Sites that offer real money poker for us players in 2023

The US online poker market is a fragmented one with only four states currently offering licenses to offshore sites as well - Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. If you’re based in any of these locales, there are plenty of safe, regulated options for real-money online poker action including WSOP.com and . Outside those four states though, your options are limited to playing on offshore poker sites. 

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Here’s a list of safe and reputable offshore poker rooms that still welcome US players:

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Best Legal Poker Sites USA 2023

1. Ignition Poker

Ignition Poker has been a leading light in the world of US-friendly poker sites for many years now and it’s not hard to see why. This well-established poker room has bu Bucking the trend for re-skinned sites and one-size-fits-all business models, Ignition Poker carves its own niche in the market by focusing on the needs of US players. That means a software package tailored towards NOx speed and anonymized tables (to stop pro players being targeted), juicy guarantees on tournaments and a wide selection of payment methods including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Visa. Traffic is boosted by the existence of another skin on the PAI network - Bovada Poker (more on them later). Overall player volumes at Ignition Poker are around 1,000 at peak times but because most of the action is at NLHE and PLO games, there’s usually something juicy to grind at all hours. As a licensed betting operator in Curacao, Ignition Poker offers 100% matched deposits up to $1,000 and a host of added extras such as weekly and monthly . If you prefer cash games, this could be the best legal poker site for US players in 2023.

Pros:

  • Great choice of traffic on the PAI network (an estimated 2,000 players at peak)

  • Fast-fold Anonymous tables and high guarantee tournaments

  • Wide variety of payment methods including crypto

  • Juiced guaranteed tournaments

  • 100% deposit match worth up to $1,000

  • Capped max prize on Spin to Get In

  • Not the biggest selection of non-NLHE games

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2. Bovada Poker

If you could design a poker site to appeal to US players, it might look a lot like Bovada. Three years after pulling out of the US market following Black Friday, Bovada returned with a bang in September 2014 by relaunching its standalone poker software for American players once again. Anyone familiar with the early days of online poker will appreciate just how significant that is for the US poker community. Not only did Bovada pioneer the “crypto boost” by adding a 50% bonus on top of the standard welcome bonus for players depositing cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin/Bitcoin Cash/Litecoin), they also offered reloads, sit-out bonuses and have continued to innovate ever since. Exclusive games like Step tournaments, the Peak of the Hour freeroll and the Weekly Race withling pots of $10,000 continue to attract new players to the site while solid weeklies such as the $100,000 GTD Sunday Special keep the regulars coming back for more. Although shared traffic with Ignition Poker gives Bovada some inflated peak time figures (~1,350), there’s still plenty of fish in the cash game pool at micro/low stakes. If you can get past the somewhat quirky software, Bovada offers a very attractive combination of soft games, juicy rakebacks and lucrative promotions.

Pros:

  • Lots of juicy micro/low stakes cash games and tournaments

  • Generous welcome bonus plus sit-out bonus and reload bonuses

  • Innovative promotions like Steps, Peak of the Hour freerolls and The Weekly Race leaderboard

  • Crypto deposits get a 50% bonus on top of the 100% welcome bonus

  • Can be glitchy at times and doesn’t have rubbers band or avatars

  • No support apart from ticket system

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3. Sportsbetting.ag

Part of the award-winning Chico Poker Network, which was originally founded way back in 2000, Sportsbetting.ag is one of several poker skins on the network. Although traffic levels are lower than they used to be, there are still enough players to ensure there’s cash games running at all hours at NLHE and PLO at micro/low stakes. With a full sportsbook, casino and live dealer casino, Sportsbetting.ag is able to offer some unique bonuses and promotions based on the interconnected products. For example, you can earn sports bets via the poker site and vice versa. A very generous 100% deposit bonus up to $1,000 makes the decision to deposit easier and there are lots of ways to pay too. Indeed, if you want to use cryptocurrency, Sportsbetting.ag accepts Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin. Tournament fans will find plenty of choice every day/night too with bankroll builders, knockout bounty games and qualifiers to big live events all featuring. Add in a booming amateurs cash game player pool and this Yoju-powered poker site could be the best legal online poker site in the US.

Pros:

  • Lots of fishy recreational players away from bigger networks

  • Choice of crypto deposits: accept BTC, BCH and LTC

  • Full sportsbook, casino & live dealer games = great promos

  • Up to $1,000 welcome bonus

  • Old-school software isn’t slick, but gets the job done

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4. Americas Cardroom

The flagship poker site on the Winning Poker Network, Americas Card Room is no spring chicken having launched way back in 1999. Part of a group of sites that decided to stay in the US market post-Black Friday, Americas Cardroom made the savvy decision to purchase the WPN software back off Howard Lederer et al, thus giving it control over its own destiny. It’s paid off too, with ACR ranking among the most popular , and one of our top recommendations for US players. Solid, if unspectacular, games run at all limits 24/7 and you only need to wander over to the jackpot section to see lots of unknown names making big wins. Like its sister sites, Tiger Gaming Poker and Blackchip Poker, the software isn’t going to win any awards for beauty, but it works well and does everything you need it to. Highlights include a excellent smart filter system for finding the right games for you, customizable hot keys and handy stats windows. Where ACR comes into its own though is big tournament series such as The Venom. By limiting buy-ins to $5,000, Americas Cardroom is able to create jaw-dropping prizepools that can be won by a little skill and a lot of luck. Indeed, the record for biggest ever online poker tournament was set on the WPN software when a field of 2,741 played for a $6,104,797 prize. Good luck trying to shift the record however, as The Venom returns multiple times a year. Next rating:

Pros:

5. XBet Poker

XBet Poker may be the newest kid on the Chico Poker Network block but it certainly hasn’t hung about when it comes to rolling out promotions and added value. Indeed, any site that matches 100% deposits all the way up to $2,000 (ten times the industry average) must believe in giving players a good deal. The fact XBet Poker is part of a small network isn’t all bad news though as traffic is low enough that you’ll never be waiting long for action at the NLHE and PLO cash tables, yet high enough to have daily MTT satellites, leaderboard promotions and lots of recreational players. Formerly known as Everybody’s Casino, XBet Poker’s software isn’t the fastest or flashiest, but it does the job. Filters are easy to use, table statistics are available and a novel ‘follow the action’ button means you won’t miss a hand. All in all, if you’re looking for a new home in 2023, XBet Poker could be exactly what you’re looking for. Next rating:

Pros:

How We Rate Poker Rooms for USA

When compiling our rankings for the , we take into account a range of factors. Firstly, we make sure any site we recommend is fully licensed and approved for real-money gaming in the United States. This rules out any offshore operators without a license. From there, we focus on the following key areas:

Player Liquidity

Although things are changing, US poker players have had to put up with low volumes since Black Friday. When considering which sites to play on, you need to assess whether there are enough games at the stakes you want to play. Most US poker sites have lots of action at the micro/low stakes level but very few have mid/high stakes games. Tournament series can inject huge amounts of liquidity so check the schedule before dismissing a site. Finally, if you’re a cash game player, try and gauge the activity at peak times during the weekend.

Promotional Offers

US poker players have a lot to celebrate in this area. Offshore poker sites have really raised their game when it comes to bonuses, freerolls, leaderboards and special series promotions. Welcome bonuses worth 100% or more matched deposits are common, and numerous ways to release that bonus have been introduced. Whether it’s Step tourneys, Boost periods or Leaderboard battles, there’s lots of chance to pick up extra rewards.

Software and Features

We won’t sugar coat this for you: the software on most US poker sites isn’t as slick as global leaders such as . However, the likes of Ignition Poker, Bovada and America’s Card Room aren’t too far behind. You will find features such as multi tabling, four-color decks, straddles, automatic top-up and betting/blinding sizes adjustable per game. One feature that’s common on US sites is anonymous tables. To prevent pros targeting fishy players, some usernames are hidden to preserve privacy. This isn’t ideal if you enjoy , but it’s better than nothing.

Payment Methods

Credit cards are widely accepted at US poker sites, with Visa being the most popular option. Prepaid cards and vouchers are also accepted, which is handy if you want to keep your transactions private. Increasingly, US poker sites are accepting cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin. These transactions are incredibly quick - often instant - and typically incur no fees or charges.

Exploring US Online Poker Options

As we’ve already outlined, the situation with is complex. Broadly speaking, three states - New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware - have legalized and regulated poker within their borders. Pennsylvania almost certainly will do so soon. Other states, including Kentucky, California, Iowa, Louisiana and New York have all considered regulation but failed to pass laws. Until that changes, US poker players will have to make do with a fractured online scene split between legally licensed sites in NJ/NV/DE/PA and offshore card rooms. Before you start playing for real cash online, here are a couple of tips to help you find the best poker environment possible.

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Consider Your Bankroll

It goes without saying that you should only play online poker with money you can afford to lose. Even if you’re the greatest player in the universe, variance exists and bad beats hurt us all. Make sure you deposit an amount that you’d be okay losing in a single session. Once you’ve done that, you can break the bankroll down into big bets on the table you’re playing. Experts suggest that you shouldn’t risk more than 1-2% of your roll on a single hand or game. So if you have a $500 bankroll, then each cash game unit (CGU) would be $5-$10. If you’re planning to play $5 NLHE, then each game would require a $50-$100 bankroll. Anything lower leaves you vulnerable to losing multiple buy-ins in one bad beat session. Of course if you’re a skilled pro, you may want to have multiple tabs running with 1CGUs, but always remember where your limits are.

Take Advantage of Bonuses

Even fishy novices need a reason to choose one card room over another. That’s why savvy rooms such as the ones on this page offer sign-up bonuses and loyalty rewards. Before you join a room, see what kind of deals are up for grabs. For instance, Ignition Poker welcomes newbies to the site with a 100% match on their first transaction up to $1,000. What that means is if you deposit $100, the room will give you another $100 free. But you’ll need to play real money hands to collect the entire bonus. If you don’t think you’ll be a frequent player, look for deals that require less action to clear. Or think about taking advantage of a smaller sign-up bonus that requires less play to unlock. There are plenty of options out there for US poker players, so see what kind of financial incentive you can get before picking a destination. And don’t forget about the other special events and series that occur throughout the year – there’s tons of added money up for grabs during special tournaments.

Know the Law

Currently online poker is only licensed in four states: Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. That doesn’t mean you can’t access offshore poker sites, but it does mean you have to be aware of the law and your own comfort level. While there hasn’t been a high-profile raid or arrest of an online poker player, the FBI regularly cracks down on card rooms and shut down major sites like UltimateBet and Absolute Poker after 2007’s events. Offshore sites that operate outside of U.S. jurisdiction are technically operating in a gray area of the law. Some of these sites, like Bovada, have been around for years without incident. Others are newer enterprises, so it’s up to you to decide if you feel comfortable using them.

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Not sure which legal site is right for you? Check out our reviews, and don’t forget to use our bonus codes for extra site credit! Still learning the ropes? Head to our Poker Tools section to brush up on blind calculations, cash game and strategies.

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