Best Poker Sites For Americans
WSOP, America's top legal online poker site, is available in the Garden State, and it’s also accessible to all Nevada online poker fans as well. Likewise, PokerStars NJ, available both independently and within the.
The above are the best Omaha poker sites online, where you can win big and have fun. The biggest difference between Hold’em and Omaha is that because of the hole cards, the latter is a game of math. Top 100 Poker Sites.Bear in mind that the online poker industry is constantly changing and in-flux when reviewing our Best Poker Sites; the data and research we have done on these rooms was up-to-date at the time, but may have changed since our research was first done –this is especially true for US-friendly poker.
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. Make sure to use the referral codes listed for each site in order to receive upgraded sign up bonuses when you make your first deposit.
The USA poker sites listed below are ranked in order based on ease of deposits and withdrawals, as well as best possible bonuses, game variety and traffic. Most of the US poker sites featured here are fairly easy in terms of competition with Lock and BetOnline attracting the most fish. All of the poker rooms accept US bank issued Visas, as well as Mastercard, prepaid debit cards, money transfers and of course, bank wires.
Update - PokerStars and FullTiltPoker.com are no longer open to US players.
If you live in the United States, you can play at any of the US friendly poker sites below, including Bet Online Poker All of the US poker sites featured on this page accept American players, and US deposits (including credit cards).
Rank | Poker Site | Bonus | Referral Code | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 100% up to $2000 | n/a - use link | Ignition Poker | |
2. | 100% up to $500 | n/a - use link | Bovada Poker | |
3. | 100% up to $600 | n/a - use link | Intertops Poker | |
4. | 100% to $2500 | n/a - use link | BetOnline Poker | |
5. | 100% up to $2500 | n/a - use link | Intertops Poker |
USA Poker Deposit Methods
Although dozens of other sites accept American players, it can often be a hassle depositing money because of USA laws. The above sites accept the most deposit methods, and some of the more common ones are listed below:
Credit/Debit Cards:
Depending on your bank and credit card provider, you may be able to make a deposit directly to a US friendly poker site using your credit card. This is the easiest and quickest way to get money from your pocket to your poker account. Click here to find out what sites accept Credit Card Deposits.
eCheck:
A lot of online poker sites, allow players to deposit using eChecks. How this works is that you provide your bank's routing number and your checking account number, and then can instantly transfer funds from your checking account to your online poker account. This is another instant form of money transfer, and just like the credit card option, there are no fees involved.
eWallets:
eWallets are getting tougher and tougher for American players. How eWallets work is that you create an online account, then fund the account by a bank transfer or credit card payment, then transfer money from the eWallet to the poker site. However, these are getting all but impossible for players located in the USA. Your best bet is either eCheck or a credit/debit card.
All USA Friendly Deposit Options:
- Credit/Debit Cards
- eChecks
- MoneyGram
Legality of Online Poker in the United States
Ever since 2006 there has been a shakeup in the online poker world for United States players. On October 13, 2006 President Bush signed into effect the SAFE Port Act, which was a bill designed to improve security at major ports and docks in the United States.
Now normally, an act designed to improve port security would have no effect on online poker or players trying to play United States poker games. Up until this point every USA friendly poker site had operated with no problems from the government, and everyone was happy (so it seemed).
However, at the last minute a Senator from Tennessee, Bill Frist, attached a section to the bill regarding online gambling and the legality of transferring funds to online gambling sites. This sub-section is called the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act).
UIGEA
The UIGEA act was slipped onto the SAFE Port Act at the last minute, and quickly pushed through Congress. The implications of this bill were witnessed immediately, as all publicly held online gambling companies withdrew from the USA market right away. Corporations realized huge financial losses, such as PartyGaming who saw its stock drop over 60% in one single day because of the UIGEA bill. However, many privately held companies such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker chose to remain in the USA market, and have made tons of money for doing so.
Although the bill only targets financial institutions who process online gambling transactions, many players interpreted the new law as a total online poker ban. That is not the case; the bill only makes it illegal for banks and credit card companies to process monetary transactions to online poker sites.
2009 UIGEA Update
Targeted enforcement of the UIGEA bill was set to being on December 1st, 2009, but at the last minute the government pushed the date back six months to June 1st, 2010. Many analysts see this as an indication that banks simply cannot monitor every transaction, and refuse to do it. Only time will tell how things shake out for the American online poker market.
Other US Friendly Poker Sites:
Ever since the passing of the UIGEA bill in the United States, it has become increasingly difficult for an American poker player to gamble for money online. However, many poker sites are still USA-friendly, and it is easy to deposit and wager for US players. Basically, most of the privately held companies disregarded the UIGEA, but all of the publicly held poker companies were forced to obey the law and close to American traffic.
Besides our top four US poker rooms, we have reviewed a bunch of other USA poker sites that are great for American players. Here are some reviews of other USA friendly poker sites:
- Also, learn about more poker sites for USA players at HoldemReview.com - our sister website.
More Country-Specific Toplists:
Top Poker Sites In Usa
The US may not be the birthplace of poker, but it’s certainly the country that made the game popular. American poker movies can make us think that poker is legal in every state, but that’s not the case. Although the game is part of many land-based casinos, things get pretty complicated when it comes to online poker.
In this article, we’ll discuss the state of affairs regarding online poker in the country and how some of the poker platforms fit that landscape. Read on!
Have a look at Top10PokerSites.net if you are looking for up to date list of legal US poker sites.
The Big Four — NJ, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Delaware
Only four states in the US legalized and regulated online poker — New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. In other words, if you want to play poker in a completely regulated environment, you have to be within the borders of these states physically unlike poker in California.
New Jersey and Nevada were the first ones to regulate it back in 2013. It’s quite clear why the two states’ lawmakers rushed to legalize online poker since they are widely regarded as two gambling centers of America. After a while, Delaware joined them, and Pennsylvania was the last one to do it, passing the legislation in 2019. It’s safe to say that Pennsylvania still has a couple of steps to take to meet the regulation level of the other three states.
Land-based casinos and poker rooms in these states offer online poker games as well. They partnered with the industry’s big players, such as PokerStars and partypoker, offering branded poker sites that are part of the same poker network. For example, Delaware’s casinos joined forces with 888poker to offer Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Raceway online gambling platforms.
Player Liquidity As An Obstacle
Even though all four states legalized online poker, there are still issues of player liquidity. For example, a player from Pennsylvania cannot access sites that are part of the WSOP Poker Network, which is only available in Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware. If they want to do that, they need to travel to one of the three states.
Legal Online Poker Real Money
Many professionals did this when WSOP.com held its online variations of the World Series of Poker — they booked a room in either NJ or Nevada and took part in online poker tournaments that way.
The good news is that the operators also want to achieve higher liquidity, so that’s why agreements such as the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) allowed WSOP Nevada and 888 Delaware to join their pool in 2015. New Jersey joined the agreement in 2017, and it became the only state besides Nevada to offer online bracelet events via WSOP.com.
The States That Are Almost There — Michigan and West Virginia
Michigan and West Virginia both legalized online poker. The Mountain State did it in March 2019, and Michigan copied the homework in December 2019. Both are expected to launch their first online poker products soon — no later than 2021 if nothing gets in the way. Once their online poker sites are up, the states will also have to join the liquidity pool with other states, but they will have a paved way, since NJ, Nevada, and Delaware already went through this process.
If all goes well, the US could offer six states with legal and regulated poker. But what about all other states? Do online poker players have to travel to take part in poker tournaments and cash games on the web? Actually, no.
Other States And Online Poker — What Options Do They Have?
Most states haven’t regulated online poker in any way. However, players living in these unregulated areas are still free to join offshore-licensed poker sites focusing on the US market. Is this legal? No. Is it illegal? Also no. How come?
All around the globe, laws don’t allow operators to offer gambling services within a country’s borders. However, if an online gambling platform is licensed elsewhere (such as Malta or Curacao — two popular offshore regulators), by joining it you don’t break the law anywhere. Unless players are strictly prohibited from playing online poker, they are free to join online poker sites. This is how things work in the US, which has had its fair share of drama regarding online poker. Yes, I’m talking about the infamous Black Friday.
Perhaps the most popular network that players from other states can access is the Winning Poker Network with its flagship site Americas Cardroom. Other platforms that are part of WPN (and are just skin sites of Americas Cardroom) are Black Chip Poker and True Poker.
Other popular online poker platforms that you can access are Ignition, BetOnline, Intertops, Juicy Stakes, Bovada, and more.
But, is it possible to join them from ALL states? Almost.
Indiana Outlawed Online Poker
The only state where online poker is explicitly outlawed is Indiana, meaning you can run into a lot of trouble if you join one of the poker sites mentioned above. According to some sources, players from Indiana aren’t prosecuted for joining offshore sites, but this is something you want to check with your lawyer if you’re from the Hoosier State. On the other hand, Indiana made online sports betting legal, although it’s mostly state-owned.
Final Thoughts
The online landscape in the US is anything but clear when it comes to online poker. Although you can access some of the best online poker sites from almost every corner of the country, you should get to know your state’s views on this activity. Once you’re sure that there will be no negative consequences for your actions, feel free to select some of the best poker sites and start your online poker adventure.
If you’re in NJ, Nevada, Delaware, or Pennsylvania, you’ll have an opportunity to play online poker in a state-regulated online poker room. However, if you’re in any other state, feel free to choose from a long list of international online poker sites, but be careful to avoid the suspicious ones.