Debunking the Myths About US Poker Sites

It’s been two years since the Department of Justice summarily shut down the three biggest online US poker sites and changed the landscape for US poker players who enjoy playing and betting online. Immediately after the arrests, a number of European poker sites stopped accepting memberships from US players. In the intervening two years, however, many of them quietly re-opened their doors to US players again. The fact that there are now quite a few US player poker sites hasn’t changed the rumors and myths about the legality of playing poker online, though, and it hasn’t made it any easier to find safe and legitimate US poker sites on which to play.

First, let’s be clear. The term “US poker sites” refers to online poker sites that accept and do business with US players, not those that are located in the United States. After the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and the subsequent arrests and shutdowns in April 2011, companies that run online poker sites avoid locating in the United States. That’s led to the belief that playing poker online is illegal, along with a number of other beliefs about US players and online gambling. Here’s the truth about online US player poker rooms.

It Is Not Illegal Under US Law to Play Poker for Money Online

The federal law passed in 2006 makes it illegal for banks and money transfer services to accept money transfers derived from illegal online gambling. It does not target players – in fact, there are no penalties outlined for players at all in the law. While some states and municipalities may outlaw Internet gambling or put age restrictions on who may play, there is no United States law that prohibits individuals from playing poker for money at US poker sites.

There Are Sites that Accept US Players

The biggest issue most poker sites have with US players is money transfer. Some choose to avoid the issue entirely by simply not accepting players from the United States. The U.S. market is a huge one, though, and there are a number of US player sites that are quite happy to accept US members and will bend over backwards to find ways to accommodate them.

A Little Research Helps Ensure that Your Money Is Safe

While there are certainly scam sites out there, most US poker sites are legitimate businesses operating within the law in their own countries. In many of those countries, the government sets strict standards for operation, including defining how odds must be posted and how they must handle payouts. All it takes is a little research to find legitimate US player poker rooms. You’ll find a number of websites online that provide up-to-date news US poker site reviews to help you make your decision about where to play.