Legal Us Betting Sites

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BovadaBetOnlineSportsBetting5Dimes
Ranking#1#2#3#4
US Accepted?
Legal States46 STATES EX: DE, MD, NJ, NVALL 50ALL 50ALL 50
Live Betting
Mobile Betting

The question of whether or not it is legal to bet on sports in the US is not as difficult to answer as it once was. Sports wagering is still a controversial topic in the United States but it is no longer the most restricted form of gambling. The Supreme Court removed the federal prohibition on sports betting, leaving the choice to regulate in the hands of state governments.The decision came after a years-long battle between New Jersey and the NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. The leagues filed suit against the state when former Governor Chris Christie attempted to legalize sports wagering in NJ. Ultimately, the Court ruled 7-2 that the federal law banning such legalization was unconstitutional, and struck down the law. The decision in the Murphy vs. NCAA case changed the American sports betting industry.Now, we can say that it is legal to bet on sports in the United States. There is no ban stopping Arizona, Maryland, California, Mississippi, or any other state from establishing land-based sportsbooks. That being said, a state can still choose not to offer sports betting to citizens. Sports betting regulations are made on a state-by-state basis and therefore are not the same for every sports fan.It is still illegal to use local bookies and to start your own unlicensed sports betting scheme, no matter where you live. American sports bettors can visit local sportsbooks in their state or visit online sports betting sites without breaking laws.Without further delay, here are a few of the best sports betting sites that are legal for players in the United States. Note that we do use these sites and what we speak of comes from firsthand experience. There may also be state-licensed sports betting sites in addition to these:

All States EXCEPT DE, MD, NJ, NV

Online horse racing betting is legal in most US states. In fact, licensed horse racing betting sites in the USA have agreements in place with local tracks that allow fans across the country to watch live simulcast races and bet on races held around the country. The most popular US gambling sites have an extensive sportsbook that delivers nonstop sports betting action to fans of the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and much more. Our recommended online gambling sites in the United States know how to keep their customers happy, that's for sure.

The biggest brand and most trusted name for online sports betting in the U.S. is undoubtedly Bovada. Chances are that you knew this book before the U.S. brand name changed in late 2011, previously Bodog Sportsbook. And even though this website is relatively new, it lacks nothing and is the model that other betting sites imitate. Unfortunately, not all players living in the U.S. will be allowed to wager here. Bovada has restrictions in place against new registrations in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Nevada because of deposit difficulties.For those who are accepted, you will likely never need another website for betting on sports. Bovada brings new players in with a 50% bonus that can be worth up to $1,000 in cash depending on the amount of the first deposit for the upcoming football season. The bonus code for NFL bets is BVNFL1000 and the NCAAF bonus code is BVNCAAF1000. This is one of the examples of the special bonus promotions going on that tends to go away quickly, so be sure to hop on this as soon as you can! Depositing and getting money out of Bovada is always a breeze as deposits mainly flow through VISA branded cards but can also be performed using a wire transfer service like Western Union. Payout methods are a bit more limited and slower but are just as reliable.
All 50 States
Legal
Though BetOnline's name doesn't carry the same weight as others in the business, it should not be discounted as one of the best sites that U.S. players can choose to make legal wagers on sporting events. Best of all, no matter where you live, every player in the U.S. (at least 18 years old) is able to register for an account and it's free!
If you're a frequent sports bettor than BetOnline is likely a site that you'll enjoy opening an account with. The advantageous betting lines found at BetOnline give this site a slight edge over retail sportsbooks and the fact that the entire sportsbooks can be accessed through any mobile devices web browser allows wagers to be placed from anywhere. For new players looking for a sports betting site, BetOnline has generous Welcome Bonuses that can sometimes be redeemed without having to enter a promotional code. The best value promotion at BetOnline is the welcome Bonus by using the promo code BOL1000 when making your first deposit. With this bonus, BetOnline will match 50% up to $1,000 of your deposit adding more funds to your bankroll to place bets on just about any sport you want.
All 50 States
If you live in the U.S., you will never have any trouble or get into any trouble when making wagers on Sportsbetting.ag. If it wasn't enough to allow players from all 50 states to make wagers, this website encourages Americans through a variety of ways including:
Bonuses - Any time a user deposits into his/her account, up to a maximum of $900 awaits them thanks to the lifetime reload bonuses offered here. A lot of sportsbooks just have one bonus and it can only be claimed the first time a player makes a deposit. That is simply not the case here and because this promotion never stops giving, it has earned SportsBetting.ag high marks.Deposits / Payouts - Having problems with deposit, or even worse, when trying to get paid can be enough frustration to make you throw your hands up. This sportsbook sees no need for this and that is the reason why they make sure to accept many popular methods including wire transfer, bank wires, checks through the mail, as well as traditional credit cards like VISA and American Express. Sportsbetting.ag doesn't let new users make deposits via MasterCard but that option can be unlocked after some time.Sports / Odds / Wager Types - If Sportsbetting.ag didn't have the sports that are popular amongst fans in the U.S., they simply wouldn't make the cut. That would be a dumb move for any sportsbook and sportsbooks that do not allow USA players still offer their users wagers on our sporting events. But it's more than just having what you want to bet, any bookmaker should have wager types beyond just straight wagers. Sportsbetting.ag does not let users down as it is prepared to handle numerous wagers including parlays, teasers, pleasers, future wagers and many more.
BEST LEGAL ONLINE SPORTSBOOKS + SPORTS BETTING SITES
  • LEGAL SPORTS BETTING
  • USA?
  • SPORTSBOOK BONUS OFFERS
  • MOBILE?
  • GET STARTED
  • 50% Bonus Up To $1,000 On Each Deposit
  • 50% Bonus Up To $1,000
  • 100% Bonus Up To $500
  • 50% Bonus Up To $1000
  • 100% Bonus Up To $300
ESPN Partners With Caesars To Produce Sports Betting Programs
3 Times Bettors Beat The Oddsmakers For The NBA Finals
Will The Controversial Kentucky Derby Finish Mar Sports Betting Legalization Efforts?
Odds And Game Times For The Rest Of The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
FanDuel And Sportradar Partner To Provide First Sports Betting App In The US With Live Streaming
Go To Article
Key Points To Using Legal Online Sports Betting Sites In The U.S.
Before you sign up to any of the online bookmakers, listed here or not, you will want to check into as many tiers of the government as possible. Frankly, states or provinces, as well as federal entities, will sometimes all have their own regulations surrounding online gambling and that really holds true when talking about bookmaking. If you live in the United States, know that you will be able to find a great deal of websites that allow Americans to bet sports online. The sites that we mention are based offshore, but you also have state-licensed options as well. As long as there are no explicit laws against online gaming in your state, you are completely safe from prosecution or penalties which is something that all players have expressed as a necessity.Before you jump in and begin the sign-up process, keep in mind that not all online sportsbooks will take every deposit method. You might find the site that is perfect for what/how you want to bet, but it might not have friendly deposit methods for your situation.For instance, many turn straight to their credit cards or other forms of plastic but that might not always be possible even when the website advertises that credit card. This is because the UIGEA blocks many gambling transactions. In turn, this makes life more difficult, but there is always a way.Americans typically turn to alternative deposit methods including bitcoin, ethereum, prepaid/gift cards, wire transfers (like Moneygram + Western Union), and in some cases, an old-fashioned check or money order sent through the postal service. These deposit methods make funding your account as easy as it can possibly be, but be aware that the easiest option can sometimes be a pain in the butt, or take longer than you want.If you do find a legal sports betting site that is kicking back your deposits, explore their alternative US sportsbook deposit methods and you may find yourself with an alternate method which could be funded using the very same method which failed.

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act

The UIGEA stipulates that gambling businesses are not able to knowingly accept payments for wagers that are made. There are several important aspects of the UIGEA to consider. The first is that it does specifically mention that intermediary computers are not considered here, meaning that the bettors are not breaking the law. The second point to remember is that payments are only potentially blocked if using an unregulated site. The most important takeaway is that regardless of the stipulations, the UIGEA does not make placing a bet online illegal.

Federal Wire Act

The Wire Act dates back several decades, but it's the 2011 ruling in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court Of Appeals that sports bettors should pay attention to. That's because this ruling made the Wire Act pertain only to betting on sports. What this law stipulates is that no form of wire communication can be used by gambling businesses to process a bet or wager made. Again though, the focus of this law is on the business, and not the bettor. Also, this only applies to states where sports betting is not legal.

Professional And Amateur Sports Protection Act

This law is no longer applicable, but you may still want to know its history. PASPA was passed by the federal government back in 1992, and was the first piece of major legislation against betting on sports. This outlawed the practice of sports wagering, but did give those states with a decade of more history with licensed gaming the chance to apply for immunity. Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware were the only four states permitted to offer sports betting. In 2018, the law was declared unconstitutional and all 50 states have the right to decide whether or not to legalize sports wagering.
Interpretation of Sports Betting Laws In The United States
If you look throughout history, the interpretation of sports betting laws in the United States have changed more than once. The Wire Act of 1961, for example, was written well before the advent of the internet but was still interpreted to include the World Wide Web decades later. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was once considered to be fair and just, however 25+ years later it was found to be unconstitutional.What this means is that sports betting laws in the United States should be considered revolving, not stationary. As times change, so do the options for betting on sports. What once only took place at a brick and mortar location can now happen from a computer or smartphone. As such, new sports betting laws will be written to stay in stride with the changing technology. What we do know is that there is no federal ban on sports betting and sports fans, therefore, have options. Generally speaking, as long as US sports bettors are of age when they gamble and do not use a local bookie, interpreting the rest of the big picture laws is secondary at this point. Sports betting is not illegal in the U.S., and you can focus more on state laws than federal legislation. If you want to read more about the specific legalities regarding the internet, see our article 'Are online sportsbooks legal in The United States?'.
It seems that states are split 50/50 when it comes to their opinion on online sports betting. Some local governments are in favor of state-licensed online sportsbooks, while others want to keep all the action on land. New Jersey, West Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania are among the states in favor of online sports betting, with the option for operators to also offer mobile sportsbooks. You can always check you gaming commission's website to see if there are state-sponsored sports betting sites.With all that being said, we are going to keep up with all of the latest news that happens in each state if it has to do with legalizing sports betting. Check out our state sports betting guide and find your state to see what is happening with the current laws, if anything.
Why Some Legal Sports Betting Sites Do Not Accept US Players
So why is it tough to find a legal online sports book that will accept U.S.A. players? In the past, the combination of PASPA, the UIGEA, and the Wire Act made many online bookmakers feel like they were backed into a corner. Rather than have to determine what (if any) legal implications these federal laws would have on business, oddsmakers opted to leave the U.S. market.Now that there is no overarching sports betting ban in the United States, it would not be unreasonable to expect an influx of legal sports betting sites to enter the market. With sports gambling-friendly states issuing licenses to eligible operators, sports fans will now be able to choose from both American and offshore online sportsbooks.

Are you looking for the best US legal online poker sites or a real money poker app? If the answer is yes, then you came to the right place. This is one of our many online poker reviews where you can find more about the best online poker options.

Without further ado, keep reading to discover how to play the best online poker for money and how to form an online poker strategy. So, let's get started!

Contents

Best Legal Online Poker Sites

  1. WSOP
  2. PartyPoker
  3. PokerStars
  4. Pala Poker
  5. 888poker
  6. Global Poker

Is online poker legal? It's not always the same as legal online casinos and legal online sportsbooks. All new players who decide to explore the vast universe of real money poker sites should know that federally, online poker sites are illegal. However, on the individual level, online poker is legal in some of the states.

Some websites such as Global Poker (which is a sweepstakes poker site) are allowed in 49 out of 50 US states. Only Washington does not allow it. At the moment of writing our online poker reviews, only four states offer legal online poker websites in the United States. These are the following: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware.

For more information about some of the available sites, make sure to consult our Global Poker review.


US Legal Online Poker: State by State

Is online poker legal in your state? If the answer is no, keep in mind that the situation can change pretty quickly. Unsurprisingly, Nevada was the leader of regulated online poker. Once the ice was broken, the domino-effect followed.

One by one, many states tried or are still trying to pass the legislation. As you can see, some of them even succeeded. The last one to recently pass online poker is West Virginia, and we expect more legal US poker sites to be launched in the future.

When it comes to future predictions, we believe that chances are pretty good for some of the states to overcome all the legal obstacles and finally launch real money poker sites so their residents become able to play legal online poker.

Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, New York are some of the states that'll probably make some innovations when it comes to the possibilities of playing poker online. These are the states that have active supporters of online poker in the state senate.

What's more, regulated real money poker sites in neighboring states can only have a positive effect on public opinion. Additionally, within the borders of the aforementioned states, you can find a considerable number of land-based casinos.

Many of them come with the best online poker rooms where you can play various variants of poker, including the most popular one - Texas Hold'em. In other words, these poker offline options make it easier to launch legal poker sites and eventually start to offer legal online poker.

States Where Legal Online Poker Seems Like a Distant Dream

From this point of view, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah are just some of the states where we can see a certain legislative hostility towards online gambling. Therefore, we don't believe that we won't be able to play Texas Hold'em online there for quite some time.

Sweepstakes Legal Online Poker - Play Poker Free No Matter Which State You're In

As said before, Global Poker, a sweepstakes legal online poker site, can be accessed in all US states except for the state of Washington. This legal online poker platform was launched in 2106, and since then, many players use its services. The virtual currency gaming business model is what makes it unique.

Instead of playing for real money, players play poker free, using gold coins or sweeps cash. That's why Global Poker often appears when players search for 'play poker free' or 'play poker online, free'.

To understand how sweepstakes poker works, let's start with some poker basics and make sure to understand sweeps poker terminology clearly. There's a difference between gold coins and sweeps cash, and there's a reason for which 'play poker online, free' is actually a bit of a misnomer here.

Gold Coins are the name for the virtual currency in Global Poker, and they are equivalent to what regular legal online poker sites usually call 'play money'. In other words, you can't cash them out, but you can use them to play Texas Hold'em online or participate in some of the available tournaments with other players. On the other hand, '$weeps cash' is a promotional, virtual currency that can be cashed out through PayPal.

To sum up, you can buy gold coins that don't have any monetary value and can't be cashed out. '$weeps cash' is obtained as free of charge once you buy Gold Coins. Because of this virtual currency online poker model, Global Poker is not quite considered an online gambling activity. Therefore, it's allowed in almost all of the US.

Where Can I Play Legal Online Poker in the US?

Pennsylvania is the last state where online poker had become legal when PokerStars was launched there at the end of 2019. Right now that's also the only available option to play online poker for money in Pennsylvania.

Legal Us Betting Sites That Accept Paypal

If we don't count Global Poker, which can be accessed in 49 states, all the other legal online poker sites come with pretty restricted access. For example, Pala Poker and PartyPoker are only available in the state of New Jersey.

However, they are not the only NJ poker sites one can access. 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 FOX Bet app

Claim the WSOP promo code in New Jersey and Nevada to get a $1,000 signup bonus!

Where Can I Play Poker Live?

Most of the land-based casinos across different states include special poker rooms where you can play live poker. Playing Texas Hold'em online is definitely the most popular option. After all, poker is an American thing, so it's no wonder to see it available in the vast majority of mortar and bricks casinos.

In fact, instead of listing all the states where you can sit back, relax and try out your luck with live poker, it's better to list all those where you can't play poker online. It'll be easier to remember this list:

  • Alaska
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • New Hampshire
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah

We must add that in Texas, private poker clubs aren't forbidden. As long as no house makes a profit from the game, poker can be played in private places for fun.

US Online Poker Basics

When talking about the current status of legal US poker sites, there are two especially important laws that you should be aware of. Let's take a look at these two federal laws that govern online poker in the country.

The Wire Act

The first one is the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, often called the Federal Wire Act. As you can see, it passed long before online poker or even the internet existed. However, it prohibits certain types of betting businesses to operate via wired communications.

In 2011, the US Department of Justice concluded that the scope of the act was limited to sporting events. Therefore, states, where online poker is now regulated, found that the bill didn't apply to online poker nor other forms of gambling.

However, in 2019, the US Department of Justice reversed its opinion. The new opinion concludes that the Wire Act applies to all types of online gambling.

The UIGEA

The other relevant law is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from 2006. This law made it illegal for US banks to proceed with transactions for offshore gambling companies. That's how they were pushed out of the market.

History of US Legal Online Poker

Online casinos started to appear back in 1994. They were usually situated in Antigua or the Isle of Man. However, the vast majority of their users were US-based customers. Two years later, in 1996, online gambling was also brought to the North American market soil.

Legal
Though BetOnline's name doesn't carry the same weight as others in the business, it should not be discounted as one of the best sites that U.S. players can choose to make legal wagers on sporting events. Best of all, no matter where you live, every player in the U.S. (at least 18 years old) is able to register for an account and it's free!
If you're a frequent sports bettor than BetOnline is likely a site that you'll enjoy opening an account with. The advantageous betting lines found at BetOnline give this site a slight edge over retail sportsbooks and the fact that the entire sportsbooks can be accessed through any mobile devices web browser allows wagers to be placed from anywhere. For new players looking for a sports betting site, BetOnline has generous Welcome Bonuses that can sometimes be redeemed without having to enter a promotional code. The best value promotion at BetOnline is the welcome Bonus by using the promo code BOL1000 when making your first deposit. With this bonus, BetOnline will match 50% up to $1,000 of your deposit adding more funds to your bankroll to place bets on just about any sport you want.
All 50 States
If you live in the U.S., you will never have any trouble or get into any trouble when making wagers on Sportsbetting.ag. If it wasn't enough to allow players from all 50 states to make wagers, this website encourages Americans through a variety of ways including:
Bonuses - Any time a user deposits into his/her account, up to a maximum of $900 awaits them thanks to the lifetime reload bonuses offered here. A lot of sportsbooks just have one bonus and it can only be claimed the first time a player makes a deposit. That is simply not the case here and because this promotion never stops giving, it has earned SportsBetting.ag high marks.Deposits / Payouts - Having problems with deposit, or even worse, when trying to get paid can be enough frustration to make you throw your hands up. This sportsbook sees no need for this and that is the reason why they make sure to accept many popular methods including wire transfer, bank wires, checks through the mail, as well as traditional credit cards like VISA and American Express. Sportsbetting.ag doesn't let new users make deposits via MasterCard but that option can be unlocked after some time.Sports / Odds / Wager Types - If Sportsbetting.ag didn't have the sports that are popular amongst fans in the U.S., they simply wouldn't make the cut. That would be a dumb move for any sportsbook and sportsbooks that do not allow USA players still offer their users wagers on our sporting events. But it's more than just having what you want to bet, any bookmaker should have wager types beyond just straight wagers. Sportsbetting.ag does not let users down as it is prepared to handle numerous wagers including parlays, teasers, pleasers, future wagers and many more.
BEST LEGAL ONLINE SPORTSBOOKS + SPORTS BETTING SITES
  • LEGAL SPORTS BETTING
  • USA?
  • SPORTSBOOK BONUS OFFERS
  • MOBILE?
  • GET STARTED
  • 50% Bonus Up To $1,000 On Each Deposit
  • 50% Bonus Up To $1,000
  • 100% Bonus Up To $500
  • 50% Bonus Up To $1000
  • 100% Bonus Up To $300
ESPN Partners With Caesars To Produce Sports Betting Programs
3 Times Bettors Beat The Oddsmakers For The NBA Finals
Will The Controversial Kentucky Derby Finish Mar Sports Betting Legalization Efforts?
Odds And Game Times For The Rest Of The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
FanDuel And Sportradar Partner To Provide First Sports Betting App In The US With Live Streaming
Go To Article
Key Points To Using Legal Online Sports Betting Sites In The U.S.
Before you sign up to any of the online bookmakers, listed here or not, you will want to check into as many tiers of the government as possible. Frankly, states or provinces, as well as federal entities, will sometimes all have their own regulations surrounding online gambling and that really holds true when talking about bookmaking. If you live in the United States, know that you will be able to find a great deal of websites that allow Americans to bet sports online. The sites that we mention are based offshore, but you also have state-licensed options as well. As long as there are no explicit laws against online gaming in your state, you are completely safe from prosecution or penalties which is something that all players have expressed as a necessity.Before you jump in and begin the sign-up process, keep in mind that not all online sportsbooks will take every deposit method. You might find the site that is perfect for what/how you want to bet, but it might not have friendly deposit methods for your situation.For instance, many turn straight to their credit cards or other forms of plastic but that might not always be possible even when the website advertises that credit card. This is because the UIGEA blocks many gambling transactions. In turn, this makes life more difficult, but there is always a way.Americans typically turn to alternative deposit methods including bitcoin, ethereum, prepaid/gift cards, wire transfers (like Moneygram + Western Union), and in some cases, an old-fashioned check or money order sent through the postal service. These deposit methods make funding your account as easy as it can possibly be, but be aware that the easiest option can sometimes be a pain in the butt, or take longer than you want.If you do find a legal sports betting site that is kicking back your deposits, explore their alternative US sportsbook deposit methods and you may find yourself with an alternate method which could be funded using the very same method which failed.

Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act

The UIGEA stipulates that gambling businesses are not able to knowingly accept payments for wagers that are made. There are several important aspects of the UIGEA to consider. The first is that it does specifically mention that intermediary computers are not considered here, meaning that the bettors are not breaking the law. The second point to remember is that payments are only potentially blocked if using an unregulated site. The most important takeaway is that regardless of the stipulations, the UIGEA does not make placing a bet online illegal.

Federal Wire Act

The Wire Act dates back several decades, but it's the 2011 ruling in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court Of Appeals that sports bettors should pay attention to. That's because this ruling made the Wire Act pertain only to betting on sports. What this law stipulates is that no form of wire communication can be used by gambling businesses to process a bet or wager made. Again though, the focus of this law is on the business, and not the bettor. Also, this only applies to states where sports betting is not legal.

Professional And Amateur Sports Protection Act

This law is no longer applicable, but you may still want to know its history. PASPA was passed by the federal government back in 1992, and was the first piece of major legislation against betting on sports. This outlawed the practice of sports wagering, but did give those states with a decade of more history with licensed gaming the chance to apply for immunity. Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware were the only four states permitted to offer sports betting. In 2018, the law was declared unconstitutional and all 50 states have the right to decide whether or not to legalize sports wagering.
Interpretation of Sports Betting Laws In The United States
If you look throughout history, the interpretation of sports betting laws in the United States have changed more than once. The Wire Act of 1961, for example, was written well before the advent of the internet but was still interpreted to include the World Wide Web decades later. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was once considered to be fair and just, however 25+ years later it was found to be unconstitutional.What this means is that sports betting laws in the United States should be considered revolving, not stationary. As times change, so do the options for betting on sports. What once only took place at a brick and mortar location can now happen from a computer or smartphone. As such, new sports betting laws will be written to stay in stride with the changing technology. What we do know is that there is no federal ban on sports betting and sports fans, therefore, have options. Generally speaking, as long as US sports bettors are of age when they gamble and do not use a local bookie, interpreting the rest of the big picture laws is secondary at this point. Sports betting is not illegal in the U.S., and you can focus more on state laws than federal legislation. If you want to read more about the specific legalities regarding the internet, see our article 'Are online sportsbooks legal in The United States?'.
It seems that states are split 50/50 when it comes to their opinion on online sports betting. Some local governments are in favor of state-licensed online sportsbooks, while others want to keep all the action on land. New Jersey, West Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania are among the states in favor of online sports betting, with the option for operators to also offer mobile sportsbooks. You can always check you gaming commission's website to see if there are state-sponsored sports betting sites.With all that being said, we are going to keep up with all of the latest news that happens in each state if it has to do with legalizing sports betting. Check out our state sports betting guide and find your state to see what is happening with the current laws, if anything.
Why Some Legal Sports Betting Sites Do Not Accept US Players
So why is it tough to find a legal online sports book that will accept U.S.A. players? In the past, the combination of PASPA, the UIGEA, and the Wire Act made many online bookmakers feel like they were backed into a corner. Rather than have to determine what (if any) legal implications these federal laws would have on business, oddsmakers opted to leave the U.S. market.Now that there is no overarching sports betting ban in the United States, it would not be unreasonable to expect an influx of legal sports betting sites to enter the market. With sports gambling-friendly states issuing licenses to eligible operators, sports fans will now be able to choose from both American and offshore online sportsbooks.

Are you looking for the best US legal online poker sites or a real money poker app? If the answer is yes, then you came to the right place. This is one of our many online poker reviews where you can find more about the best online poker options.

Without further ado, keep reading to discover how to play the best online poker for money and how to form an online poker strategy. So, let's get started!

Contents

Best Legal Online Poker Sites

  1. WSOP
  2. PartyPoker
  3. PokerStars
  4. Pala Poker
  5. 888poker
  6. Global Poker

Is online poker legal? It's not always the same as legal online casinos and legal online sportsbooks. All new players who decide to explore the vast universe of real money poker sites should know that federally, online poker sites are illegal. However, on the individual level, online poker is legal in some of the states.

Some websites such as Global Poker (which is a sweepstakes poker site) are allowed in 49 out of 50 US states. Only Washington does not allow it. At the moment of writing our online poker reviews, only four states offer legal online poker websites in the United States. These are the following: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware.

For more information about some of the available sites, make sure to consult our Global Poker review.


US Legal Online Poker: State by State

Is online poker legal in your state? If the answer is no, keep in mind that the situation can change pretty quickly. Unsurprisingly, Nevada was the leader of regulated online poker. Once the ice was broken, the domino-effect followed.

One by one, many states tried or are still trying to pass the legislation. As you can see, some of them even succeeded. The last one to recently pass online poker is West Virginia, and we expect more legal US poker sites to be launched in the future.

When it comes to future predictions, we believe that chances are pretty good for some of the states to overcome all the legal obstacles and finally launch real money poker sites so their residents become able to play legal online poker.

Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, New York are some of the states that'll probably make some innovations when it comes to the possibilities of playing poker online. These are the states that have active supporters of online poker in the state senate.

What's more, regulated real money poker sites in neighboring states can only have a positive effect on public opinion. Additionally, within the borders of the aforementioned states, you can find a considerable number of land-based casinos.

Many of them come with the best online poker rooms where you can play various variants of poker, including the most popular one - Texas Hold'em. In other words, these poker offline options make it easier to launch legal poker sites and eventually start to offer legal online poker.

States Where Legal Online Poker Seems Like a Distant Dream

From this point of view, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah are just some of the states where we can see a certain legislative hostility towards online gambling. Therefore, we don't believe that we won't be able to play Texas Hold'em online there for quite some time.

Sweepstakes Legal Online Poker - Play Poker Free No Matter Which State You're In

As said before, Global Poker, a sweepstakes legal online poker site, can be accessed in all US states except for the state of Washington. This legal online poker platform was launched in 2106, and since then, many players use its services. The virtual currency gaming business model is what makes it unique.

Instead of playing for real money, players play poker free, using gold coins or sweeps cash. That's why Global Poker often appears when players search for 'play poker free' or 'play poker online, free'.

To understand how sweepstakes poker works, let's start with some poker basics and make sure to understand sweeps poker terminology clearly. There's a difference between gold coins and sweeps cash, and there's a reason for which 'play poker online, free' is actually a bit of a misnomer here.

Gold Coins are the name for the virtual currency in Global Poker, and they are equivalent to what regular legal online poker sites usually call 'play money'. In other words, you can't cash them out, but you can use them to play Texas Hold'em online or participate in some of the available tournaments with other players. On the other hand, '$weeps cash' is a promotional, virtual currency that can be cashed out through PayPal.

To sum up, you can buy gold coins that don't have any monetary value and can't be cashed out. '$weeps cash' is obtained as free of charge once you buy Gold Coins. Because of this virtual currency online poker model, Global Poker is not quite considered an online gambling activity. Therefore, it's allowed in almost all of the US.

Where Can I Play Legal Online Poker in the US?

Pennsylvania is the last state where online poker had become legal when PokerStars was launched there at the end of 2019. Right now that's also the only available option to play online poker for money in Pennsylvania.

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If we don't count Global Poker, which can be accessed in 49 states, all the other legal online poker sites come with pretty restricted access. For example, Pala Poker and PartyPoker are only available in the state of New Jersey.

However, they are not the only NJ poker sites one can access. 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 FOX Bet app

Claim the WSOP promo code in New Jersey and Nevada to get a $1,000 signup bonus!

Where Can I Play Poker Live?

Most of the land-based casinos across different states include special poker rooms where you can play live poker. Playing Texas Hold'em online is definitely the most popular option. After all, poker is an American thing, so it's no wonder to see it available in the vast majority of mortar and bricks casinos.

In fact, instead of listing all the states where you can sit back, relax and try out your luck with live poker, it's better to list all those where you can't play poker online. It'll be easier to remember this list:

  • Alaska
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • New Hampshire
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah

We must add that in Texas, private poker clubs aren't forbidden. As long as no house makes a profit from the game, poker can be played in private places for fun.

US Online Poker Basics

When talking about the current status of legal US poker sites, there are two especially important laws that you should be aware of. Let's take a look at these two federal laws that govern online poker in the country.

The Wire Act

The first one is the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, often called the Federal Wire Act. As you can see, it passed long before online poker or even the internet existed. However, it prohibits certain types of betting businesses to operate via wired communications.

In 2011, the US Department of Justice concluded that the scope of the act was limited to sporting events. Therefore, states, where online poker is now regulated, found that the bill didn't apply to online poker nor other forms of gambling.

However, in 2019, the US Department of Justice reversed its opinion. The new opinion concludes that the Wire Act applies to all types of online gambling.

The UIGEA

The other relevant law is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from 2006. This law made it illegal for US banks to proceed with transactions for offshore gambling companies. That's how they were pushed out of the market.

History of US Legal Online Poker

Online casinos started to appear back in 1994. They were usually situated in Antigua or the Isle of Man. However, the vast majority of their users were US-based customers. Two years later, in 1996, online gambling was also brought to the North American market soil.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established just outside Montreal. They started issuing licenses, and pretty soon, it was possible to find hundreds of new online gambling websites.

Once again, two years later and again in Canada, the first-ever poker online website saw the light of day. Planet Poker was the favorite source of fun to thousands of Americans who were spending endless hours playing the first real-money online Texas Hold'em. Topcasinz.com online casino for real money.

Over the next few years, thanks to technological advances, better online poker software was developed, while the number of websites kept increasing. These online poker operators also started to offer various tournaments and cash games and got a solid fan base all over the world.

The Industry Kept Growing & Then It Collapsed

Even though there were different interpretations of the law, especially of the famous Wire Act, the newly developed industry kept growing.

The year 2003 is especially important in the evolution of online poker. Using an account from Tennessee, Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker after participating in the event through an online satellite. In Chris Moneymaker's case, we guess, it's okay to say that name determines destiny.

This online poker strategy was live-streamed on ESPN. Suddenly, the whole nation knew about Chris's story. A good number of Americans were hoping to be the next. All of a sudden, poker was everywhere on TV. Live games were followed carefully, and commercial breaks had one purpose: promoting online poker for money and playing Texas Hold 'em online.

The great number of promoted sites were, in fact, offshore online poker sites. A lot of them disappeared from American browsers after Congress passed the above-mentioned UIGEA in 2006.

However, even though a lot of sites weren't accessible anymore, online poker couldn't be erased that easily. Some of the offshore gambling companies had found a way around the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, but not for long.

In 2011, some of the largest online poker operators, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet, were accused of violating UIGEA and money laundering. These websites were definitely excluded from the significant US online poker market, which seemed to come to an end at the time.

Legal Online Poker Sites Rise Again

Also in 2011, the DOJ released a legal opinion that the Federal Wire act exclusively applied only to one form of gambling: sports betting. A few states saw this as a possibility, paving the way to regulated online casinos and legal US poker sites.

In 2012, Delaware was the first state that managed to do just that. Then, in December 2013, Nevada followed the example of passing online poker legislation. A week later, the Garden State became the third to legalize online gambling, and plans for NJ poker sites were made.

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The first-ever regulated US online poker site was launched in Nevada in April 2013. Delaware and NJ poker sites went live that same year, a few months later. In 2017, Pennsylvania became the fourth state to join this group. West Virginia is the fifth state where online poker was regulated in 2019. Probably, more states will try to do the same thing in the near future.

Which State is Next?

Is online poker legal in California or New York? This is one of the frequently asked questions that people search for in the USA. They also search for different terms of poker terminology that sound unfamiliar to them. However, that's another question that we could discuss on some other occasion.

Let's get back to our question of legal online poker sites and the possible new markets in the USA. Michigan has made significant efforts to legalize online gambling, particularly online poker, while California, New York, and Massachusetts also seem to be moving in the right direction.

Real Money Poker App: How to Find the Best Poker App

Online usa real money casino. It doesn't matter if you are a Pennsylvania online poker fan or a regular visitor of NJ poker sites, the good news is that you can play poker whenever you want, anywhere within the borders of one or the other state.

Best Legal Us Sports Betting Sites

Many of the best online poker websites have launched a dedicated real money poker app that you can easily download and install on your device. The best poker apps are available for both iOS and Android operating systems.

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In order to find the best poker app, make sure you visit one of the websites we listed at the beginning of our review.

Legal Us Sports Betting Sites

Also, before you replace your poker offline adventure with the one that can be found on the internet, make sure to read some of the online poker reviews and get to know the poker terminology used by the players worldwide. After a brief introduction to the poker basics, it's time to create your own online poker strategy and join one of the legal online poker communities!





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