The Legality of Online Poker in the US
The legality of online poker in the US has been a hot topic in recent years. However, federal efforts to legalize online poker have been put on hold due to concerns about states’ rights. Many states are seeking to regulate online gaming within their borders and do not want to be preempted by the federal government. However, there are a few states that are already legalizing online poker.
Cash games are the most popular form of online poker. They allow players to play whenever they want, and there is no pressure to sit through an eight-hour game session. The poker sites take a percentage of the money you make as rake, which ranges between three and four percent. If you aren’t sure where to start, try doing an Internet search for “online poker” and you’ll find thousands of sites to choose from.
Another advantage of online poker is that the action is fast. Unlike live poker, online poker tournaments deal many hands per second. This means that the pace is much higher, which can result in larger short-term gains or losses. Online poker tournaments also tend to have much higher stakes, which makes them more exciting than live games.
In order to play real-money poker online, players need to download an application. If the game is legal in your state, it’s relatively simple to get started. Download the application to your device, and then login to the poker site. Some sites require you to download software or sign up with a bank. Some of these sites may even ask for more information than this.
Online poker has been around for decades. The first websites began appearing in the late 1990s. A few years after Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 World Series of Poker victory, the unregulated market grew significantly. However, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) forced a number of poker sites out of the U.S. market, including PokerStars.
The most popular online poker destination in the US is California, but it does not offer legal online poker for real money. However, California lawmakers have been working to legalize online poker in the state. Until this happens, players in the Golden State will only be able to play online poker at sweepstakes and social sites.
