Online poker is a game of skill and chance. While there is no guarantee that you will win, if you play smart and follow the rules, you should have an enjoyable time on the tables. With that said, there are many factors to consider before playing, including is online poker legal?
In the United States, online poker players are limited to a few regulated markets. After Black Friday shook up the world of unregulated poker, several states seized the opportunity to regulate their own versions of the game. Currently, regulated online poker exists in Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. More states are expected to introduce their own offerings in the near future.
Regulated online poker differs from unregulated sites in that the games are monitored, and operators are required to have responsible gaming protocols in place. Moreover, state-regulated sites use third-party audits to ensure that their terms and conditions are fair for all players. This is a huge factor in player satisfaction, which is an important element for the long-term health of any regulated online gambling market.
Unlike Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, which passed laws to allow for regulated online poker in 2013, Nebraska has yet to do so. The state is one of the most anti-gambling in the US, so it doesn’t seem likely that any legislative efforts to legalize the game will be successful until far into the future, if at all.
South Carolina is another state that has yet to pass any sort of legislation that would allow for regulated online poker. While the state does have a large casino and racetrack culture, it’s not known for being a hub for online gambling activities. If the state does ever decide to change its stance, it’s likely to do so through a voter referendum rather than a legislative effort.
Oregon has a thriving casino and live poker culture, but the state’s anti-gambling laws make it difficult to imagine that it will ever legalize regulated online poker in the near future. The state also has punitive criminal laws regarding illegal gambling, which will further complicate any potential effort to legalize the game.
Utah is also another state that prohibits all forms of online gambling. While the state does have 23 brick and mortar casinos, none of them offer any form of regulated online poker. Whether the state will eventually legalize the game depends on its overall attitude towards gambling, as well as the success of any efforts to bring in online sports betting. Historically, legislative efforts to legalize online poker have piggybacked on the introduction of online sports betting. This has been particularly the case in New York, where lawmakers have attempted to legalize the game in the past.