvania players.

PokerStars has been running strong in New Jersey since 2016, but it hasn’t reached the size Pennsylvania has. A shared player pool could really kick things up a notch though. We’ll see if success in Pennsylvania leads to PokerStars in more states.

Legal Online Poker in the USA

Six states have legalized online poker. Out of those, four currently have sites up-and-running. Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Two more states legalized online poker but are still working on setting things up. West Virginia, legalized online poker in 2019. But online poker sites there aren’t expected to launch until 2021. The same goes for Michigan.

When it comes to PokerStars, only two states have Poker Stars software. PokerStars gained approval to operate in New Jersey in 2015. Their site, pokerstarsnj.com, went live on March 21, 2016. Of course, you have physically located in New Jersey to play. It’s play money for all other states. PokerStars NJ also offers casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette and more.

PokerStars then launched in Pennsylvania in late 2019. They kicked things off with the Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker that drew thousands of players and culminated in a $300 buy-in main event with a $100,000-guaranteed prize pool.

If you’re not in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, PokerStars could still come to your state further down the line. If you want to play today though, there are still plenty of great alternatives.

Best PokerStars Alternatives for US Players

We recommend Ignition Poker as the best alternative. A lot of people prefer it to non-state run sites since they accept players from all 50 states. Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, ACR, Black Chip Poker and Intertops also rank highly. As state by state rollouts occur, we will continue to keep you updated on when PokerStars makes it to your state.

Can You Play PokerStars in the USA?

Real money online poker play on PokerStars is only available if you are physically in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. PokerStars will be in more US states soon though. West Virginia and Michigan are the current front-runners to join the party.

PokerStars, which also owns Full Tilt Poker, is currently owned by The Stars Group, formerly called Amaya Gaming Group and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. PokerStars is partnered with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, and their main competition in the state is WSOP/888 and Borgata/PartyPoker. In Pennsylvania, they teamed up with FoxBet, which is the real-money wagering provided by FOX Sports.

While there’s online poker Delaware and Nevada, but PokerStars has yet to get a license in either state. If you do not live in either New Jersey or Pennsylvania, we recommend Ignition Poker or Betonline.ag. They are safe and trusted sites that service all 50 states. Check out our reviews for a comprehensive look at how each online poker site. We detail the most important factors to look at when picking an online poker room.

Make no mistake. Online poker is legal in the USA. It’s 100% legal for you to play. Don’t have to worry about getting arrested.

How Many Players on Pokerstars?

PokerStars remains the largest poker site on the internet with tens of thousands of players logging in weekly. PokerStars traffic is far superior to any other poker website and it controls over 50% of the market.

The sale of PokerStars has now changed the game in the US market. It is a prerequisite for any online casino that operates with a US license to also have or be partners with a US operated “land-based” casino. PokerStars partnered with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. Unfortunately, PokerStars has struggled with its NJ-based traffic. On the bright side, Pennsylvania has been a traffic bonanza for PokerStars since it launched in late 2019.

PokerStars also made a massive deal with gigantic casino conglomerate Eldorado Resorts, which operates properties across 12 different states. The US government has to be pleased that PokerStars is playing ball and infusing the US market with plenty of cash.

When Will PokerStars Return to the USA?

It kind of already is. If you’re in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, just download the software. If you’re in another state, then you’ll have to wait. Regulated online poker has been moving pretty slow. Even then, some states that have legalized it haven’t let PokerStars in. That’s because they have another obstacle. Some important gaming groups in the USA see the brand as a bad actor because it operated without a license in the USA for years.

The brand is still incredibly popular around the world though. The site also paid over an estimated $850 million in fines because of Black Friday. It might take some time, but PokerStars will make its way back to the USA on a broader scale.

Good Faith Will Not Prevail?

While some US states have been reluctant to allow PokerStars back, it should be noted that the company bailed out tens of thousands of American poker players. Full Tilt famously didn’t have funds on hand to repay its players after Black Friday. PokerStars then bought Full Tilt and repaid all its players for millions and millions of dollars.

PokerStars was simply a better-run business and separated their player accounts from operating expenses. It was, therefore, an easy task for PokerStars to immediately pay back its players after they were forced out of the US market in 2011. PokerStars was also better at becoming a global poker business. Most of its player traffic came from outside the USA.

This act of good faith was on top of the hundreds of millions they paid out in penalties to US officials. It was an example of responsible gaming. As more and more casinos based in the USA secure their licenses to operate, PokerStars will likely be entering several of these state-regulated markets.

When Will I Be Able to Play PokerStars in my State?

We have in-depth real money online poker guides for many of the US states that are updated whenever there are changes to state legislation. Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut guide to when online poker will be legalized in each US state. For now, it appears that progress will only occur at the state level and a federal online poker bill is still just a pipe dream.

Some states have a higher chance of legalizing and regulating online poker in the near future, however. We keep close track of some of the more progressive states and try to give our readers some insight into which states could be closing in on legalization. You can take a deeper dive into your states specific laws in regards to PokerStars and all online poker laws with our state-by-state guides.

Online Poker USA Law State-by-State Guides

You can refer to the legal status of online poker in every US state here:
Alabama – Arizona – Arkansas – California – Colorado – Connecticut – Georgia – Idaho – Iowa – Kansas – Maine – Maryland – Massachusetts – Michigan – Minnesota – Mississippi – Montana – Nebraska – New Hampshire – New Mexico – North Carolina – North Dakota – Ohio – Oklahoma – Pennsylvania – Rhode Island – South Carolina – Tennessee – Vermont – West Virginia – Wyoming

The Entire History of PokerStars in the USA

PokerStars has a fascinating history in the online poker industry with a substantial portion of it taking place in the USA.

Will Online Poker Be Legal In Usa Right Now

2000s

• Now a billion-dollar, publicly-traded company, PokerStars had rather humble beginnings.
• It began in the early 2000s as a Costa Rican company called Rational Enterprises that was majority-owned by Israeli-Canadian Isai Scheinberg.
• PokerStars was just one of many of the early real-money online poker operators including PartyPoker, Pacific Poker (Now 888poker) and Tropical Poker.

2003 – 2006

• PokerStars’ claim to fame came in 2003 when an accountant named Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP Main Event 2003-2006 Las Vegas after qualifying on the site.
• Moneymaker was the first player to win the Main Event after qualifying online and helped create the so-called “poker boom” of the early 2000s.
• PokerStars quickly became a favorite amongst poker players for its secure deposits, reliable support team and booming cash games.

2006 – 2011

• The poker boom was stifled early on when the US government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 that led to publicly-traded companies like PartyPoker getting forced to leave the US market altogether.
• UIGEA had the opposite effect on PokerStars because it was a privately-held company, it remained in the US market and quickly took the reins as the most popular online poker site in the world.

2011 – 2016

• The gravy train came to an end in 2011 when the Department of Justice seized the .com addresses of three online poker sites: PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute/UltimateBet.
• Online poker players referred to the day as “Black Friday”. It would be years before PokerStars would be allowed to re-enter the US market.

2016 – Today

Will Online Poker Be Legal In Usa Online

• PokerStars continued to flourish on the international market and was purchased by Amaya Gaming in a massive $4.9 billion deal in 2014. Subsequently the first officially licensed online poker sites in the USA start to pop up in 2014.
• New Jersey became the first state to allow PokerStars back in 2016.
• In late 2019 Pennsylvania follows suit and allows PokerStars to officially open its doors to players in the state.

Is Online Poker Legal In Us

Unfortunately, many other states remain a pipe dream and it will likely be decades before PokerStars is allowed to operate in the entirety of the USA.