Best Legal Online Poker Sites In 2024
The best legal poker sites in 2024 are Bovada and BetOnline. Each of those sites has weekly online poker tournaments, are easy to use, and accept US players from over 90% of the country. Most importantly, Bovada and BetOnline are all legal. This page reviews the best online poker sites that are legal in the USA, covering many details in the process. Whether you want to know the best poker bonuses, how to deposit and play for real money, or how online gambling laws pertain to the sites, we cover it all.
Are Poker Sites Legal In The US?
Yes, online poker sites are legal in the United States. There are two types of poker platforms that Americans can use. International (a.k.a offshore) poker sites like Bovada and BetOnline are typically considered the best because they have been around the longest and are legal in the most states. For international sites to be legal in the US, they must be sanctioned by their local governments. The other type of poker platform that is legal is gambling sites that are regulated by individual states. When PASPA was overturned in 2018 it gave each state the right to institute their own gambling laws and regulated sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Only a few states have legalized any forms of online betting outside of sportsbooks, which makes these site relatively inaccessible for most Americans.
Legal Age To Play Online Poker For Real Money Or Fun
There are two ages that players in the United States need to pay attention to when signing up at an online poker site. The first is obviously the age requirement that is at the site itself. This can be found either in the terms of use or under the rules and regulations section of the site. In most cases, the online offshore poker sites we recommend usually allow you to sign up for their services at 18. However, this is not always consistent. Make sure you look at their terms of service to make sure that this is the case.
The second age that is important for USA players to be aware of is the legal gambling age in their state. This could be very important, because although they might meet the site requirement of 18 if the age is 21 in their state then they must meet that. That means you will have to wait until you are 21 to play, even though you could technically sign up. The legal gambling age in the US is decided at the state level, so it does vary. In some states, it’s 18, while in others it’s 21. And oddly, in Alabama, it’s 19. If you want a consistent and safe number, waiting until you are 21 will be the absolute safest no matter where you are in the US.
Recommended Poker Sites That Are Legal
As avid online poker players, there are a number of different legal betting sites that we have checked out, reviewed, and played ourselves. And when it comes to choosing a top-quality internet poker room, American players have a bunch of different choices. Not all online poker sites have your best interest in mind and sometimes, it is difficult to tell between malicious sites and the good ones. Down below, we have listed our favorite online poker sites and have also given a review on why we choose them over the others. So long as you stick with our below list, you should not run into any issues when you decide to take the dive and play poker online.
Top Rated!
Bovada - The Best US Poker Site
There are no poker sites in the US that are better than Bovada. The all-encompassing gambling platform has a specific section of its site dedicated to poker, with all players who are 18 years or older welcome. Bovada stands out among other contemporaries in the online poker industry because of its tournaments, trustworthiness, and top-tier bonus that is worth up to $500. To put it in perspective for how much Bovada values its poker players, the website guarantees over $2 million in poker prize pools weekly!
Logistically, Bovada is also very easy to use. Players can sign up and play poker at Bovada within minutes. The site accepts all major credit card brands (Visa and Mastercard are the most popular) and popular cryptos like Bitcoin and Tether. Additionally, Bovada has a partnership with the company MatchPay that allows users to buy credits from one another using person-to-person payment apps like PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, and Zelle. Overall, Bovada has been the best poker site in the country for over 10 years and will continue to be for a long time.
BetOnline - Players From All 50 States Accepted
No matter what type of poker is your favorite, BetOnline’s vast poker room is sure to meet the need. This poker site offers its players more choices of games than any other online poker site we've come across. This is a great legal poker room for USA players, with the site requiring users to be just 18 in order to sign up and gamble. Of course, make sure to check with local gambling laws to check if you are old enough to gamble. American players that meet this requirement are 100% free and clear to sign up for a new account. Once a BetOnline account has been created, players can deposit with a Visa card, money order, or a cashier's check. Cryptocurrencies have become the easiest and most common way to fund online gambling accounts and BetOnline accepts a decent number of cryptocurrencies as well.
BetOnline really goes out of its way to make it as easy as possible for the player to deposit into their account, and they have the industry’s most varied deposit and withdrawal options.If players are interested in learning about a new type of poker game, BetOnline offers tutorials and lessons on how to play, so that when you go into that room to play for real money, you can feel confident and win some cash. New BetOnline poker players can choose from a selection of specific poker bonuses, with their 100% deposit match bonus for up to $1,000, being the most popular. All you must do to receive this bonus is enter the promo code NEWBOL at the cashier when you are making your first deposit.
Online Poker Laws In The United States
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, 2006
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was mentioned briefly up above in regards to how it affects online poker in the U.S. As an attachment to the Safe Port Act, the UIGEA passed with little conflict on Capitol Hill. Basically, the UIGEA bans US financial institutions from knowingly processing a payment for a bet or wager made at an online offshore gambling facility. With a gambling site unable to process US-based payments, then there is no way that they can operate legally as a gambling business. That’s the theory, anyway.
In practice, of course, the reality is quite the opposite. As long as the poker site in question is based overseas –and as long as banks aren’t knowingly processing gambling-related payments, you can easily fund your account. And if a card or check is declined, you can simply cut out the middleman altogether by using cryptocurrencies. All in all, the UIGEA was powerful when it was first implemented, but our recommended list offshore poker sites have adapted and can easily go around the UIGEA in a legal manner. The point of all this is to say that online poker sites are completely legal.
Funding Methods At Legal Poker Sites
The funding methods at legal poker sites for USA players keep the customer base in mind. Online cashiers know that US players have special banking requirements and therefore only offer the most reliable and secure deposit methods. You will be able to get cash into your account quickly so that you can play real money poker and start to increase your bankroll. While US-friendly poker sites will have different deposit limits, you can use any of the deposit methods below to fund your online poker account:
Credit Cards – Credit cards and other cards are the most popular deposit method because we already use these cards for many of our everyday purchases. They are easily and readily available to use. You just enter in your card information and your funds are automatically applied to your account. Online poker rooms do not always charge a fee, but if the site or your card issuer does apply charges they are typically less than 7%. If there is a game that is going to happen later in the day and you haven’t deposited your funds yet, cards are the best method because your account will be funded instantly.
Cryptocurrencies – Cryptos are a reliable deposit option that more legal betting sites are promoting every day. Cryptos are a digital currency that is extremely fast and secure, making it one of the best options for USA poker players. Your transaction will never get declined and there are also no fees for making bitcoin deposits at legal poker sites. Best of all, there are plenty of exclusive bonuses available for people who decide to use cryptocurrencies. If we had to say which deposit method is the best, we would definitely choose cryptocurrencies.
Bank Wire Transfer – Bank wires are excellent for high rollers because there is no limit to the amount that can be deposited. No other banking method allows you to send as much money in a single transaction. Your bank will charge a transfer fee that is dependent upon the amount transferred. Most bank wires are completed within 3 business days. If you have a large amount of money you want to deposit into your poker site account, bank wire transfers will be the best deposit method for you.
Withdrawing Methods At Legal Poker Sites
There is no point in talking just about the deposit methods without bringing up how to withdraw your funds. After all, what is the point in gambling if you cannot cash out your winnings. Lucky for you, online offshore gambling sites have multiple methods for pulling money out of your account. Down below, we have listed some of the possible withdrawal methods you can use to receive your winnings. The fees vary by poker site, so make sure you check them out to see what the potential fees could be.
Cryptocurrencies – If we had to choose only one method to take back our winnings, we would use cryptocurrencies. Here is the biggest reason why you will not receive any fees. You don’t have to pay anyone to get your own money out of your account and that makes cryptos the best. There is also the fact that other withdrawal methods will make you wait a few days until your winnings are credited to you. Cryptos allows you to receive your winnings on the same day as you make a request. Trust us when we say that cryptos are the best for getting money in and out of your poker account.
Bank Wire Transfer – Once again, we suggest bank wire transfers mostly to people who want to withdraw a large amount of money. Wire transfers have the highest maximum withdrawal limits, going all the way up to $25,000. It will take a few days before the money goes into your bank account and you do have to account for the fees that will increase depending on how much you withdraw. But if you need to take out a large amount of money, bank wire transfers are your best bet.
Check – Requesting a check is probably the oldest way that offshore poker sites have used to hand you to your winnings. Because of that, they have a system that works, so you know it is reliable. Requesting a check is secure and an excellent way for you to request your winnings. Just remember that you are receiving a check by mail. It will take some time before any money will receive you. It is even possible it will take a couple of weeks before your winnings arrive. But, it is one of the most reliable withdrawal methods out there.
Legal Poker Sites FAQ
Who Do I Contact If I Have A Question Or Problem?
Legal poker sites for USA players have several customer service options to choose from. You can call and speak with a representative or send a quick email. Most legal betting sites also have a live chat option where you are connected with an agent via a chat room. Quality customer service is always important, and that is why the sites that we recommend have representatives available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The customer service is friendly and will work with you until they have solved any problem or answered any questions you may have.
Can I Play Poker With Other Players For Real Money?
Playing poker for real money against other players is what makes online poker rooms so exciting. You can play with players from all over the world with varying levels of expertise. Choose your tournament or challenge and play for huge cash prizes and bonuses. There are Sit ‘n Go tables, bounty tournaments, and jackpots where you can win over $100,000! There are plenty of opportunities that are available for you to win some real money on these offshore poker sites. USA players can play poker for real money at any of the legit poker sites that we have mentioned.
How do I transfer funds from sports to poker account?
Moving your money from sports to poker is quite simple at legal poker sites for USA players, as these typically operate huge sportsbooks in addition to their poker products. Just log into the poker client, and you should see options that say “Transfer to Sports” and “Transfer from Sports”. This will most likely be in the cashier section of your site of choice. However, it depends on the online poker site that you use. Regardless, once you’ve found the correct page with the above options, simply enter in the amount that you would like to transfer, and your balance will be updated instantly upon refreshing.