1. Online Poker Legal California
2. Where Is Online Poker Legal
3. Is Online Poker Legal
4. Best Legal Online Poker Sites

• US Players Accepted
• Online poker sweepstakes for real cash prizes
• Visa/Mastercards Accepted

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US poker sites ranked by traffic

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There are currently 4 states that offer legal online poker in the United States – New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Pennsylvania became the latest to join this group when PokerStarswent live in the state on Nov. 4, 2019.

WSOP/888 US is currently the only poker site that shares online poker players between all three legal online poker states (NJ, Nevada & Delaware). It’s currently the #1 US online poker site by traffic.

Poker Stars – New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Party Poker – New Jersey only

Pala Poker – New Jersey only

US States launching soon

With the official launch of online poker Pennsylvania, there remains only one state that has legalized online poker. West Virginia legalized online poker in 2019, but wasn’t expected to go live until 2020.

The Mountain State, however, has a small population and launching an online poker room with a large number of players may be difficult without a shared liquidity pool with other states.

That may be resolved through litigation regarding the federal Wire Act.

Sweepstakes Online Poker – Available to all US Players

Global Poker – Uses a unique sweepstakes model allowing for online poker for real cash prizes and is available in all US states.

What is or is not legal in US?

Playing online poker is not strictly against any US laws. Therefore, a number of offshore sites continue to find creative ways around the banking issues created by UIGEA and continue to accept US customers.

In the years following the 2011 indictments, four states have also passed bills legalizing and regulating the activity in fenced-in markets inside state lines. Three of those states have also signed an agreement to share player pools.

In the meantime, Global Poker, which started accepting US customers in December 2016, uses a sweepstakes and virtual-currency online poker model. As a result, it is not considered online gambling, leaving it outside the purview of the UIGEA.

Where can I play poker online in the US?

Outside of state-licensed online poker sites in Delaware, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, there’s really only one legal online poker site for US players.

Global Poker

Global Poker offers what amounts to real-money online poker to players inside the United States. The site launched in December 2016 offering a form of virtual currency gaming. The virtual currency can later be converted into real money on PayPal, but players don’t start out on Global Poker buying into tournaments and cash games with real dollars.

Instead, they purchase Gold Coins which come with bonus sweepstakes prizes called $weeps Cash. The $weeps Cash can be used to buy into $weeps Cash tournaments and ring games. Any $weeps Cash earned can then be cashed out through PayPal. There are also Gold Coin poker games, but no real money available down that road.

Global Poker uses its own custom-made poker software incorporating its patented sweepstakes technology. It’s glitchy, but serviceable.

The site is strictly No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, but there are cash games, tournaments and sit and go’s. Global Poker runs various freeroll tournaments and promotional leader boards. All of the banking is done through PayPal.

Where can I play poker live in the US?

Poker is America’s game. As a result, most states have tribal casinos, commercial casinos or card rooms where you can expect to be able to play live poker.

In fact, it’s much easier to list the states where you can’t legally play live poker. Although, even in that list of states below, you likely won’t have to look too hard to find an underground game, or a casino in a neighboring state with a poker room tucked right up next to the border.

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

*Texas is experimenting with poker in private social club settings. The state attorney general has declined to issue an opinion so far, leading to sizable operations opening in major cities. However, a recent raid in Houston has cast considerable doubt on the longterm viability of the clubs.

Individual states with online poker offerings

Up to and including January 2018, there are just four US states with laws legalizing and regulating online poker.

Delaware was the first state to do it, passing the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act in the summer of 2012. It approved both online poker and online casino games.

In February 2013, Nevada became the second state to come on board, authorizing the issue of online poker licenses. Within a week, New Jersey became the third state to legalize online gambling. It authorized the issue of licenses to casinos in Atlantic City that allowed them to operate both online poker and online casino sites.

In April 2013, the first-ever legal and regulated online poker site in the US went live in Nevada. The site’s name was Ultimate Poker. An offshoot of Station Casinos affiliated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts organization ran the site. By November of that same year, legal and regulated online poker sites also went live in Delaware and New Jersey.

Pennsylvania jumps on board

Pennsylvania became the fourth state to authorize online gambling. It passed online poker and online gambling legislation as a part of a comprehensive gambling expansion bill in October 2017.

Since then, there has been much legal and regulatory maneuvering in the state. There has even been an external threat that arose after the Department of Justice revised its opinion about the Wire Act’s applicability.

PokerStars officially launched in Pennsylvania on Nov. 4, 2019.

West Virginia makes it five to go

West Virginia is now the fifth state to legalize online poker. The Mountain State did so with the passage of H 2934, the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act.

The bill became law after Gov. Jim Justice declined to sign. However, the appearance of online poker (and casino) sites in West Virginia is not imminent.

Lottery officials must still promulgate regulations for the new industry. It is likely to be 2020 before any site will possibly launch.

Activity in other states

Of course, a number of other states, including California, New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois have all seriously considered various forms of legislation that would legalize and regulate online poker over the past few years.

In 2018 and 2019, Michigan also made significant pushes to legalize online gaming, including poker.

The federal government has succeeded in pushing the largest global online poker site operators out of the US market. However, several offshore online poker operators still accept US players.

US online poker overview

There are essentially two federal laws that govern online poker in the US.

The Wire Act

The first is the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, aka the Federal Wire Act. The law essentially prohibits the operation of certain types of betting businesses using wire communications. Its original aim was to stop interstate gambling and end organized crime’s interest in the business.

The act passed decades before the internet or online poker even existed. However, since it governed the loosely-related act of betting or wagering using wire communications, many believed it had some jurisdiction over online gambling.

In September 2011, in response to questions regarding the legality of online lottery sales, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released a formal legal opinion on the scope of the act. The opinion concluded that interstate transmissions of wire communications that do not relate to a sporting event or contest fall outside of its reach.

Interested states took it to mean the act did not apply to online poker or other forms of online gambling. Now, four of those states have passed legislation legalizing and regulating the activity.

That may be changing, however. In January 2019, the DOJ reversed its opinion to say that the Wire Act, in fact, does relate to all online gambling.

In June 2019, a New Hampshire federal judge threw out the opinion as it relates to two litigants – the New Hampshire Lottery Commission and an associated vendor. However, the ripple effect of this judgment is unclear at this point.

The UIGEA

The second law is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Congress passed UIGEA in 2006. It made it illegal for US banks to process transactions for offshore online gambling operators. The law effectively pushed a number of online poker sites out of the market.

Other sites stayed in the US. However, the DOJ forced the largest remaining sites in the industry, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet out in 2011. The DOJ charged them with various illegal gambling and money laundering charges, partly under UIGEA.

History of online poker in the US

Online gambling first hit the internet when online casinos started opening in 1994. The operators were mostly based in places like Antigua or the Isle of Man, but they still took customers from the United States and were only too happy to accept US cash.

In 1996, the Mohawk Territoryof Kahnawake, a First Nations group based just outside of Montreal, Canada brought online gambling to North American soil for the first time. It set up a gaming commission and started issuing licenses to online casino sites. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission helped the number of online gambling websites around the world go from a handful to hundreds.

Online Poker Legal California

In 1998, a Canadian entrepreneur launched the first-ever online poker site. Planet Poker advertised in CardPlayer Magazine in the US prior to its Jan. 1, 1998 launch. The first ever real-money online $3/$6 Hold ’em game was filled with US players.

By 1999, the US Senate realized online gambling was widespread across the US and sought to do something about it. The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act was introduced, but it did not pass.

Over the next few years, sites introduced more sophisticated online poker software, and new sites launched around the world, offering cash games and tournaments.

In 2002, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled the Federal Wire Act prohibits sports betting, but not necessarily online gambling. At the time, the DOJ disagreed, claiming online gambling was illegal, However, the industry kept growing.

The poker boom

In 2003, online poker’s popularity really took off. A Tennessee accountant aptly named Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event after getting into the tournament through an online satellite. Coverage aired on ESPN, and Moneymaker’s story became a national obsession. Millions of Americans thought they could be next.

Poker was suddenly everywhere on TV, as the advent of hole-card cameras made live games more watchable than ever. Most shows were branded, and the commercial breaks were filled with spots for offshore online poker sites. The productions sold the game to the American TV-watching public and they bought it.

Then, in 2006, Congress took another shot at taming the wild beast. It passed UIGEA, making it illegal for US banks to handle transactions with offshore online poker sites. It certainly pushed a handful of operators out of the US market, but it didn’t eliminate the market altogether.

Several sites still accepted US players and found ways around the banking issues. Online poker continued to grow until April 15, 2011.

On that day, three of the largest online poker operators in the world were indicted on various illegal gambling and money laundering charges, including violating UIGEA. The sites included PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet. Access to the sites from the US was shut down, and the massive US online poker market was effectively closed.

However, it wouldn’t take long before efforts to open it up again began.

US legal and regulated online poker

In response to questions regarding the legality of online lottery sales in December 2011, the DOJ released a legal opinion that the Federal Wire Act only applies to sports betting. Several states took this to mean they could consider licensing and regulating online poker and casino sites if they wanted.

Delaware was the first state to do it, approving both online poker and online casino legislation in 2012.

In February 2013, Nevada became the second state to pass online gambling legislation, authorizing the issue of online poker licenses. A week later, New Jersey became the third state to legalize online gambling and made plans to issue licenses for online poker and online casino sites.

In April 2013, the first-ever legal and regulated online poker site in the US went live in Nevada. Legal and regulated online poker sites went live in Delaware and New Jersey in November 2013. Pennsylvania became the fourth state to legalize online poker when it passed a comprehensive gambling expansion bill in October 2017.

Now, as sites jump through the regulatory hoops to get games up and running in Pennsylvania, even more states are considering similar online poker legislation.

Where Is Online Poker Legal

Poker wouldn’t be poker without Texas. After all, without Texas, we’d all just be playing plain old hold’em. Without Texas, we wouldn’t have some of the game’s most enduring legends, such as Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim, and WSOP founder Benny Binion.

No-limit Texas Hold’em made Texas an indelible part of poker. Card players in the Lone Star Star love poker, both in land-based casinos and online poker. This page discusses the Internet poker rooms available to Texas poker players in this Guide to Playing Online Poker in Texas.

If you came here looking for how to play online poker in Texas or the tips on the best Texas poker sites, we suggest you read our real-money poker guide.

Current Updates for TX – Laws, Legislation & House Bills

Poker players have fought for legalized poker for years, whether in Texas online poker rooms or in brick-and-mortar establishments. In 2012-2013, Senator Rodney Ellis introduced casino bills that included the legalization of poker, but Ellis received no support from his fellow lamwakers.

Since then, Texan entrepreneurs took the initiative. Private poker clubs have popped up around Texas, mostly in large cities like Houston and Dallas. Players don’t pay a rake or tournament fees. Instead, they pay membership or entrance fee, similar to a country club. The clubs make money from membership fees, seat rental fees, and food and beverage sales.

Poker clubs operate in a grey area. Local law enforcement shut down some poker clubs, but some in other towns remain open and assert their rights legally. A court ruling might decide the law, as the legislature won’t legalize Texas poker anytime soon.

AG Ken Paxton Dithers on Live Poker Rooms

The most recent news out of Texas is that Attorney General Ken Paxton will not be issuing any type of decision regarding the live poker rooms. State Representative Geanie Morrison formally asked Paxton if poker rooms that charge membership fees but don’t charge rake permitted are legal. Paxton officially refused to answer. A spokesperson for his office said that it is a legal matter being litigated in the courts, so courts should resolve the issue.

In 2018, Attorney General Ken Paxton said he would not issue any type of decision regarding the live poker rooms. State Representative Geanie Morrison formally asked Paxton if poker rooms that charge membership fees — but don’t charge rake — are permitted under the current law. Many state lawmakers have been asking the same question, but Paxton officially refused to answer. A spokesperson for his office said that the courts should resolve the issue.

Texas Poker Clubs – A Legal Gray Area

Poker clubs around Texas continued to operate as usual until May 1, 2019.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office and Houston Police Department coordinated to raid the two largest poker clubs in Houston on May 1. Nine owners and managers from the Post Oak Poker Club and Prime Social Poker Club were arrested and charged with money laundering as a part of engaging in organized crime activities. The two clubs’ bank accounts were also frozen and all funds seized. District Attorney Kim Ogg said, “Poker rooms are illegal in the state of Texas.”

Interestingly, however, all charges were dropped in July. All money was returned. The DA’s office commented that the dismissal of charges was the result of “multiple potential conflicts of interest” within her office. It seems that a contract employee of her office also worked for a law firm that tried to extort money from the two poker clubs while conducting an investigation of them. Said law firm – Jones Walker – then became the target of a lawsuit by Prime Social in early September.

Latest Texas Sports Betting Bills

Texas Rep. Eduardo Lucio introduced Texas House Bill 1275 and Texas House Joint Resolution 61 to the House in February 2019. HR 1275 would regulate land-based sports betting and impose a 6.25% tax. HRJ 61 would let Texans vote on a constitutional amendment to legalize sportsbooks through a statewide vote.

Texas Daily Fantasy Sports Laws – Is It Legal?

In January 2016, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that daily fantasy sports gaming was illegal in Texas. FanDuel announced it would no longer offer games to Texans after May 1, 2016. DraftKings filed suit in a Texas court, asking the court to rule DFS legal. That court case has not been resolved yet.

8-Liners in Texas Towns

One other oddity exists on the Texas landscape. Under Texas State law, the gaming machines called 8-Liners or “maquinitas“ are legal if local municipalities approve them. and the owner does not pay winnings in cash. Winners are paid in store credit, gas, or groceries. Despite that limitation, 8-liners generate $5.4 billion in revenues each year.

8-Liners create a problem for local law enforcement. Business owners often pay cash for winnings, which is illegal. Just in the past 3 years alone, Texas law enforcement has raided 8-liner operations for illegal cash payments in the following cities: San Antonio, Poth, Athens, Cap City, Eustace, Seven Points, Tool, Gun Barrel City, San Benito, Rio Grande City, La Joya, Cameron County in the Rio Grande Valley, and McAllen.

Texas Poker Sites – Where to Play Online Legally?

Most Texas poker players drive to Oklahoma or Louisiana to gamble. Several of the largest casinos (by gaming space) in the world are located an hour north of Dallas: Winstar Casino in Thackerville and Choctaw Casino in Durant, Oklahoma. The casinos in Bossier City and Shreveport, Louisiana also get most of their business from Dallas-Fort Worth.

Texans who want to know the closest card room should read our list of real money poker rooms.

Is Online Poker Legal in Texas?

Is Online Poker Legal

As a rule of thumb, a poker site that accepts American players will also accept poker players from Texas. It’s NOT illegal to play online poker in Texas. In fact, unlike Washington, Texas poker players can legally play on offshore poker sites, like Bovada. The only illegal activity is owning or operating a poker room.

The rooms we’ve listed above are Texas-friendly, but they’re far from the only online poker rooms where Texans can play real-money games. Read through our list of online poker — Texas exists in a gray area, but Texans can play at most US-friendly sites.

What Forms of Gambling Are Legal in Texas?

Poker players are naturally curious about whether or not playing poker for real money online is legal under Texas law. Offering legal advice is not a function of this website (nor of anyone beyond legal professionals), but we can help you sort through the fundamentals of poker laws in Texas.

What counts as gambling in Texas?

The definition of “bet” (Section 47.01(1)) is short and sweet – it’s when you enter into an understanding “to win or lose something of value” in an activity that involves chance. Specifically, the winning or losing must occur “solely or partially by chance.” The definition includes the phrase “partially by chance,” so a bet is anything with any element of chance. The definition of “gambling device” (Section 47.01(4) clarifies the law further.

Making illegal bets is a misdemeanor in Texas (Section 47.02). Those who break the law could face a half-dozen separate charges. Gambling promotion (Section 47.03) is a misdemeanor, and covers operating, promoting, processing bets and selling lottery chances. Possession of Gambling Device, Equipment, or Paraphernalia (Section 47.06) is also a misdemeanor.

Will Texas Regulate Internet Poker?

It’s unlikely Texas will regulate online poker. Texas proponents of land-based casino gambling faced a long fight in the past. Texas online poker is even further away from approval.

Texas Gambling Facts

Texas regulates lottery betting and pari-mutuel bets on racing, and charitable gambling (raffles and games of bingo).

Tribal gambling is complicated. Naskila Gaming at Livingston owned by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino at Eagle Pass, and Speaking Rock Entertainment by the Tigua Tribe of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo each operate casino gaming. All three tribes are embroiled in multi-year legal battles with the state of Texas.

Purely social gambling in a private place or regulated gambling activity is legal, if the house makes no profit.

All Poker and Gambling Laws by State

• July 11th, 2018

  Poker rooms operating in Texas have no plans to shut down. They believe in their right to operate enough to take it to the courts if they must. The loopholes in the law, in addition to the antiquated laws surrounding poker in Texas, may be challenged in just that way,

  Read Full
• May 8th, 2018

  Poker players in Texas know how to find games. Whether they travel to neighboring states that allow casinos and card rooms or locate underground games closer to home, there are ways to play poker. Some have found a different avenue. With some legal advice and personal determination, a number of

  Read Full
• October 20th, 2017

  Texas is one of the few states in America that does not permit poker rooms, clubs, or games with any type of money involved. Despite the global popularity of Texas Hold’em, the state itself has yet to consider any true poker legalization measures. Only one casino operates in Texas, and

  Read Full
• August 18th, 2017

  One of the greatest mysteries in the world of poker is the notion that Texas Hold’em – and any other kind of poker game – is illegal in the state of Texas. No matter the mainstream popularity of poker or the many reports showing the level of skill overrides luck

  Read Full

Texas’ Forms of Regulated Internet Gambling

This is a much shorter list, as the state of Texas does not regulate any form of online gambling activity. As noted in our earlier section discussing the likelihood that Texas will regulate online poker, there’s almost certainly quite a bit of daylight between now and a time when Texas is issuing licenses to online gambling operators.

Additional Research on Texas Gambling

Texas Tribune: Gaming/Gambling. Dedicated section from the Texas Tribune covering all in-state gaming and gambling issues. Includes news and interviews with major industry players.

Senator Rodney Ellis . Internet home of Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston), the driving force behind a proposal that would allow voters to decide whether or not to bring casinos to Texas.

Texas Lottery . Official website for the state lottery of Texas contains winning numbers along with a wealth of historical and statistical data about the lottery.

Texas’ and the History of Poker

It’s hard for a state to be any more integral to the game of poker than Texas. After all, the state name is right smack at the start of what is by far the most popular format of modern poker: Texas Hold’em. The “Godfather” of poker, Doyle Brunson, is still better known to some poker fans as Texas Dolly. The subject of one of the most epic poker matches (and stories) in history – Andy Beal – is (you guessed it) a card-carrying Texan. We could go on.

Poker is now by and large an underground activity in Texas, so the state doesn’t get the same spotlight as your Las Vegas or your Atlantic City. But we can guarantee that if the same laws existed in Texas as Nevada, you might quickly see the center of the American poker universe gravitate a bit closer to the Lone Star State.

Best Legal Online Poker Sites

Sources & Citations For This Article on Texas Online Poker