In 2019, 2020 and 2021, we saw a significant boost in state-by-state online gaming approval across the United States. That opened the door for more Americans than ever before to legally play internet poker, , games and tournaments. So, if you're wondering, "Is online poker in the US legal?", the answer is yes. You just need to know where to play. The following is our comprehensive guide to US legal online poker rooms, games and laws.
Before we get into the nitty gritty details about state by state poker availability here's a quick guide to which sites operate where in the US of A.
List of US States With Legal Poker
OK, so that gives you a general idea of where you can play right now. But the landscape of US poker legislation is always changing. And in some cases it changes quickly without much notice. So, please refer to our guides below for the most current information regarding US poker laws and available sites. You can also visit our online legal poker page for further reading on the topic.
State-By-State Guides (Legal Poker Rooms)
Online Poker in Alabama
Online poker in Alabama is outlawed. Virtual machines are generally verboten and there is no provision for any sort of exception for casino games or poker. Passage from Alabama’s Criminal Code – Section 16-11-1 makes this very clear: ‘For purposes of this chapter, ‘gaming’ means playing cards, tabular games, dice, or any simulacum thereof, for money or other things of value, but gaming does not include wagering on horseracing as permitted under Chapter 14 of this article or playing card games or selling properties for money momentarily on a regulated securities exchange.’
This means that operating an online gaming site of any sort – including those offering legal US poker - is breaking the law in the state of Alabama. And playing on one of these sites is also against the law. This puts the state at odds with federal statutes and case laws like the Wire Act and Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act(Uiiga). It’s unclear how this conflict will be resolved or when it might happen, but until then, major online gaming sites aren’t operating in Alabama and neither should you.
Online Poker in Alaska
Online poker in Alaska is somewhat of a grey area. There is no specific reference to virtual poker games or casino games within Alaska Statute Title 11 (Crimes and Offenses Generally). And there is no explicit statement about online betting or gambling in the state. This has led some legal scholars to conclude that Alaska online poker isn’t explicitly illegal. However, there is a broad decree under 11.66 that outlaws all lotteries – including those established after October 15, 1978.
Best Casinos in Las Vegas, NV (2023) - Top Las Vegas CasinosThere is an exemption for charitable raffles and state lottery schemes, but nothing specifically stating that Alaska residents can’t take part in non-state lotteries or private member poker games online. This opens the door for US poker players to gamble online through overseas operators. And it also allows these sites to offer their services to Alaskans. The only exception to this is payment processing. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act makes it difficult for Alaska residents to deposit and withdraw money through most major financial institutions.
Online Poker in Arizona
Arizona online poker isn’t currently allowed and the near future doesn’t look promising either. Passage under Arizona Revised Statutes Section 13-371 basically outlaws all gambling that isn’t expressly permitted through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act or Department of Gaming. And there are no provisions for online poker or casino games whatsoever. This has made it difficult for any online poker site to offer their services to Arizona residents without breaking the law.
In fact, PokerStars pulled out of Arizona following the passage of UIGEA in 2006. And nobody else has attempted to enter the market since then. Of course, offenders can pay fines and the state won’t pursue online poker players who use overseas sites to play poker. But this could change in the future and payment processings are difficult due to strict federal regulations.
Online Poker in Arkansas
Arkansas online poker isn’t allowed and the state legislature hasn’t shown any interest in changing that. Moreover, Arkansas is one of the states that signed onto the multi-state lottery game Selma. Selma was initially considered a game that straddled the lines between online gambling and gambling. And some legal experts weren’t sure if it was constitutional. Now the Supreme Court has ruled firmly in favor of the game, but Arkansas has yet to legalize any form of online gambling – including poker.
Craps Online Tips - Top Casinos, Best Sites & How to PlayThe only exception here is that online lottery tickets are sold over the phone and through the Internet. This is specifically permitted through An Arkansas Code – Titles 7 & 14 §§ 23-194.1 et seq.. Outside of this, there is a general prohibition against gambling and casino games in Arkansas through Code 1971, Sections 5-66 et seq.. This means that it would be hard for online poker site to operate legally in the state and AR residents are forced to rely on offshore sites at their own risk.
Online Poker in California
California online poker hasn’t come to fruition yet, but many feel it’s only a matter of time. In fact, the state had a chance to join the ranks of Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware and form a three-state network as early as 2016, but politics got in the way. PokerStars is largely to blame for the failure to launch because the company was without a license during online poker’s formative years in the US. And many card rooms and racetracks were leery about partnering with them.
Things have changed since then and most of the major players in California are now onboard with the idea of partnering with PokerStars. The problem now is agreeing on the specifics of an iGaming bill. Various parties cannot come to agreement on important issues like liquidity sharing and whether or not to allow mobile poker apps. Some sessions have even been suspended due to lack of progress, but the next session could prove fruitful. We'll keep you posted on the latest CA online poker news.
Update: As of 2021, there's still no word on when online poker will become officially legal in California.
Online Poker in Colorado
Colorado online poker isn’t currently legal, but the state does have a viable land based poker scene. In fact, Colorado introduced a bill in 2013 that would have seen the state enter the online poker industry. House Bill 13-1226 was sponsored by Clovis Watson and Greg Brophy and it would have seen the Colorado Division of Racing authorize internet poker games. It would have also created a licensing procedure for companies interested in offering online poker and it would have required those companies to partner with one of Colorado’s brick and mortar casinos or racetracks. Unfortunately, the bill died in the Finance Committee on March 14, 2013. And efforts haven’t been renewed since. For now, CO poker fans must stick to live home games or trips to nearby states like New Jersey and Nevada.
Online Poker in Connecticut
Connecticut online poker isn’t legal yet, but the state has shown an interest in entering the digital poker space. Back in 2012, First Nations American Tribes and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Gaming Commissions commissioned a study that concluded iGaming could benefit the region financially. This served as the foundation for SB 3437, which was introduced by Senator Andrew W. Maynard in 2014. SB 3437 would have allowed the Mashantuck Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Gaming Commissions to offer online slots, video poker, table games and poker. It would have also required non-tribal entities to pay a 20% tax on their gross revenues. CT Governor Dannel Malloy was in favor of the bill, but it never made it out of committee. Since then, there hasn’t been any serious talk of introducing another iGaming bill.
Online Poker in Delaware
Delaware became one of the first states to legalize online poker in 2012. This came about after Poker Atletic’s Brian Klein and his legal team helped the state prepare for the possible overturning of the Federal Wire Act. While assisting the state with this endeavor, Klein suggested that Delaware was within its rights to offer all forms of online gambling because it was a single, discrete state. Lawmakers agreed and they moved quickly to pass HR 33, which was signed into law on June 28, 2012. The law made Delaware one of the few states with a standalone online poker industry and allowed the state’s three race tracks to offer poker online through their existing licenses. Here are the legal Delaware poker sites:
- Delaware Park Poker (delparkpoker.com) - Delaware Park Poker is one of the top legal Delaware poker sites offering Hold’em, Omaha and Stud variants. It’s part of the Center Rake Poker Network and it offers guaranteed tournaments, sit & go’s and massive jackpot sit & go’s called Suit Up Sit & Go’s. Plus, it offers new players a 100% bonus up to $500.
- BorgataPoker-deltaweb.com (borganatapoker-deltaweb.com) - BorgataPoker-DE is connected to the NJ portion of the partyPoker network. That means it offers more players and slightly bigger prize pools than its sister site at Delaware Park. It also offers plenty of sitting and mining games, in addition to monthly toureries and special series like BorgataPoker’s Premium Tournaments (PTs). All new players are also eligible for a 100% bonus up to $600.
Online Poker in Washington DC
It appears that DC online poker isn’t illegal, but it isn’t expressly legal either. There are no laws on the books that permit online gambling or poker specifically, but police raid private gaming establishments frequently and chase online gambling sites away from setting up shop in the district. This has left DC poker players in a bit of a grey area, which has allowed a few reputable offshore brands to service the area. These sites aren’t under constant threat of prosecution like they are in most other parts of the US, but there are obvious difficulties with processing deposits and withdrawals.
Online Poker in Florida
Florida online poker isn’t legal and it may be a long while before it becomes a reality. This is partly due to the fact that the state is one of the biggest live poker markets in the world and its many card rooms have little motivation to expand the market online. Additionally, the legislature isn’t known for being progressive and it often lags behind other states on important issues. Moreover, a state representative introduced a bill in 2013 that would have outlawed all online gambling. The bill didn’t make it out of committee, but it shows you the mindset of some politicians in FL. On the plus side, online poker players aren’t actively breaking the law by using offshore sites and the authorities don’t bother going after individuals who simply want to play poker online.
Online Poker in Georgia
Like many Southern states, GA has strictly anti-gambling laws that date back to its Bible Belt roots. This hasn’t stopped people from opening up underground card clubs and loopholes in the system have allowed the Atlanta Braves to operate a charity poker game annually since the 1980s, but state lawmakers have repeatedly stated that they have no intention of changing the laws to allow for licensed poker games. This includes online poker. Operators that offer their services to Georgia residents are breaking the law and GA poker players that use those sites are also taking a big risk.
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Hawaii online poker isn’t legal and the state’s aversion to gambling makes it unlikely that laws will change anytime soon. In fact, Hawaii is one of the toughest places to gamble in the United States. Not only is gambling widely outlawed, but lawmakers have also criminalized the play money versions of online casino games and poker. This was addressed in 2004 when HCR 109 was introduced to exempt Zynga Poker and other play money sites. The resolution noted that many Hawaiians played Zynga Poker for free and had done nothing wrong to warrant criminal charges. Nevertheless, the resolution failed and lawmakers ultimately decided that even play money poker sites were breaking the law. This leaves real money Hawaii poker players in a tough spot, as they must turn to offshore sites in order to find games online.
Online Poker in Idaho
Idaho is another conservative state that frowns upon all sorts of gambling. This has discouraged online poker operators from offering their services to ID players and it has put ID poker players in a bit of a pickle. Breaking the law to play online poker is a personal choice and one that we can’t condone, but there are some sites that continue to serve Idahoans anyway. If this describes you, you should know what you’re up against.
Idaho Code title 18, section 16-1001 makes it illegal to “play” at a game of chance or “bet.” It also bans “gambling devices” and “common gambling places.” This language is extremely broad and it could technically cover online poker in theory. That said, the state doesn’t have a history of going after individual poker players and its focus has mostly been on those operating unlicensed gaming operations. Nonetheless, federal statutes also contradict state law, making the situation somewhat confusing.
Online Poker in Illinois
Illinois is one of the states that tried to jumpstart its online poker industry after the wire act was reinterpreted in 2011. A bill dubbed “ILEGAL GAMBLING CONTROL ACT” was introduced in 2012 and it would have amended the Illinois Criminal Code of 1961 by creating the new act. The purpose of the act was to “regulate and license … internet gamble[r]s.” It sailed through the house and seemed destined for governor Pat Quinn’s desk, but it stalled in the senate at the eleventh hour. Some lawmakers felt that the legislation was too rushed and they wanted more time to consider the implications of legalizing iGaming. Others objected to peer-to-peer lending language that was attached to the bill at the last second. Needless to say, nothing has happened since then and IL now has a booming live poker scene.
Online Poker in Indiana
Indiana is another state that has taken an interest in legalizing online poker, but it hasn’t managed to get anything done yet. Things actually looked pretty good in 2014 and 2015 when SEA 562/SB 306 made its way through the Senate and the House. This bill would have authorized the Indiana Gaming Commission to issue interactive licenses to existing racinos and casinos for the purposes of operating online poker, casino games and sports betting. It even contained language allowing for a shared liquidity platform that would have linked IN to neighboring states.
Governor Michael Pence ultimately vetoed the bill due to his beliefs about gambling and lawmakers failed to override his decision. Efforts have since faded and none of the state’s political leaders have expressed any urgency to revive past bills and try again. In the meantime, IN poker players must abstain to online poker sites that are based outside of the US.
Online Poker in Iowa
Iowa legalized daily fantasy sports in 2019, leaving many to wonder if the state would follow suit and move to regulate online poker and casino games. Right now, however, IA residents must rely on offshore poker sites to get their fix online. There has been talk of introducing a bill to legalize iGaming, but none have been proposed thus far.
Online Poker in Kansas
Kansas has strict anti-gambling laws and they show no signs of changing in the near future. In fact, KS lawmakers introduced a bill in 2014 that would have made it impossible for Kansans to play fantasy sports online. The bill defined fantasy sports as “illegal gambling” and it would have exposed leading sites like FanDuel and DraftKings to criminal charges. Fortunately, the bill died in committee, but it showed that some officials view all forms of remote gambling as evil. Thus, it wouldn’t be wise to hold out hope for a legal online poker industry in Kansas any time soon.
Online Poker in Kentucky
Kentucky does not allow any sort of online gambling and it has gone after websites and domain hosts in an attempt to shut down certain poker games. In 2008, the Kentucky Attorney General James C. Comer subpoenaed six different poker sites in an effort to force them to reveal the identity of users within the commonwealth. He argued that the sites were breaking Kentucky Revised Statutes Section 528.010, which prohibits all gambling except for certain types of charitable giving and the state lottery. This action targeted the sites directly rather than individual players, but it should give you an idea of the type of environment you’d be playing online poker in if you live in KY and aren’t using a site expressly permitted by the state or recognized under Poker Alliance’s interpretation of the Wire Act.
Online Poker in Louisiana
Louisiana has a complicated relationship with gambling. It’s home to several world class casinos and it allows charitable raffles, lotto and bingo games, but it also has a list of games that are strictly prohibited. This list includes “banking games,” which are games that a banker participates in and offers credit or plays against multiple players at once.
Lawmakers have debated over whether poker falls into this category or not. Some have argued that poker is always a banking game and therefore illegal. Others have pointed out that amateur games aren’t banking games if everyone is dealing and players can buy chips or get credit from anyone at the table. This ambiguity has made it risky for online poker sites to operate in LA and it has encouraged lawmakers to avoid the issue altogether. Until someone introduces a bill to clarify the laws and make poker laws clearer, LA poker players will have to rely on offshore poker sites.
Online Poker in Maryland
Maryland was poised to join the ranks of legal online poker sites in 2012 and 2013, but a contentious process has left the industry up in the air. MD politicians first started discussing iGaming legislation in 2011 and they eventually passed a bill allowing various forms of online gambling in 2012. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley vetoed the bill, but the legislature overrode his veto. This made Maryland one of the first states to specifically allow online gambling.
However, certain parties raised concerns about the bill and filed a lawsuit to block it. Maryland courts originally upheld the law, but the losing side appealed and the Maryland Court of Appeals overturned it in 2014. This left Maryland’s online gambling industry in limbo once again and a new bill would have to pass through the legislature in order to rectify the situation. Some politicians have promised to get it done, but nothing has materialized yet. This means that MD poker players must seek out overseas poker operators to get their online poker fix.
Online Poker in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has been working on a bill to regulate online poker and casino games since 2012, but efforts have stalled in recent years. One of the big holdups has been figuring out the liquidity front. MA lawmakers want he commonwealth to link up with other states to create larger shared player pools, but they haven’t been able to come to agreements with any of their neighbors on how to do it. This has left the legislation in a state of limbo, but there is renewed interest in getting it done in 2019.
Best Online Casino Apps To Play Slots, Blackjack & More - 2023“The Expanded Gaming Act” that was passed in 2011 allows for the establishment of up to five new resort casinos and an additional five slot parlors. It also includes a section on “Interactive Gaming” that states the following.
“The commission may, by regulation, authorize … a person … to conduct … [interactive] games … if such person … enters into an agreement with each bricks and mortar licensee with whom the person proposes to conduct such games … The regulation shall provide that a person shall not be authorized to conduct such games unless such person enters into such agreements… The commission shall adopt regulations to ensure that any person authorized to conduct interactive games ... Is associated with a bricks and mortar licensee.”
This essentially requires would-be iGaming operators to partner with one of MA’s brick and mortar casinos in order to acquire a license. It also requires those operators to link their player pools with whichever casinos they’ve partnered with. This is designed to protect the land based establishments from cannibalization and it appears that Massachusetts wants to link with other states through a mutual compact. No licenses will be awarded until all these issues are sorted out.
borgata poker open 2023Online Poker in Michigan
Michigan is another state that appeared ready to legalize online poker after the UIGEA was declared constitutional in 2011. A bill called “Lawful Internet Gaming Act” passed through the House in 2014, but it stalled in the Senate and lawmakers failed to return to the issue in the following year. Governor Rick Snyder supports the concept of iGaming and he testified in favor of the bill, but some other politicians objected to the fact that it would only allow the state’s existing casinos to offer online poker and casino games. They feared it would give the casinos an unfair advantage and ultimately voted against the legislation.
The bill also faced opposition from horse racing officials, who lobbied to allow their industry to benefit from iGaming as well. This left lawmakers at an impasse and they chose not to deal with the issue ahead of an election year. At this point, nothing has changed and there doesn’t appear to be a groundswell of support for pushing the issue through again.
Online Poker in Minnesota
Minnesota has some of the harshest anti-gambling laws in the country and lawmakers have shown no interest in changing them to allow for a legal online poker industry. Specifically, Minnesota Statutes section 609.772 makes it a crime to “make or pronounce … anoffer … to engage in gambling … or to locate or manage any … gambling place.” This isn’t great for poker players that enjoy the game online. Reputable offshore sites are your only option at this time.
Online Poker in Mississippi
Mississippi is home to several thriving casinos, but state officials haven’t shown any inclination to extend licenses into cyberspace. Furthermore, Mississippi lawmakers recently made it harder to legalize iGaming by defining what it is and banning it. Specifically, House Bill 172 was signed into law in 2017 and it amended Mississippi’s gambling code by adding a definition for “interactive gambling” and stating that all forms of it are illegal except for horseracing. This was done to comply with the Restoration Act of 2016, which let MS casinos offer roulette and dice games.
Representative Cory Wilson, who wrote HB172, maintains that online poker isn’t completely outlawed and that it would fall under the category of “judge’s card” games that are exempt from the state’s gambling ban. This is small comfort considering he admitted that it would be “a heavy lift” to prove that to a court of law. Therefore, Mississippi has a long way to go before online poker is a realistic possibility in the state.
Online Poker in Missouri
Missouri does not have a state lottery and it has very strict rules against other forms of gambling. This extends to online poker and lawmakers haven’t indicated any desire to change the laws in this regard. Indeed, the state has already gone after fantasy sports sites, forcing them to block IP addresses in the Show Me State. Any site looking to offer online poker to MO residents is doing so illegally.
Online Poker in Montana
If you want to play online poker in Montana, you’d better brush up on your computer skills so you can’t get caught. Montana imposes steep penalties on those found running illegal gambling operations and it defines this to include online poker sites and the players that use them. Specifically, Montana Code Annotated titles 45 and 61 exclude all forms of poker and gambling except for certain charitable endeavors and the Montana Lottery.
This means you could potentially face severe consequences for playing online poker in MT. Therefore, you should only trust sites that have a proven track record of serving customers in this state and fighting unnecessary closure attempts in court.
Online Poker in Nebraska
Nebraska doesn’t have a state wide lottery and it looks unfavorably upon all other forms of gambling. This has deterred lawmakers from entertaining the idea of legal online poker and it’s put players in a tricky position. You can still find games online, but you’ll be subjected to federal laws like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and you could run afoul of local authorities, which have seized domain names and pursued operators in the past.
Online Poker in Nevada
Nevada is easily the best positioned state to host an online poker industry thanks to its large population, status as a gambling capital and existence of SB 40, a bill that created a framework for regulated online poker and casino sites. This bill was created in anticipation of the US Supreme Court striking down the Federation of Indian Governments v. Department of the Interior secretarial approval of same-sex marriages in Indian country (Congress ionally Reservation Indians Funding Management Improvement Act of 2011), which many thought would also overturn the Wire Act and clear the way for a nationwide online gaming industry.
When states were given the go ahead to govern online gambling as they saw fit, Nevada elected to pass SB 40 and open its borders to iGaming traffic from surrounding states. The only problem was that no other states linked up with NV and the industry struggled to gain traction with just its own population to cater to. Things have picked up lately now that other states have begun to govern poker and casino sites within their own borders, but Nevada is still waiting to see how the liquidity frontier shakes out before it links up with its neighbors and NS lawmakers continue to work toward an agreement with California.
In the meantime, you can still play online poker in NV using sites approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission. The only catch is that you have to be within the state’s borders to create an account and these are the legal Nevada poker sites:
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Online Poker in New Hampshire
New Hamphire was one of the first states to pass an online lottery and it later went on to legalize daily fantasy sports. This liberal approach to remote gambling led many to believe that it would eventually legalize its own online poker industry, but nothing has materialized yet. This could easily change in the coming years, especially considering that Rep. Laura Haritan introduced HB 633 in 2017 to create a task force that would explore the pros and cons of internet gambling and recommend whether it should be legalized.
The bill passed through the House and the Senate, but the latter sent it back with instructions to widen the scope of the study. Both chambers accepted these changes and the study is now set to examine sports betting, iPoker and daily fantasy sports. Its results will be presented to the governor and the legislature by December 1, 2019.
Online Poker in New Jersey
New Jersey was one of the biggest proponents of overturning the Federal Wire Act and it was the first state to fully legalize and regulate online poker and casino sites. This all began in 012 with a bill called “The New Jersey Skill Game Alliance Act” (A383, S1636), which would have legalized daily fantasy sports throughout the state. Governor Chris Christie vetoed this bill, but the legislature overrode his veto. This led to a legal challenge from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), the NJ Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the Columbia University Law School Federalist Society.
They argued that the law violated the Wire Act and the attorney general agreed, prompting the governor to call a halt to regulatory efforts. New Jersey then joined the Wisconsin and Iowa actions against the DOJ’s 2003 opinion and worked separately to overturn it. This led to a favorable ruling from District Court Judge Noel L. Hillman on August 1, 2014. The Appellate Court affirmed this ruling on September 9, 2014 and the DOJ officially withdrew its opinion on November 3, 014.
With the Wire Act no longer standing in their way, New Jersey officials quickly pushed forward with regulations for online poker, casino games and sports betting. Betfair became the first site to go live on November 21, 2013 and Ultimate Poker reopened its virtual doors to New Jersey players the same day after being dark for almost two years. Other leading brands followed suit in short order and the industry took off.
Today, New Jersey is one of the biggest online poker markets in the world and it continues to grow thanks to an agreement with Nevada and sharing liquidity with Delaware. New Jersey politicians have already addressed liquidity concerns by signing a compact with those states in 2017 and they’ve made it clear that they intend to link up with Pennsylvania as well. This ambitious strategy could help the New Jersey industry reach new heights and even draw players away from Europe and South America.
Online Poker in New Mexico
The situation in New Mexico is odd to say the least. PokerAtlas.com points out that puegos (poker clubs) have existed in New Mexico since 1969 and the game was largely unregulated until the early 2000s. It goes on to explain that HB 243, which was signed into law on April 5, 2019, explicitly legalizes and regulates poker rooms for the first time and establishes the Racing Commission to oversee them.
888poker - Our Honest Review of the Software, App, Games Etc.This bill applies to “room” cash games and tours, but it specifically excludes “virtual” or online games. This means you could potentially face misdemeanor charges for playing online poker in NM and payment processors could charge high fees to transact transfers on your behalf. That that being said, there are reputable sites that continue to serve New Mexican players despite the official stance on the matter.
Online Poker in New York
New York legislators have discussed the idea of regulating online poker for years, but they haven’t been able to get it done. Several bills were introduced in 2014, but none advanced beyond hearings and studies. This trend continued in subsequent years and a bill from 2016 even added cell phone towers and voicemail to the list of things online poker sites would allegedly use to target minors. Nothing has really changed on this front, although state senator John Bonacic has said that he plans to introduce a revised version of A01069 in 2019 that removes some of the obstructive language from the previous bills.
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Ohio doesn’t have a state lottery and it has strict laws against all forms of gambling aside from some charitable exceptions. This extends to online poker and state officials have shown no indication that they plan to change their tune and start regulating the industry. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get arrested for logging on to a poker site, but it does mean that these sites aren’t operating legally under state law and they could hypothetically face closure or blocking measures. Payment processors may also refuse to transact payments on your behalf due to federal laws like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
Online Poker in Oklahoma
Oklahoma has some of the strictest anti-gambling laws in the nation and they apply to online poker as well. Specifically, 21 Okl. St. Sec. 2190 through 2196 outline the Oklahoma Criminal Penal Code and Sec. 2195 makes it a misdemeanor to “make, prepare, construct, compose, introduce, or Skill in another state. For instance, Hawaii law defines poker games as illegal lotteries through this passage from Opinion to Honorable Harold I. Friedman by Attorney General Mark Bennett. This has left lawmakers hesitant to push a bill like SD 288 through in recent years. Another problem is the interpersonal nature of poker and how it differs from other casino games. Land based poker rooms are usually staffed and monitored closely to prevent cheating and collusion, but online sites rely on statistical analysis to ensure fairness and security. Many lawmakers remain unsure as to how they would regulate poker sites and still generate enough revenue to justify the costs of oversight. Thus, it will likely be a long time before poker sites can operate openly in the state.
Online Poker in South Carolina
South Carolina has a unique perspective on poker that does not lend itself well to a regulated online poker industry. Specifically, South Carolina views table games like poker and craps as “game of chance” gambling and doesn’t recognize the skill elements that separate them from slots and bingo. This mentality was evident in 2015 when the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs seized the accounts of South Carolinians on Global Poker. It cited sections 17-13-10 and 17-13-20 of the South Carolina Code as its reason for doing so. These sections define lotteries and punish operating or participating in one with jail time and fines.
This doesn’t mean you can’t play online poker in South Carolina, but the market is largely unregulated and that can lead to concerns about security, privacy and legality. You’ll probably be safe using reputable offshore sites, but you shouldn’t expect government agencies to turn a blind eye forever.
Online Poker in South Dakota
South Dakota has some of the most conservative interpretations of poker when it comes to state laws. Specifically, SDCL 22-343 makes it illegal to “solicit or accept a bet” or “keep a gambling place” and statute 22-516.1 makes it illegal for common carriers like airlines and ships to participate in or advertise lotteries, betting or […] games of chance. This means poker isn’t entirely outlawed, but poker rooms and poker players could conceivably face sanctions under these laws.
Even if you disregard these laws and decide to play online poker in South Dakota anyway, you could run into trouble acquiring funds for your account. This is because
