Andrew O'Malley 19. November 2020 | UPDATED ON: 19. December 2022 Online poker is a popular pursuit all over the world. It offers a nice blend of excitement and skill together, putting you in with a chance of winning some nice cash. While there is currently no regulated online poker in New York, there are offshore platforms that are popular with New Yorkers. This guide looks at all of the different aspects associated with playing offshore online poker in New York today. Top 3 Online Poker Sites in New York, NY, USA in 2024 If you want to play poker in New York State, there are a number of different online poker sites that are based offshore that can be accessed by players in the Empire State. The following real money poker sites have been collated after conducting extensive research into all of the leading offshore online poker rooms: Slot Title Pay Back Key Features 1 Poker bonus: 100% first deposit bonus up to $3,000 Anonymous TablesPayout Speed: <24 hoursPoker bonus: 100% first deposit bonus up to $3,000Play NowOur score: Poker bonus: 100% first deposit bonus up to $3,000Read more2 Poker bonus: 100% first deposit bonus up to $500 Fast-Fold Zone Poker OptionsPayout Speed: InstantPoker bonus: 100% first deposit bonus up to $500Play NowOur score: Poker bonus: 100% first deposit bonus up to $500Read more3 100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000 Superb player trafficPayout Speed: <24 hours100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000Play NowOur score: 100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000Read more Is online poker in New York legal? No There is currently no legal online poker in New York. Every year or two, there are new attempts by lawmakers in the state for legalizing online poker, but to no avail as of yet. While most forms of online gambling are not legal in New York, there are not criminal penalties outlined in state gambling laws for those people who are playing illegal online poker. This is why a lot of New York residents use offshore poker sites. The only form of online gambling currently in place in New York is online horse racing betting. There are a number of platforms that allow you to place bets on the outcomes of horse races across the United States and the world as a whole. Like online poker, legislators have been trying to push through legal online sports betting for some time in New York. There is mobile sports betting in place in some of the upstate commercial casinos. However, these mobile apps can only be accessed when you are within the property lines of these facilities. Retail sports betting is available at these casinos. Currently, daily fantasy sports (DFS) wagering through the likes of New York-based FanDuel and DraftKings are currently considered illegal gambling in New York. The New York Gaming Commission is the main gambling regulator in the region. Other forms of gambling There are a number of Nevada-style commercial casinos in upstate New York, as well as one in New York City. You will also come across more than a dozen different tribal casinos in the state of New York. Thee offers the standard types of table games and slot machines, with the commercial casinos offering sports betting. You will also find poker games in some of these properties. There are a number of racetracks and racinos in New York, with pari-mutuel betting being allowable. The New York state lottery is very popular, with a large number of New Yorkers buying tickets on a regular basis. Charitable gambling is also common, with no-profits able to offer the likes of raffles, bingo, and other similar games. Finally, there is no allowance for social gambling in the state. These rules are strict particularly if you are betting on the outcome of a contest of chance. Our Recommended Online Poker Site in New York Our Rating Large player pool Guaranteed daily tournaments Good reputation Welcome poker bonuses up to $2,000 Claim Your Bonus Now Top 3 online poker sites that accept players from New York For those people who are looking to get started playing online poker in New York, there are a lot of different choices out there today. You want to make sure that you are using a trustworthy site, as well as one that has a good player base and a wide selection of real money poker games. Here are three of the best online poker sites we have come across through our research: 1. Ignition Poker - Big player base ($2,000 welcome bonuses) Ignition Poker (previously called Bodog) has been looking after New York poker players for many years. It is one of the larger offshore sites out there today, with tons of daily guaranteed tourneys adding to the excitement of your online poker. There is a lot of fun games on offer, with many recreational US players using Ignition Poker. There are only a few payment methods on offer, but you will normally find one that fits your needs. You will normally see that there are always going to be at least a thousand players online at any one time, so you will not have a problem of not being able to get into a game. With these liquidity levels, it feels like you are playing on the likes of WSOP, partypoker, or Pokerstars. For new players at Ignition Poker, there are $2,000 worth of welcome bonuses you can get your hands on. Our Rating Large player pool Guaranteed daily tournaments Strong reputation Welcome bonuses up to $2,000 Limited payout methods Claim Your Bonus 2. Bovada Poker - Top-quality offering (100% first deposit bonus up to $500) Bovada Poker has also been in the game for a long time, with it being a popular destination for internet poker fans. It’s based in Costa Rica and it eliminates HUDs as part of the playing experience in order to level out the playing field. There is always a strong base of players online at any one time and most game variants and stake sizes will be properly supported. The majority of the tournaments are guaranteed and occur on a daily basis. The main downside is that certain tournaments are not accessible via mobile. If you are looking to start an account with Bovada Poker, you will get a 100% first deposit bonus of up to $500. Make sure you enter the ‘PWB500’ bonus code when making your first deposit to activate this deal. Our Rating Big player base A lot of game options 100% first deposit bonus up to $500 Optimized mobile app Not all tournaments available on mobile Claim Your Bonus 2. BetOnline Poker - Great player traffic (100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000) BetOnline Poker has been around for nearly a decade and it has been serving the US market during this time. It has seen a lot of growth through its online sportsbook when starting off, but now has a solid base of poker players. One of the best aspects of this offering is the great mobile app. This works extremely smoothly and has a good range of features. The desktop site also runs through proprietary poker software, which is ideal. BetOnline poker is one of the best offshore platforms in terms of player traffic, so you will never have any hassle with getting into a game of your choosing. While there is an emphasis on cryptocurrency payments, there are other options also available. For new players, there is a 100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000 up for grabs. Our Rating Great mobile app 100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000 Strong player traffic Good reputation Some transaction fees Claim Your Bonus How we rate the best New York online poker sites If you want to develop a shortlist of the best online gambling sites for poker players in New York, there are some key areas you need to look like. By assessing a wide range of different aspects of an online gambling offering, you will be getting a comprehensive look at the given operator. Here are some of the key criteria we look at initially when conducting our reviews: Different poker variants Player base and liquidity The reputation of the operator Regular promotions Welcome offer Loyalty rewards program Stake sizes Selection of tournaments Customer support Payment options Mobile support What to consider when choosing a poker site As soon as you have collated a shortlist of potential New York sites that you are considering, you can then finalize your decision. The best way to do this is by deciding what your biggest priorities are with an offering. This could be a strong mobile poker offering or certain payment methods. Here are some of the other key aspects to consider: Legal standing While there is currently no regulated online poker in New York, many offshore sites are licensed elsewhere and will have a long track record of success. You should make sure that they have a good reputation among players. Player base It is vital that you are using an online poker site that has enough players on board at the times in which you will be playing. This ensures that you can access your favorite games without having to wait a long time. Customer support For any problems that you run into with your playing experience, you want to have a decent customer support team that is easily accessible. Check out the range of contact options, response quality and speeds that are on offer. Payment options It is important that an online poker site offers payment methods that are preferable to your needs. This includes having a look at any fees and limits that are in place, as well as processing fees. Promotions You will usually see a welcome poker bonus offer when creating a new account with an online poker site. There will also usually be regular promotions and a loyalty rewards program to consider when signing up. Game selection You should make sure that your favorite types of poker are supported and have sufficient liquidity with an online poker site. This could be in the form of tournaments, cash games or sit and gos. The future of online gambling in New York There is a lot of optimism in New York that more extensive online gambling will be on its way in the coming years. While regular attempts to legalize online poker and online sports betting have been defeated so far, it is becoming harder for lawmakers to turn a blind eye. With neighboring New Jersey raking in lucrative tax revenue from online casinos, online sportsbooks, and online poker, New Yorkers won’t want to miss out. With various US states looking to drum up revenue following COVID-19, it is conceivable that New York pushes through some form of an online gambling expansion in the near future. Where else is online gambling legal in the US? Online gambling has been spreading across the United States over the past few years. While global poker sites have been gaining traction, some states closer to home like Delaware are now seeing the upside of legal poker. The ending of the federal ban (PASPA) on sports betting in May 2018 by the Supreme Court has been the catalyst for much of this movement. A lot of states now have legal online sports betting. There are also more regions considering allowing the likes of online poker and online casinos. With a lot of nice tax revenue up for grabs, this online gambling expansion is attractive among lawmakers, particularly in times where new revenue sources are necessary. Even some of the traditionally conservative states are considering online gambling expansion and changing online poker laws. Here is the current online gambling situation in the US: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC Best online casinos in New York If you are a fan of online casino games, there is a range of different offshore online casinos that you can check out if you are in New York. These offer everything from blackjack, roulette, slots, and baccarat. Here are the best options available in New York today: Slots.lv Play With Up to $5,000 In Bonuses Visit Now Read Review Red Dog 225% Welcome Bonus + 20% for BTC deposits! Visit Now Read Review Café Casino Claim Up To $5,000 Welcome Bonus Visit Now Read Review Intertops 250% Up to $5,000 Bonus + Free Spins Visit Now Read Review Bottom line For New Yorkers, poker has always been a popular pursuit. While there is no regulated market in place currently, there are plenty of offshore online poker sites that allow you to get in on the action from the comfort of your own home. If you get started today, you can get a big boost to your account thanks to one of the many great welcome bonus offers. FAQs What is the most recent New York online poker bill? Senator Joseph Addabbo and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow had online poker legislation on file for 2020. Every year since 2014, there has been an attempt to push through bills in the House and Senate. Senator John Bonacic has been another proponent of online poker in New York. As part of Addabbo’s latest bill, there would be as many as 11 online poker licenses in the state, and poker would be categorized as a game of skill rather than a game of chance. There would be a 15% tax rate, similar to what is in place in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Assemblyman Gary Pretlow also has attempted to push through a similar bill. What is the legal gambling age in New York? If you want to place a bet on horse racing or buy a lottery ticket, you need to be 18 years old. If you are looking to gambling at one of the casinos in the state, you need to be at least 21 years old. Are there independent poker rooms in New York? Currently, the main place where you can play live poker is in the cardrooms of the various casinos in New York, such as in Turning Stone. Some people will make the trip to Atlantic City casinos also. This means you can play the likes of Texas Hold’em or Omaha poker and the occasional stud game or niche Omaha variants in the commercial and tribal casinos. Is there mobile poker in New York? A lot of the offshore online poker sites will have a mobile offering that allows you to play online poker on the go. This sometimes is in the form of an app that you can download or simply play through the mobile website of the operator. Global poker sites like Pokerstars, WSOP (World Series of Poker), and partypoker will usually have a wide variety of options also. Do you have to download software to your desktop to play online poker? The older approach that a lot of online poker sites took was to offer downloadable software for desktop online poker players. However, most operators now also offer you the chance to play online poker directly through your web browser. Most global poker offshore sites will now focus on browser play. About Andrew O'Malley Alex has been writing about the gambling industry for more than five years, covering everything from sports betting to casinos and poker. With the sector constantly evolving, he loves nothing better than staying up to date with the latest movers and shakers in the space. View all posts by Andrew O'Malley →
