Best Poker Sites Accepting American Players Although things aren't as easy as they used to be, there are still plenty of options for Americans looking to play poker online. We have listed the best USA poker sites on this page - every site on this list accepts players from the United States for free money or real money poker play. May 24, 2017 I have noticed that in the last year or two there have been some major changes in the US regarding online gambling and online poker sites in general.There was a time of course when if you did want to play poker online and from the comfort of your own home, the only way that you could legally do so was by signing up to an offshore poker site, and there were often way too many risks associated. US Poker Sites with the “Best Value” Freerolls Since many offshore sites have removed most of their freerolls, it is best to take advantage of any that appear on BetOnline or Ignition Poker. And if located in New Jersey or outside of the US, PokerStars has the absolute best value freerolls. The Best Online Poker Sites For US Players. Welcome to USA Friendly Poker Sites - a comprehensive information website about the best poker sites for US Players. On our website, you will find hundreds of pages of information to help you find the best, safest and most trustworthy US poker site.
January 19, 2020 I created USPokerSites.com more than 10 years ago to provide US poker players with a resource on which sites are legal, which sites accept USA players and how to play for real money. In the last 12 years, I’ve seen multiple poker sites come and go. Some due to the UIGEA / Black Friday and others due to scams or bankruptcy.
My goal is to keep you informed on which poker rooms are the best sites for American players. Like you, I want to make sure that my money and personal information is safe and secure. I want withdrawals processed in a timely manner and most importantly, I want fair games.
Back in the day it was easy to log on and play real-money poker at any site anywhere in the world – including PokerStars. These days, you need to do your homework to make sure that a site is legal in your state, that it's legit and that it's the best poker site for you.
I’ve done most of the homework for you. I’ve reviewed all USA poker sites across all networks to give you with the most accurate information on traffic, games, bonuses and payment options. You can see which sites pay the fastest, which have really good customer support and which provide the best tournaments for US players.
![Friendly Friendly](https://rakebackace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pokerking-network.png)
If you’re wondering whether US online poker is legal, we also have a news section that covers Federal and State level poker laws in addition to legal pages which are updated frequently. Some states have regulated poker, some make it completely illegal and others are open to offshore sites.
This is a discussion on USA friendly poker sites within the online poker forums, in the Poker Rooms section; Does anyone know of any usa friendly sites I can join. I have BCP, ARC. Looking for new. If you are from those states then you can join BetOnline below. Bovada Poker gives a 100% 1st deposit bonus up to $500 Bonus. It is released the more you play there. This is a fantastic USA friendly poker site on the largest U.S. Poker network. It shares players with Ignition Poker and non-USA players from Bodog.
5 of the Best Poker Sites for USA Players - Updated January 19, 2020
- Poker RoomUSABonus%MatchBanned StatesPoker Room Review
- 1. Bovada Poker$500100%NY, MD, WA, UTBovada Poker
- 2. Ignition Poker$2000100%NY, MD, WA, UTIgnition Poker
- 3. BetOnline Poker$2500100%Accepts All!Bet Online Poker
- 4. Sportsbetting Poker$2500100%Accepts All!Sportsbetting Poker
- 5. ACR$1000100%NY, MD, WA, UTAmerica's Cardroom
- 6. Black Chip Poker$1000100%NY, MD, WA, UTBlack Chip Poker
USA Online Poker News
Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) gave Euro online-gambling giant GVC Holdings conditional approval on several different fronts. One of those is for an interactive gaming license that is expected to bring the return of the PartyPoker brand to Nevada. GVC … Continue reading
Click here to read all of our USA poker news
Best US Poker Sites in 2018
![Best Us Friendly Poker Sites Best Us Friendly Poker Sites](/uploads/1/2/5/2/125200374/960276087.jpg)
My favorite poker site is Bovada Poker, but it might not be yours -- and that’s OK! There are other options for you. Obviously, you won’t have as many sites to choose from as other countries but there are some really good poker sites open to US players including; Intertops, Bovada and even America’s Cardroom.
Below is a small summary of all existing US poker sites and what they have to offer along with links to full reviews. Compare each US poker site for yourself and find the best one that suits your needs.
1. Bovada Poker - 100% Up to $500 SignUp Bonus
Best Us Poker Sites
Bovada Poker provides fantastic software, with smooth features and fast speed in addition to a variety of stakes and action packed tables 24/7. Through Bovada Poker and USPokerSites.com, players will receive up to $500 free by joining through our site. All of the Bovada bonuses are easy to clear, and US players will have no problems funding their accounts. Bovada also offers betting and casino games.
Bovada Poker USA Deposit MethodsVisa, Moneytransfer, Bitcoin and Wire Payments
2. Ignition Poker - Up to $2000 Bonus
Ignition Poker is the largest of the three US poker sites featured on this page. They're also the most trusted. The poker room features a variety of games, accepts credit cards and cryptocurrencies and includes a $2000 bonus. If you're concerned about wait times for withdrawals, don't be -- this site is also the fastest paying site for American players.
Ignition Poker USA Deposit Methods
Visa, Bitcoin, Wire Transfer
3. Intertops Poker - Exclusive 100% up to $600 Bonus
Example: If you deposit $500, you will get a $550 poker bonus
Intertops Poker offers players a brand new US friendly poker room backed by the Horizon software. A few additional benefits include a Bad Beat Jackpot, Sit 'n' Go leaderboard and daily freerolls. Intertops accepts US credit card deposits and
Has Very Good Credit Card Processing.
Intertops USA Deposit Methods
Visa, MasterCard, and Wire Transfer
4. BetOnline Poker - 25% Instant Cash Bonus for New USA Players
BetOnline.com is one of the top five US sportsbooks and recently launched their own poker room using proprietary software, compatible for Mac and Windows. The poker room features regular overlays, weekly promotions and is loaded with fish. US real money players have no problems funding their accounts, with Bet Online accepting Viisa, eChecks in addition to money orders from MoneyGram.
Bet Online Poker USA Deposit Methods
Visa, Prepaid Visa, eCheck, Person to Person, Money Orders, Bank Wire, Checks.
5. Sportsbetting Poker - 25% Instant Deposit Bonus
Sportsbetting Poker offers US players one of the best player rewards programs in the industry. The poker room is one of three sites owned by the Sportsbetting group, which means you can play in the poker room, the casino or the sportsbook - all within the same USA real money account. All new real money players will receive a 25% lifetime cash bonus in addition to tournament tickets with up to $150,000 guaranteed each month.
Sportsbetting Poker USA Deposit Methods
Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Diners Club, Checks, Wire Transfer, Money Transfer
Legal US Poker Sites & Which States You Can Play In!
First and foremost - for the most of us, online poker is not illegal! US poker laws vary from state to state. Some states have accepted the fact that internet gambling & poker is part of our future and have worked towards regulation. Other states still live in the dark ages and explicitly state that gambling of any kind is illegal. Since the poker laws vary, I've written a review for each state outlining which forms of gambling are legal and legislation that's currently underway to regulate US online poker. Use the map below to find out if online poker is legal in your state.
Mobile Poker Apps at US Real Money Poker Sites
As more and more of the world goes mobile, it's not hard to understand why many people believe online poker will inevitably follow. Phones and tablets make comfortable homes for online poker real money tables, and there are certainly more than a few players who wouldn't mind having a hand or two of poker to distract them while they're in a waiting or time-killing mode.
Natural as it may seem, online poker has a somewhat strained relationship with mobile devices. The industry has yet to adopt the medium to the same degree as casino and sports betting, leaving players seeking mobile poker options often frustrated as a result. That search doesn't have to end in frustration, however - there are plenty of credible options for mobile real money poker play. You just have to know where to look.
Android Poker | iOS Poker |
What is the Best Room for Playing Mobile Online Poker
Translating the online poker experience to mobile devices is no easy feat. It's not simply a matter of shrinking down the online poker room to fit on a mobile screen. More than a few rooms have tried that approach and found failure as the result. Instead, it's a matter of crafting a mobile poker experience that is familiar, but nevertheless designed to accommodate the unique limitations of a mobile device. Some US poker sites reddit have met this challenge with their mobile poker apps, apps that have clearly benefited from the years of development and refinement invested by the company. If we had to choose one mobile poker site, it would have to be Bovada which also happens to be one of the best poker sites for US players.
INTERNET POKER AND THE UNITED STATES
The world of online poker is one that is enjoyable for millions of people across the United States. But there is also a myriad of questions that newcomers might have regarding many parts of the online game, parts that those people might find very confusing. USPokerSites.com is looking to clear up that confusion for players, offering them the necessary information to make the correct decisions on how and where to play online poker in United States.
HOW TO PLAY POKER FOR REAL MONEY IN THE UNITED STATES
In the 21st century, perhaps the easiest thing to do is make transactions online. For most American poker sites, this requires a credit or debit card to put money on the site. Some credit card companies may place restrictions on such activities, causing a transaction to be rejected, so it is best to use a pre-paid credit card to place money on an online poker site.
For most online poker sites , registering an online account is as simple as providing an e-mail address and verifying it through clicking a link sent by the site. Other sites may require a bit more information, however. Some real-money poker rooms need a street address and, in the case of those online gaming and poker sites that are regulated, require that a person prove identity through usage of the Social Security Number.
Once a player has been completed the above steps, play is simple. Real money US poker sites have a lobby area that will list every discipline of poker that is available on the site in a cash game format. Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hold’em, Seven Card Stud, Pineapple, and other variants (including offshoots of each, including Hi/Lo versions) will be found here. In addition to this, there is usually a tab that will take players to the tournament area of the site. In this area, there will be a mixture of disciplines of poker but in a multi-table tournament (MTT) or Sit and Go (SNG) format.
By following these instructions, a newcomer to the world of online poker can rapidly get in the game. Where it might take them after that is up to the skill of the player!
THE (BRIEF) HISTORY OF U. S. POKER
There is quite a bit of question as to where poker actually came from. Some historians believe that it goes back to an ancient Persian game called as nas, which was a 20 or 25-card game that four or five players took part in. The object of the game was to create the best five-card hand combination, with betting on the outcome between the participants.
Other historians believe that the game of poker comes from Europe. In France, a game called poque is quite like today’s poker, as is Germany’s pochen and the English game of “brag.” The usage of Tarot cards on the European continent also can claim some potential as to formulating the game of poker, especially the extension of the deck beyond just paint cards. One thing that isn’t under question is how poker came to the U. S.
Fast.That's why you should use the information available on every casino blog and casino sites to your advantage. Catch me if you can slot machine. While it may be valid for video poker, it's one you should not follow if you play online poker.But when it comes to playing Slots.yes, you can trust your fellow Slot players and look how people play.If a slot doesn't pay, the other players will call it out.
In the early 1800s, the Mississippi River was the main thoroughfare through the country, starting at its northern edge and winding south towards New Orleans. It was in New Orleans (and from its French residents of the time) that “poker” made its way into the country after it came to the city in the late-1700s. Riverboat gamblers took the game up and down the “Big Muddy” usually with the 20-card deck but, by the midpoint of the century, the entirety of the 52-card deck would be incorporated. It is known that the first mention of the game of poker in literature is from actor Joseph Crowell, who reported on a four-player game with a deck of 20 cards in New Orleans in 1829.
From there, poker expanded as the fledgling nation grew. The U. S. Civil War saw both sides in the conflict – the Union and the Confederacy – pass the time with poker between battles. Once that bloody conflict ended, the expansion of the country westward saw poker taken into the Wild West, where barrooms and saloons featured poker games as a part of the entertainment options.
In the 20th century poker expanded even more, first into poker rooms in California and then into Las Vegas and, in the 1970s, Atlantic City. As tribal casinos came into existence, poker was also a part of the mix. But the end of the century saw a gradual decline in poker to the point that some Vegas casinos didn’t even offer poker rooms.
The growth of the Internet and innovations with the game saw poker come back to life. In 1998, Planet Poker brought the game online, but initially players were reluctant to put critical financial information in an area where people were unsure of its security. As it became more commonplace to make financial transactions online, other sites like Paradise Poker and PartyPoker became popular for US poker players.
As the new millennium began, there were hundreds of online sites where people could play poker online for real cash. One of those newcomers was a site called PokerStars, which earned its place in poker history by being the first United States poker site to sponsor the winner of the World Series of Poker Championship Event. In 2003, a man by the unlikely name of Chris Moneymaker won his seat in poker’s greatest event through the online site and would go on to become the World Champion of the game. PokerStars further made its mark by being the sponsor of the next two World Champions, Greg Raymer (2004) and Joe Hachem (2005).
The “Golden Age” of poker – at least online – ended in the U. S. in 2006. Passage of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 did not make it illegal to play the game, but it did make it illegal for gambling accounts to be funded. Some sites, such as PartyPoker and 888, pulled out of the U. S. poker market because, as publicly traded companies, they could not violate the laws of any sovereign nation. PokerStars, after discussions with their legal team (and as a private company), decided to continue offering real money games to U. S. citizens. Along with Full Tilt Poker, a site owned by some of the biggest names in the world of poker, the two sites became dominant parts of the online poker industry.
U. S. poker was given another blow with “Black Friday” in 2011. The U. S. Department of Justice issued indictments against 11 of the men who oversaw the three largest online poker operations in the industry – PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and the CEREUS Network rooms of Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet (then known as UB.com) – and seized the websites, tying up hundreds of millions of dollars in American citizens money. A few days after the seizure, the DoJ allowed the sites to open to refund money to American players; PokerStars was able to pay off all players promptly, but Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and UB.com could not come up with the money due to intermingling the business’ money with that of their customers. Those two sites would eventually close.
In late 2011, a new path forward for online poker in USA became known. In a decision by the U. S. Department of Justice, officials deemed that the Wire Act of 1961 – which had long been used to say that online poker was ‘illegal’ – only applied to sports betting. This allowed three states – Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware – to pass legislation regulating real money online poker inside its borders. It also saw three states – Hawaii, Utah, and Washington state – pass legislation to explicitly ban the activity.
As internet poker looks to the future in the United States, the path forward is in the individual states and their continued passage of regulation on the industry. This hasn’t stopped some from playing online at smaller, unregulated sites such as BetOnline and America’s Cardroom (while licensed, they are not bound by U. S. laws and any consumer complaints are for naught) but those sites in no way are as large as those in the mid-2000s were. The path forward is also fraught with peril as at any point the federal government can pass legislation that would ban the activity in the country. With this said, there are roughly 60 million poker players who continue to play the game, more than 200 years after its appearance in the country.
HOW TO TELL IF AN ONLINE POKER SITE IS FAILING
Though the history of online poker is short, there are some warning signs that a site might not be the best poker site to play at. It is either mismanaged, overextending itself financially or is not trustworthy. Players only a decade ago didn’t get this type of information but, for players today, they can be well informed as to things to look for on a site they play. Here are some of those things to look for to determine if your favorite US accepted poker site is reputable and can be trusted.
- Large Deposit Bonuses
- Emails / Live Support
- Decline in Traffic
- Word of Mouth
LARGE DEPOSIT BONUSES - Although deposit bonuses are a big part of why players choose a room, a site that offers ludicrous bonuses isn’t operating financially correctly. Matching a deposit with a similar bonus isn’t out of line, but one where more than 100% is being offered isn’t financially sustainable. Furthermore, extreme rake back to customers over an extended period cannot be sustained.
E-MAILS/LIVE SUPPORT - A reputable online poker site will have 24/7 support for players through either live methods, e-mail, or both. Sites that have limited hours for players to contact the site about issues or it takes an extreme amount of time to respond to simple e-mail requests either is showing no ability to assist their customers or, to be honest, doesn’t care to assist said customers. This can be applicable in other areas of e-commerce as well.
TRAFFIC DECLINE - Customer traffic to a site is also a strong indicator that trust in the online poker site is waning. If players are having issues with a site – either through live support, problems with the software or cashing out from the company – then they aren’t going to want to continue to play on the site. If this drop is precipitous and over a short period of time, it can be a key indicator that the site is having difficulties.
WORD OF MOUTH - In this age of social media, simple contact with other players can bring knowledge. Chat rooms and online forums will discuss the issues in poker and many of these areas have specific arenas that talk about online poker. There are also online groups that can help to pick out problematic sites and pass along knowledge about whether to play on a particular site or not.
HOW TO GET PAID FROM ONLINE POKER SITES
With hope, you’re one of those players that cashes out frequently from poker sites. As easy as it is to get real money onto a US site, it can be a bit more difficult to get that money off the site. Here’s how the process works:
LET ME SEE YOUR ID
For the most part, you won’t have to do this normally to get a smaller type payout. But, should you make a huge score, there are going to be questions that the site might ask you (the MIGHT is because certain sites have certain rules and certain countries or states have financial reporting responsibilities). When you request your cash out, most sites will ask for some sort of proof that is covered in sending a copy of your state or national identification.
Many people have a hard time with this, but the best online poker rooms have tried to make it as less intrusive as possible. The sites suggest that you can redact any personal information (such as a Social Security Number) and some suggest you can redact your month and day of birth (the year is important information to confirm you’re old enough to play, so don’t black that out). What the sites are interested in is where you live and how old you are.
HOW TO CHOOSE A POKER SITE?
With the top rated US poker sites, you have several methods of withdrawal at your disposal. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to use an e-wallet or your bank account, it can be credited back to those financial locations with little to no issues and usually within a few days of initiating the transaction. The same holds true with the relatively new usage of Bitcoin, which can be transferred back to your Bitcoin wallet and usually within a few hours (see why people like Bitcoin?) of the request.
If it is a particularly large withdrawal, then many real-money sites will suggest that payment by check is employed. Payment by check is exactly what it sounds like – the site sends to the player a check in the amount of their winnings. This surprisingly is the one that may be most fraught with peril as there are so many ways that it can go wrong.
A check can be lost in the mail and, if this occurs, the site can wait for several weeks to ensure that it isn’t cashed, whether by someone else or, in the event you receive it, you. After that extensive period, THEN the site might resend the check. Then comes the issues with trying to cash the check. Some banks are wary of accepting transactions from United States gambling sites, especially if they are for large amounts of money. Finally, there is always the potential that the check won’t clear the bank – many a person has lost a good deal of money because the “check doesn’t clear,” pushing the player into having to deal with the site in what can usually become a very acrimonious situation.
Hot Red Ruby slots are another VGT game utilizes their 'Live Call Bingo' engine to determine winning spins. The games is availabe in denomiations from $0.25 all the way up to $25.00. So, the game is enjoyed by both high rollers and those on a somewhat smaller budget. Red hot ruby slot machine game free. Jan 03, 2011 Learn about playing the Hot Red Ruby Slot Machine at The Slots Guy debunks myths about playing slots, give. Wild Rubies Red Hot Firepot Slot Machine The Berlin-based Gamomat, formerly called Bally Wulff, are not among the top names in online slots but they have been entertaining punters since 1950. Wild Rubies Red Hot Firepot is a retro online slot making sure players get their five a. Play Online Slots and Win Some Serious Cash. Ruby Slots, with over 80 online slot games, is the premier source of slot games for real or fun money.Ruby Slots offers the loosest online slots, from the traditional three reel slots to the adventure packed five reel slots. Hot Red Ruby is part of a series of 3 reel, single pay line slot machines designed by Video Gaming Technology, also known as VGT. These games are all very similar in that they feature classic symbols like 7s, BARs, and cherries.
Whenever possible, maintain records of all financial transactions between yourself and an online site. Not only is this information good for reviewing whether you’re a profitable player or not, it is also useful in the event you enter discussions with the site regarding a lost or inaccurate payment. By maintaining the electronic “paper trail” regarding your transactions, you’ll have the necessary evidence should the site request such information.
IS MY FAVORITE WEBSITE LEGAL?
When players step into the online arena, most of the time they ask the question of 'Is online poker legal?' and the legality of the site. Whether a site is appropriately licensed lends credibility to the site and a level of trustworthiness over sites that don’t have accreditation. But just what does “being licensed” mean?
In the United States, licensing is critically important. With the licensing come certain assurances that, should the site shut down, there are consumer protections that look out for the players and an oversight organization that has reviewed the games and judged them to be fair. Thus, when a player is playing on the poker sites in Nevada, New Jersey, or Delaware – the three states that have regulated online gaming and/or poker – they are safe in the idea that they are protected (look back at the 2014 closure of Ultimate Poker in New Jersey and Nevada and the quiet, quick method players were returned their monies).
For anyone in the U. S. that is playing on an international site, you are playing on what would be called an “unregulated” site. There are absolutely ZERO consumer protections on these sites and, should you have any issues with payment or questions regarding the game, you have no recourse should they arise. This is what makes playing on the unregulated sites such a danger, as demonstrated by the thousands of players who were left in the lurch when Lock Poker was closed.
Don’t get the idea that all these international operations are shady, however. In some cases, they have been fully vetted by a licensing group and the games have been deemed to be fair. With some of these licensing groups, however, there are limited consumer protections involved. Let’s examine a couple of situations to see how these licensing organizations work.
The Isle of Man has become a hotbed of online gaming and poker activity, acting as the licensing base for many of the most popular gaming sites in the world. When the situation regarding Full Tilt Poker’s response to “Black Friday” occurred, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (the licensing group behind Full Tilt) held hearings regarding whether to revoke their license. After a review of the evidence, the AGCC yanked the license of the original Full Tilt, essentially dooming the company. Although they had the ability to pull their license, the AGCC had no ability to ensure the players were protected.
Normally the protection of the players comes down to the governments of the countries where the players are located. In Great Britain, France, Italy and other countries, laws have been put in place to protect the players (customers) should sites shut down. But they can only go so far; when Lock Poker, who was an international operation, shut down, regulating bodies couldn’t help the players because they could not locate the ownership and force them to make the players whole.
Then there is the licensing of online sites from locations in the Caribbean. The countries of Aruba, Antigua, Costa Rica, and others have long been the licensing hosts of many online poker operations, but their oversite has come under fire and for good reason. Ultimate Bet was a site that was hosted in the Caribbean during the “Superuser” scandal (Costa Rica, to be exact) and that country’s regulatory agency took little to no action regarding the situation. When “Black Friday” hit, those agencies also didn’t attempt to stop the companies in any manner for UB.com or Absolute Poker.
The essential point regarding licensing? If it is something that concerns you, be sure to check over an online poker’s website to ensure that a responsible body regulates it. Most in the Isle of Man have solid backgrounds that can protect the players somewhat, if in the Caribbean they can be a bit haphazard. Second, check to see that the Random Number Generator (RNG) has been certified by a reputable organization (PokerStars’ RNG, for example, is verified by Gaming Laboratories International, one of the elite testing organizations in the world). Finally, if you’re in a country (or state) where the government regulates the game, look into what your rights are as a player.
If you come across an online gaming and/or poker site that doesn’t have adequate accreditation or testing, or you are in an area where online gaming and poker is a bit of a gray area, then learn these two words in Latin – caveat emptor – which means “buyer beware.”
US ACCEPTED POKER SITES THAT NO LONGER EXIST
The road that traverses the history of online poker real money is littered with the remains of sites that just didn’t cut it. Whether it was simply a lack of players or something more sinister, there were rooms that, in their departure, became more famous than when they were in the business. What follows are a few of the most notable departures that once were a vibrant part of the online poker world.
10 Poker Sites That Went Bankrupt or Worse
ABSOLUTE POKER - In its eight-year existence (2003-2011), Absolute Poker was a demonstration of what an entrepreneur could do. Its founder Scott Tom, along with a group of fraternity buddies, started the site and built it into a powerful player in the online poker industry. As told in the excellent book Straight Flush by Ben Mezrich, Tom and his cohorts built Absolute Poker into a multi-million-dollar operation within two years of its startup. The operation was so good that, in early 2006, Tom was looking to go public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) that would have put it on par with European gaming giants such as PartyPoker or 888 Holdings and made billions of dollars.
That move was thwarted by the passage of the UIGEA in 2006. Although Absolute Poker would continue to operate in the U. S., the formal accusation of Tom and Brent Beckley, Absolute’s Director of Payments, in 2011 by the U. S. Department of Justice (“Black Friday”) would put the dagger in the heart. Ordered by the DoJ to repay U. S. poker players, it became known that Absolute Poker didn’t have the funds on hand because of intermingling of business and player monies. The site immediately shut down after that discovery.
BUGSY’S CLUB - Bugsy’s Club was unique in that, when it opened its doors in 2003, it was the exclusive training ground for one of the first online poker training sites. Poker School Online used Bugsy’s Club for its students, but it could have provided a better training ground. Many online players complained about the woefully inadequate software, with some calling it the worst in the industry. Because it was used as a training school with PSO, Bugsy’s Club was able to stick around for some time before succumbing to the lack of players and the high costs of payment processing in 2009.
CAKE POKER - When it was at its peak following its start in 2006, Cake Poker was an independent room that was in the second tier behind the powerhouses of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and even PartyPoker. Their promotions were quite good and the play was tough but beatable. Two things would thwart their survival: constant moving between online poker networks and “Black Friday.”
The former was simply the goal of the ownership to maximize the numbers of players that were participating in the games on the site. Unfortunately, hooking up with some less-than reputable networks burned up some goodwill from players for Cake Poker. When “Black Friday” knocked out the dominant part of their customer base (U. S. players), Cake couldn’t sustain itself and went under in 2016.
DOYLE’S ROOM - If there was one poker room you would expect to be successful, it would be one that had “The Godfather of Poker’s” name slapped on it. Doyle’s Room, named after the legendary Doyle Brunson, started in 2004 and became a very strong player in the game. Through innovative promotions and professional sponsorships – the “Brunson 10” were a group of sponsored professionals that featured some of the best in the online game at that time, including Chris Moorman, Amit Makhija and Dani Stern – Doyle’s Room looked as if they were in for the long haul.
They would unfortunately also be a victim of linking with networks that either departed the U. S. market in 2006 or went under, forcing Doyle’s Room to fight on its own. After “Black Friday,” Brunson would depart the site and it would struggle for several years before merging with America’s Cardroom in 2011 and dropping the Doyle’s Room moniker.
FULL TILT POKER - When it was created in 2004, it looked as if it were a “can’t miss” option. Using the tagline “Play with the pros,” Full Tilt Poker came to life featuring a stable of the top poker professionals in the world. Such players as Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and many others weren’t only playing on the site as “Team Full Tilt,” they had ownership stakes in the company. With such backing as this, players flooded the site and took advantage of their excellent promotions and solid (albeit cartoonish) software.
In 2006, Full Tilt Poker (along with PokerStars, UltimateBet.com and Absolute Poker) decided to stay in the US poker market following the passage of the UIGEA. The downfall of Full Tilt would come five years later after “Black Friday.” Once the seized United States poker sites were allowed to reopen, Full Tilt joined Absolute Poker and the renamed UB.com as sites whose financial mismanagement (AKA intermingling of business and player monies) became known. Five months after their ownership was indicted in the “Black Friday” case, Full Tilt Poker was shut down.
LOCK POKER - Lock Poker is perhaps the most recent example of an online poker site that simply walked off without paying its players back a dime of what they owed. Started in 2008, Lock Poker drew in players from the U. S. by having outstanding player promotions and booking a litany of professionals that popularized the site (including the inaugural champion of the World Series of Poker Europe, Annette ‘Annette_15’ Obrestad). These highlights hid horrendous delays in processing payments to players and the alleged “high life” that the management and ownership of the site enjoyed.
The payout issue would be what doomed Lock Poker, however. Delays in payment would eventually reach more than 18 months. Facing a backlash from players who wanted answers and their money, the operators of Lock Poker simply shut the door in 2014 and strolled away. It is estimated conservatively that players were owed somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 million in the United States alone.
POKERSPOT - PokerSpot was a unique room in that it offered games – it was one of the first sites to offer multi-table tournaments when it started in 2000 – without players having to pay a rake (the money on top of tournament buy-ins or the percentage of a pot skimmed off in a cash game). At the time, however, online poker was a business fraught with financial pitfalls, including payment processing, which would be problematic for the site. Only a year after opening, PokerSpot closed its doors owing players around $400,000.
SEALS WITH CLUBS - The original SealsWithClubs was one of the first online poker sites to solely base their operations from the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Started by poker professional Bryan Micon in 2012, SealsWithClubs drew the attention of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and, after the state passed real money poker regulations in 2013, found that Micon’s operation was in violation of Nevada gaming laws. A raid on Micon’s home in Las Vegas forced Micon to flee to Antigua in 2015 and, at the same time, the shutdown of the original SealsWithClubs (players did not lose any money in the shutdown, Micon has claimed).
SPADECLUB - SpadeClub was an online poker site developed by CardPlayer Magazine in 2009 with the hopes of driving into the US online poker market. Its niche was in the fact it was a subscription site – players would pay a flat fee per month and play whatever games they wanted. The subscription philosophy was that, by offering it as a “membership fee,” players were not gambling and the poker site was legal.
That philosophy was never tested by any legal authority, but SpadeClub arguably didn’t last long enough to test the laws. Despite an estimated 200,000 players signing up for a free account with the site, converting those players to ones who actually paid the monthly fee was abysmal. Slightly more than a year after its opening, SpadeClub was shut down by CardPlayer, stating that they “couldn’t make it work from a financial standpoint.”
ULTIMATE BET (UB.COM) - One of the original poker sites for US players when it was founded in 2001, Ultimate Bet was a fan favorite because of its excellent software and professional backing. Former World Champions Russ Hamilton and Phil Hellmuth, along with arguably the preeminent female poker player in the game at the time, Annie Duke, gave the site gravitas in a burgeoning online world. Their segment of the market increased when, after the passage of the UIGEA, the company decided to stay in the U. S. market.
2006 was the apex of the company and it went quickly downhill afterwards. In 2008, a scandal broke where people inside the company were found to be using a “God Mode” – a special program built to originally test the software that would allow the user to see all the cards as they were dealt to the entire table – to rip off players on the site. Ultimate Bet was further damaged when one of the “God Mode” players was discovered to be Hamilton himself. The company would pay upwards of $22 million to make players whole from the situation, but the damage was done. Both Hellmuth and Duke would leave the site in late-2010 and, caught up in the indictments of “Black Friday,” UB.com met its demise.
These are but a handful of the poker sites that have come and gone from the online poker industry. Whether it was mismanagement and fraud or something as innocent as a lack of players or bad software, they all made their mark in leaving the industry.
Summary of Games, Deposit Options And Pros / Cons For The Best US-Friendly Online Poker sites
Here is what you will find on this page:
- An intro and high level overview of US poker sites - focusing on the larger offshore sites.
- Below the 'Biggest Sites' box you will find a listing of many more detailed guides, including pages covering regulated sites, specific poker formats (US tournaments, cash and SNGs all have pages) and practical guides like deposit and withdrawal methods.
- After that is a news feed, summarizing the latest news in quick-fire format.
10,000's of US players are enjoying online poker at the moment - and while I’m recommending some caution for all readers, there is no legal reason at Federal level not to join the fun yourself. There is some serious rivalry between the sites (WPN and BetOnline poker on the Chico Network, while Bovada's anonymous games beat them all) when it comes to guarantees and welcome bonuses. You can take advantage of this and enjoy some very good deals as we go into 2019. Deposits and withdrawals are still an issue of course. Sites are still accepting credit and bank cards with some success - with Visa going through particularly well at the moment. BetOnline are currently the best bet for successful deposits - they handle the costs of your first deposit each month for certain methods too. Bitcoin is now the go-to deposit option. Money transfer services and wire-transfers also seem to be holding up ok, with credit cards working better than they have for a while. Paper checks are the most popular cash-out methods, there are some minimums in place for this.
BIGGEST SITE |
|
FASTEST GROWING |
|
BODOG NETWORK |
|
SOFTEST SITE |
|
ASPIRING PROS |
|
Articles List: Comparisons, Payment Methods and Game-Specific US Poker Articles
Detailed US Site Reviews: You'll find these reviews more than comprehensive, going through the cash games, tournaments, sit and goes, software, bonuses, deposits and incentives. These are more than just a dry list of features which you can find on other sites, my reviews include opinions, pros / cons and screenshots too. Here is my Intertops Poker Reviewand myAmerica's Cardroom Reviewand finally my BetOnline Poker Review.
US Deposit Methods Articles: Just completed a big revamp of this impportant area of the site, with the help of an experienced US colleague. The good news is that deposits are pretty stable in 2019, with credit cards working surprisingly well This list includes a main US Poker Deposit Methods piece, one which focuses on US Withdrawal Methods and site specific articles too.
SNG Specific Reviews: Another update, these reviews are unique to SNG Planet, and focus on the Sit N Go offerings at each room. They cover 1-table tournaments, multi-table SNGs and satellite qualifiers - and conclude with my 'top 5 reasons to play' at each site. You can find ACR SNGs reviewedhere and the BetOnline SNGs review here.
Best US Site For Tournaments: Well, the Sunday Million has gone, though this does not mean no tournament action at all. There are plenty of smaller buy-in < $22 games still available and some of them have decent guaranteed prize pools. This article shows you what is available for tournament fans at the remaining US-friendly sites. Best US Site For Online Poker Tournaments
Best US Site For Cash Games: There are actually a lot of smaller stakes games available. For those playing lower to mid-stakes you’ll need to search a little harder, if you are used to multi-tabling then this can still be done – depending on your stake level you might need to combine a couple of sites. This article compares what is still on offer for cash game players. Best US Site For Poker Cash Games
Best US Site For Sit N Goes: I could not leave these out of a site named SNG Planet! Same story again, there are a lot of smaller stakes Sit n Goes in various formats (including the popular double or nothing and turbo games). As you get above the $11 level then the games get sparse outside of peak times. Again it is possible to multi-table still if you play the lower stakes or combine sites in the evenings. Best US Poker Site For Sit N Goes
Best US Site For Satellite Qualifiers: Grabbing that seat in a live tournament is still possible, with some big prize packages which include extra cash for travel expenses and accomodation in addition to the tournament buy-ins. Here I look at the satellites running at the sites still welcoming US Players. Best US Site For Poker Satellites
Best US Poker Network: Of the 5 networks, I only rate 2 as really worth playing on. This piece compares tournaments, SNGs, Cash, software and rewards of the US networks. Which is the Best US Poker Network in 2019?
Regulated Sites In NV and NJ: You can find info on the sites and upcoming legislation in this article covering the Regulated US Poker Sites in 2019. For news and updates specific to the New Jersey gambling scene, I can recommend this site: New Jersey gambling sites as a useful resource.
US Poker Sites - Latest News Updates
May 31st 2019: ACR have followed up their Steps with a week of intensive WSOP qualifiers. This runs from June 3rd to 9th - with 15 packages to the Main Event being given away. What I like about these is that you can choose to attend.. or simply keep the prize money as cash!
27th March 2019: WSOP Steps released at America's Cardroom. There are 7 steps in total, leading to a huge package including expenses + entry to the World Series of Poker Main Event. Step 1 costs just 25c!
14th March 2019: The Black Diamond Open is underway at offshore giant Bovada. This wraps up with a huge main event on the 31st with a $500k guaranteed purse.
11th Feb 2019: 6-Hold'em debutes at ACR. Short desk games with 2-5 removed from the deck. These only get busy on evenings / weekends. For me this game makes for a refreshing change. If you know a little about the strategy, you can take advantage of a lot of -ev plays by inexperienced opponents.
3rd December 2018: Quick catch up for fans of Bovada / Ignition. They now allow players from New York state. You'll also find a Turbo tournament event + more big events leading into the New Year. Finally, a new guide here on this site.. check out my super-detailed PaiWangLuo Poker Network page now!
30th September 2018: Six Plus Hold'em at America's Cardroom. You will now find the short-deck version of NL Hold'em at ACR. This removes card 2-5 from the deck. As with all new formats, everyone will be giving it a try while it is new - a great time to fill your boots. There are also tournaments in this format, with some bigger buy-in games scheduled for the upcoming 'OSS' from the 3rd to 14th October.
WSOP Qualifiers 2018: America's Cardroom have stolen the show when it comes to US WSOP qualifiers. They are guaranteeing 50 packages ($12,500 value). You can win them via Sunday tournaments, with sub-qualifiers running all week. On June 17th there is a 'Mega Qualifier' with 30 packages as prizes. You can also win via lottery SNGs (known as 'jackpots') from just $3. Check out www.americascardroom.com for details.
17th June 2018: BetOnline and the Chico Network are the latest site to join the 'Lottery SNGs' craze. Their games are called 'Windfall Poker', are 3 handed, and have a top prize of 2000x your buy-in.
2nd May 2018: Shared liqudity has started between the 3 US poker states (NJ, DE and NV). This should give a boost to the number of games, size of the tournaments and size of the promos for players in the regulated states. I will update when there has been time to see the effects!
22nd January 2018:Quick roundup time! BetOnline has introduced Boost Poker and Windfall Poker. These are fast-fold games (Boost) and lottery SNGs (Windfall).. the games are soft, shame that all the good names have already gone! Bovada has a $250k tournament running on Feb 4th, plenty of qualifiers running right now.
13th December 2017: Bovada now has Jackpot SNGs.. not had a chance to review them yet - will have a full report soon!
9th December 2017: America's Cardroom have announced $1mm guaranteed tournaments all winter. These Sunday events cost $250+$15 to enter, and are weekly from Jan through to the 25th of March. Really good to see a regular 'million' out there again.
13th November 2017: Bovada have announced that they now accept the Bitcoin alternative 'Bitcoin Cash' for deposits. I'm not sure how many people this will directly affect. When you take into account ACR poker embracing 60 cryptocurrencies, it does seem that this payment option is starting to gain some serious momentum.
7th November 2017: The Governors signature has sealed the deal, making PA the 4th state to have legal online poker. PokerStars have already expressed an interest. Lets see whether PA can make a success of poker - and maybe join with the other states to share liquidity.
17th October 2017: The 3 regulated states (Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware) are to share liquidity in their poker rooms. These rooms are tiny at the moment, though it does set an interesting precident for the future. Note that only 888 have active sites in multiple states (NV and NJ).
10th October 2017: The Winning Poker Network via America's Cardroom have announced that they will accept payments in up to 60 Cryptocurrencies. With Bitcoin already an established deposit method at all of the US sites this is a big shift. I'm unsure what the volume will be outside of LiteCoin / Etherium - though you never know!
4th September 2017: America's Cardroom are suffering from DDOS attacks. As a result they have postponed the last part of the current OSS (online super series). Their CEO sent a mail to all players, personally explaining the situation. I respect his stance of not paying a penny to the people doing it. Games are still running - one to watch.
22nd August 2017: Bovada are back.. well their poker room that is. Bovada sold their poker room to Ignition Casino not too long ago. They are now going to offer Poker again, all on the same network. There are 11 countries in total, including the US + a lot of LATAM countries. Guess I need to start updating my reviews again! Check out www.bovada.com for the new news and introductory offers!
20th August 2017:Check out the sleek new design over at BetOnline.. I also notice they bought 'eSports' to their main menu. No poker specific promos to report to go with the make-over. Once the summer is over the sites usually wake up again with new events and deals.
14th July 2017:Ignition (+Bodog) are having a big event called the 'Super Millions Poker Open'. This runs from the 16th of July through to the 13th of August, and features more than 100 special tournament events. These finish in a big $300k guaranteed main event. Plenty of satellites are running too!
1st June 2017: Intertops have become the 2nd US friendly site to offer mobile poker which is suitable for smartphones (including iPhones) and tablets. This a browser based game, and curiously works with 8-handed cash game tables only. I'm planning on checking it out further, and updating my Intertops Review this weekend. In the meantime, you can check out the new games for yourself over at www.intertops.eu
May 31st 2017: New deposits guide added today, this one covers LiteCoin, which is similar to Bitcoin (only a little less volatile), there are currently 2 US poker rooms which welcome this. Check out my LiteCoin Poker Sites guide for more.
May 21st 2017: America's Cardroom catching the news once again - this time with some innovative updates to their software client. You'll immediately notice the avatars (Alien, basketball guy and so on). You can change the mood of these by clicking on them and selecting from one of the options in the circle. Kind of reminds me of Full Tilt with.. another change is that when you leave a cash game with a win, you'll be given a shot at gambling it 50 / 50 on the turn of a card. Not too sure about this one myself - though good to see continued innovation following the SNG 2.0 and 'Jackpots'.
May 2nd 2017: Boss is about to kick off. this is the 'Bigger Online Poker Series' which runs at America's Cardroom from the 3rd through to the 7th of May. There are $2 million in tournament guarantees, and the finale on Sunday the 7th is a definitely worth checking out. See www.americascardroom.com for more
6th March 2017: The schedule for the next Black Diamond Poker Open event has been released. This is a tournament festival which runs on the Bodog Poker network. US Players can reach the games via Ignition Poker. There is a $300k gtd Main Event, $3 million in overall guarantees, and a ton of variation in the schedule. Satellites are already running!
30th January 2017:Normally, special offers do not count as 'news', though the America's Cardroom Poker deal did catch my eye. By playing poker, you can get up to $100 in free bets for the upcoming Super Bowl 51. There are some easy to grab $5 bets, and some $25 bets at higher levels. Should make the big game all the more exciting!
22nd January 2017: Admin note.. I just moved the 2015 news updates to the archive, if you are interested, you can find 2011 and on via the link under this news section. Will leave 2016 / 2017 here in view, until this time next year at least.
10th January 2017: America's Cardroom have announced a new tournament schedule. This adds a lot of new guarantees ($40k / week's worth) and some interesting new events on Saturdays. Mondays also become a focus, with $100k in guarantees. This site really is powering ahead when it comes to the tournament side of things. The (delayed) Sit N Go 2.0 is expected this month too.
18th October 2016:I have added a brand new in-depth article covering the Chico Poker network. This is an unusual poker network, in that is it dominated by one big site. Find out the details of how this is set up and what makes it different in my complete Chico Poker Network Guide.
4th October 2016:Players on the Equity Poker network site Full Flush Poker have found the usual website replaced with a message about 'Upgrading the Gaming Solutions', while the license of Full Flush appears to be pending in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles (the jurisdiction from which they operated). More details over at Calvin Ayre's news site. I am keeping an eye on developments and will report back, no word yet on retrieving player balances.
26th September 2016: A pre-annoucement from America's Cardroom on the Winning Poker Network. They are releasing Sit N Go 2.0 in mid-October, these are a hybrid of Jackpot SNGs and 9 player regular ones - though the details have yet to be released. They were created in collaboration with author Collin Moshman. One snippet I did pick up on is that the top prizes (one in 200 games, so it can't be super-big) will pay all 9 spots - making for some interesting ICM adjustments. I will report back here when these games are released. In the meantime you could keep an eye on www.americascardroom.eu for the latest updates.
9th September 2016:We are just 21 days from the big switch between Bovada Poker and Ignition. I have put together a detailed guide to the deposit methods available at Ignition Poker. If you have not yet got a Bitcoin wallet then I recommend you take the plunge, I have found this method to be very easy (no technical knowledge was needed). Here is my guide to Ignition Poker Deposit Methods.
August 18th 2016: I have now published 2 very detailed reviews of Ignition Poker. One is a regular review which covers every aspect of the site, and the other is my unique SNG focused review. I am hoping for big things from this poker site - lets see how it goes. Here are the links to the reviews: Ignition Poker Detailed 2016 Review + Ignition Poker Sit N Goes
August 10th 2016: After a quiet summer, a big change has been announced for Bovada Poker, which is the biggest single US poker site. They are moving to a new brand, and becoming part of Ignition Casino. Bovada will focus on Casino, Sports Betting and Horse Racing. Bovada Poker asked me (and all affiliates) to remove their poker mentions / links a while ago - I am assuming this announcement has been a long time in the planning. There are (unconfirmed) rumors that a certain Calvin Ayre is behind the Ignition Casino group. Existing Bovada players are being offered big incentives to move their accounts (cash, bonuses and tournament entries).
24th July 2016: America's Cardroom have annouced the latest in their series of poker tournament events - 3 of them! The 'Online Super Series Cubed' starts with a small buy-in event on August 14th, then a regular one (along with another $1 million guaranteed game) and then ends with a high-roller event. You'll find the full schedule and huge prize pools listed over at www.americascardroom.com
12th July 2016: In a development that caught many people (including me) by surprise, New Jersey have reached a tentative agreement with the UK to share player liquidity (ie, pool players on the same sites). There are many details still to cover, from a legal as well as a practical standpoint - if this does come about it would significantly transform the NJ sites.&
21st June 2016: A near miss to report for New York state as far as regulated in-state poker goes. While the legislation for DFS was passed, online poker was not and will now have to wait for another opportunity.
6th June 2016:High 6 Tournament event about to kick off at America's Cardroom. ACR have really taken the lead when it comes to tournament promotions, and the latest 'Mini Series' called the high 5 has almost a million in guarantees. The highlight is on Sunday the 12th and is a $420k guaranteed event. There are currently no bigger tournaments for US players. There are still some WSOP qualifiers available for those who would like to take a shot at this year's Main Event too.
31st May 2016: The Merge Poker Network has stopped accepting new US players. This network has been in decline for well over a year, pulling their promotions and stopping their once popular events. While it is possible that sites including Carbon Poker could reopen to US players again (they did stop accepting US players once before, only to allow them again after fixing some payment processing issues), for me it looks doubtful this time. BetOnline and America's Cardroom are clear favorites to take over the space that Carbon Poker's demise has left.
13th April 2016: 2 more days until the latest Online Super Series! We are already at number 6 for the big US friendly tournament event 'OSS' held at America's Cardroom. This one has a $2.5 million guaranteed prize pool, and includes another $1 million guaranteed event on Sunday the 24th April. There are satellite qualifiers to many of the 72 scheduled events running right now. As a side note, this site has also started their 2016 WSOP qualifiers which are based on their popular lottery Sit n Goes. See www.americascardroom.eu for details of both!
2nd April 2016: Bovada have always been solid when it comes to deposits and withdrawals, they have now added BitCoin to their list of options - this is now becoming a mainstream option accepted by all the offshore sites.
26th Feb 2016: PokerStars have announced the 21st March for their long-awaited US return. This will be for New Jersey residents only. I am sure that the software will be welcomed back, though of course the real draw for PokerStars pre black friday was the high volume of games and big tournament prizes, which will be difficult to replicate with the limited size of the player pool in NJ. At least we have a start, lets see how it goes from here.
2nd Feb 2016:A qualifier caught my eye over at Intertops Poker. This is for the TKPT on the Caribbean island of St Maarten. You can win a package which includes entry to the main event, accommodation and cash for your travel expenses. This event takes place from April 25th to May 1st.
10th Jan 2016: Just a quick admin note, I have moved the news updates from 2014 into the archive to keep this page tidy! Link at the bottom of the page.
US Online Poker FAQ
This section is designed to cover the most common reader questions on US poker rooms. Most of this focuses on the offshore sites, the smaller in-state sites also get a mention. In 2019 the scene is thriving, with the bigger offshore sites adding new players all the time – 2 of these (Ignition and the Winning Poker Network) can now be found in the top 10 poker sites list.
What Laws Apply to Online Poker, How Do They Affect Individual Players?
Law is one of those areas where the mainstream press is full of misinformation. Federal law is the main cause of this, and in particular, one act.
The ‘Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act’ (more commonly known by the acronym UIGEA) was passed back in 2006. Many players have been incorrectly led to believe that this makes online poker illegal. It does nothing of the sort. The UIGEA focuses on banks, financial networks and gambling site operators. It forbids them from sending money.
Individual players are not covered by Federal law at all. In fact, the legal status of players in the majority of states rests on statutes created before the internet was even conceived!
There are some restrictive states, for example Washington State and Utah explicitly ban online gambling including poker. Most states have vague wording regarding ‘gambling devices’, sometimes dating back to the 1800’s. There is no appetite at all to test these laws. No US player has ever been indicted for enjoying real money poker online. To top it off, some poker sites (BetOnline for example) are happy to offer games from the offshore locations to all 50 states.
More recently, there has been legal movement in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. These states now have their own state-regulated rooms. These are nowhere near the size of the big offshore sites at the time of writing.
Who Licenses the Offshore Sites?
Jurisdictions which provide licenses for gambling sites are usually small countries out in the Caribbean. The exception is Kahnawake, which is a native reservation inside modern-day Canada. Popular licensing jurisdictions include:
Antigua and Barbuda, Curacao (formerly known as the Netherlands Antilles) and Panama.
What Deposit Methods Can I Use?
While the UIGEA continues to make depositing and withdrawing difficult, you’ll have several ways to make poker site payments.
Banks will try to block credit card deposits, though they are not always successful. You’ll often get that credit card deposit through first time. If it is blocked, prepaid credit cards make a good alternative. Make sure you check with your poker site to find out which brands work.
All of the big offshore sites are switching over to Bitcoin for their finances. Once you are set up to use this (or Litecoin), then you’ll be able to make deposits and withdrawals from any of the sites as often as you wish.
The final commonly used deposit method involves using money transfer companies like Western Union or MoneyGram. Since these companies will not directly transact with online poker rooms, you will be sending cash to an individual. The sites will give you the details. While this sounds like an odd way of getting money on board, it is very reliable! You can find guides to the individual methods, and an overall guide to US Poker deposits over on my Poker Deposit Methods main page.
How Do I Get Money Out Again?
If you deposited with Bitcoin, then withdrawing using this is super-easy. Credit card deposits are one-way (in!) only, so you will need a new way of getting money out again. You might be surprised to know that the go-to withdrawal method for US poker players is a paper check.
Most of the sites will courier a paper check to your door for free once per month. After that you’ll need to pay an admin fee. You should also watch out for the minimum withdrawals. If this is high, then it can make withdrawing small bankrolls tricky.
You can also withdraw via money transfer services, though usually you will need to pay the fee.
What Sites Can Players from Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey Reach?
Each of the 3 regulated States have their own poker rooms. In the case of NV and DE, players can choose to play cross-state at any of the sites. All the state poker rooms are regulated, and are formed in conjunction with local casinos.
New Jersey is the only state with a big enough population to make their sites work in terms of prize pools and choice. Even their 8 million does not seem to be enough to get too much traction. The main hope for players is that more states regulate, and then allow cross-state play which will increase the liquidity for the games.
Several offshore sites do not allow players from these states (or New York / Maryland). BetOnline Poker is the exception, allowing players from all 50 states.
The balance for players is between a much bigger site, with a wide choice of games, and lack of oversight / control that you’d get with state regulated rooms.
Are the Offshore Sites Legit? How Can I Guarantee My Safety?
Some of the offshore poker sites have been around in one form or another for more than 10 years. Poker sites which are not well-run simply do not last that long. There are some things I look out for when deciding whether a poker site is legitimate. You will find those below. First, a note on guaranteeing your safety (the safety of your money). Nobody who tells you that you are 100% safe is being straight with you – there are simply too many variables. There could be something like Black Friday in the future, or one of the sites could go rogue… I play at several offshore sites, and hold balances at them, and do not worry day-to-day. I strongly recommend getting a Bitcoin wallet set up, that way you can quickly move your money around, and will not need to keep it all on any one site… the best way to reduce your personal risk is to spread the exposure.
Simple Safety Checks:
Best Us Friendly Online Poker Sites
Three things to do before you commit any cash, all take 1 minute and could save you from any nasty surprises!
#1 Make sure that your site has an operating license. This will come from one of the offshore jurisdictions (Curacao, Antigua, Panama) or else Kahnawake (the sovereign native territory in Canada).
#2 Make sure that the deal is externally verified. Specialist companies test the fairness of the deal for poker sites (and also for casino games). Look for a badge in the footer of your poker room’s website. Names include TST (Technical Systems Testing), iGaming Labs and eCogra.
#3 Make sure that there are no current scandals or scams. If a lot of players are complaining about withdrawal delays, this should be a red flag. There will always be one or two people bleating on about bad beats – you’ll need to filter those out and look for payment delay type problems.
BIGGEST SITE |
|
FASTEST GROWING |
|
BODOG NETWORK |
|
SOFTEST SITE |
|
ASPIRING PROS |
|
Note: I have now archived the news updates from 2011 through to 2016. If you are interested, you can find them here.