Andrew O'Malley 18. December 2020 | UPDATED ON: 18. April 2022 One of the most popular games in the world today is poker. There are countless different variants for you to play, both at poker rooms and on internet poker sites. If you are in the United States, there are strict rules on a federal and state level that curtail a lot of online poker sites. However, there are plenty of offshore platforms that you can try out today with no hassle at all. These have great player pools, an ideal range of games, and are safe to use. This guide will look at the best online poker sites for US players today. Best Online Poker Sites in the USA If you are looking to find the best online poker sites for real money in the US today, you have come to the right place. Here you will learn about all of the different online poker real money options that are out there today. This allows you to quickly narrow down the options in terms of the top online poker sites and waste no time. Here are some of the best places that you can play poker online today: Slot Title Pay Back Key Features 1 Poker bonus: $2,000 in deposit bonuses Superb player trafficPayout Speed: InstantPoker bonus: $2,000 in deposit bonusesPlay NowOur score: Poker bonus: $2,000 in deposit bonusesRead more2 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 more3 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 more4 Welcome Bonus: 100% Up to $500 Support for 98% of Countries WorldwidePayout Speed: 1-2 Business DaysWelcome Bonus: 100% Up to $500Play NowOur score: Welcome Bonus: 100% Up to $500Read more5 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 legal in the USA? No For a number of years, poker sites were widespread across the United States. It became very popular for people to use these platforms on a regular basis. However, the industry was decimated after the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. While certain poker site operators tried to continue serving the market, most of them ended up leaving the US. These days, there has been somewhat of an easing of rules in certain areas of the country when it comes to online poker. A number of states are deciding for themselves if they want to regulate the activity or not. The likes of New Jersey, Delaware, Nevada, and Pennsylvania all have live poker sites. Wire Act One of the main issues with the states that have online poker now is that they are not technically supposed to share cardroom player pools across state lines as a result of the Federal Wire Act of 1961. This means that people can only play poker online against other people in their state. However, there have been some licensed poker networks created between the likes of New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada through 888poker’s WSOP agreement. UIGEA The UIGEA is legislation relating to online gambling. It effectively makes it illegal for a company or person to accept payments from another person that represents a bet or wager over the internet that is unlawful under state or federal law. The likes of certain fantasy sports, skill games, intertribal, and legal intrastate gambling are excluded from this act. As online poker was deemed to be a game of chance, online cardrooms were deemed to not be exempt from the application of UIGEA and therefore it was illegal for operators such as partypoker and Pokerstars to accept bets through their sites. Our recommended non-regulated US poker site Our Rating Strong reputation 200% first deposit bonus to $1,000 Big player base Daily guaranteed tournaments Claim Your Bonus Now Top 5 online poker sites (non-state-regulated) that accept US players While the regulated online poker sector is still in its infancy, there are a number of top-quality offshore poker sites that you can try out today. These have been handpicked following extensive research. Here are the five best options out there currently: 1. Everygame Poker - Top reputation (200% deposit bonus up to $1,000) Everygame Poker has been around for many years, catering to real money poker players all across the USA. Over these years, it has managed to cultivate a very strong base of online poker players. This means that no matter what time of day you are looking to play online poker games, there will be a good game for you to join. You can download the client to your desktop or just play through your web browser just like you would with partypoker, GGPoker, or Pokerstars. The main strength of Everygame Poker is its selection of real money poker cash games, with plenty of options in terms of game variants and stake sizes, such as pot-limit Omaha (PLO) and Texas Hold’em (No-Limit included). You have guaranteed tournaments on a daily basis and plenty of payment methods for you to buy-in with bankroll. If you have a problem you can reach the support team around the clock. For those new signups, you can get a 200% first deposit bonus up to $1,000, with no bonus code needed. Our Rating Strong reputation 200% first deposit bonus to $1,000 Big player base Daily guaranteed tournaments No mobile poker apps Claim Your Bonus 2. Ignition Poker - Big player pool ($2,000 in welcome offers) Ignition Poker was formerly known as Bodog and it has been around for many years also. It is one of the larger offshore poker sites today, with it rivaling giants like Pokerstars in some ways. It is a particularly popular platform among recreational players, meaning that there are exciting tables you can join in the online poker rooms. The usual payment methods are offered, but it is a scarce offering in this regard. You almost always have one thousand or more players playing at any time, so there will be no shortage of game options. For those signing up for a new account, you can get welcome bonuses up to $2,000. Our Rating Large player pool Good reputation Welcome bonuses up to $2,000 Easy to use Limited payout options Claim Your Bonus 3. Bovada Poker - All rounder (100% first deposit bonus to $500) Bovada Poker has a wide range of different games for you to check out. There are online poker rooms aplenty for cash games, as well as a solid selection of tournaments. All sorts of variants are supported, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud poker. Many of the tournaments are guaranteed, but certain ones are not playable via mobile. The mobile offering otherwise is very good for iOS and Android users, allowing for very smooth gameplay. To sign up for a new account at Bovada Poker, you can get a 100% first deposit bonus up to $500. Our Rating Big player pool A lot of games 100% first deposit bonus to $500 Good mobile offering Some tournaments not on app Claim Your Bonus 4. Americas Cardroom - Very flexible (100% deposit bonus up to $500) Americas Cardroom is a part of the Winning Poker Network, one of the biggest and most respected today on a global level. There is registration allowed all over the world including in the United States. You have plenty of payment options, including the likes of Bitcoin. Some of the tournaments carry cash prizes worth millions of dollars, so there is a great level of excitement among players on this site. There are also plenty of cash games, as well as the lottery-style Jackpot Poker. While the mobile site needs some work, there is a 27% rake back and a great selection of tournaments. For new players, there is a 100% deposit bonus up to $500 on offer. Our Rating Many payment methods Top tournament offering 27% rakeback 100% first deposit bonus up to $500 Mobile site lacking a bit Claim Your Bonus 5. BetOnline Poker - Quality player traffic (100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000) BetOnline Poker has been operating for almost ten years and it has seen a lot of growth across its offering. Its mobile app poker software is one of the best around for poker play. There are great features, plenty of games, and a smooth overall experience. The player traffic is some of the best around, so you will always find a game for your liking without having to wait. One of the main payment methods are cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. For those signing up for a new account, there is a 100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000 available. Our Rating Top-quality mobile app 100% first deposit bonus up to $1,000 Great player traffic Strong reputation Some transaction fees Claim Your Bonus How we rate the best US online poker sites In order to figure out if a given offering is a good one, there are a number of different areas that can be looked at. This will allow you to narrow down the list of the best online poker sites USA. Here are some of the criteria that we look at when conducting an online poker review: Game variants Player pool Reputation of the operator Regular offers Welcome bonus Selection of tournaments Stake sizes Customer support Payment methods Loyalty program Mobile offering What to consider when choosing a poker site As soon as you have a list of the best online poker rooms for your needs, you will then be ready to finally narrow down this list into a single option. You should have a look at what your priorities are in an online poker site and go from there. For poker players in the USA, here are some of the key areas to consider: Legal standing You want to be sure that you are dealing with a safe and secure poker site. While these operators won’t be licensed in US states, they will often be licensed elsewhere. Make sure that they have a track record of honoring payouts. Promotions A great part of creating a new online poker account is the welcome offer that is usually on offer. There will normally be promotions for existing players also, as well as a rewards program that rewards you for play over time. Customer support You want to be sure that if you have any issues with your online poker account that you can get it resolved quickly by dealing with the customer support team. Look at the availability and response times of this team. Player base When you are looking for an online poker site, you want to ensure that there is a large player base. This means that you won’t be waiting before going into a game. Some platforms join their player pools together in a network. Payment options You want to be sure that there will be a secure payment method on offer that suits your needs. You should look at any fees that are associated with conducting transactions, as well as the processing times. Game selection It is vital that an offering has all of your favorite poker variants this includes cash games at varying stakes and tournaments. If you like cash games, make sure that this side of the offering is sufficient for your needs. Banking options at online poker sites for US players Most of the common payment methods will be supported by poker sites for US players. Credit and debit cards like Visa and MasterCard are a popular way to add and withdraw funds. E-wallets tend to be the fastest option a lot of time for withdrawing funds and are easy to use. Popular e-wallets include Neteller, Skrill, and PayPal. Bank transfers are usually slower but are very reliable. Some modern payment gateways like Trustly help you conduct online bank transfers in a quicker manner. Finally, some niche payment methods are becoming more popular at the best online poker sites. The likes of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are now seen at many of the best online poker sites as an option. Where is online poker legal in the US As mentioned, there is a tight stranglehold on online poker in the USA. Despite this, there is a growing list of states that have legal online poker or will have in the future. Here are the states that have a legal framework in place for online poker today: New Jersey Nevada Pennsylvania Delaware West Virginia Michigan The future of online poker in the US As time goes on, it seems that online poker in a regulated sense is going to become more and more popular. The gateway for a lot of this growth will be the adoption of legal online sports betting. Lawmakers will see the tax revenue coming from these online activities and how they help to decrease the black market and perhaps embrace online gaming through the likes of online casinos and poker sites. This will happen on a state by state basis. You should keep an eye on the changing situation for online poker in your state, as legislation can be introduced and passed in a fast manner in many cases. Bottom line Online poker is a massively popular pursuit for people in the US today. While there is only a small number of states with their own regulated platforms, this list will likely grow offer time. Until then, you are well served by offshore poker sites that have very strong offerings. You can get started with a new account in just a couple of minutes. FAQs What is the legal age to play online poker in the US? This will depend on where you are in the country and what platform you are using. Some states require you to be 21 years old, while most of the offshore poker sites simply require you to be 21 years old. Can you play online poker on mobile? A lot of the offshore poker sites do have a mobile poker offering. This could be through a dedicated app or through a mobile web browser. Sometimes all of the features won’t translate over from desktop. What type of welcome bonus do you get? The poker bonuses offers depends on the given operator. A common bonus will be a deposit bonus whereby your first payment will be matched by a certain amount. You also may get freerolls to certain types of games. What rewards can you get for regular play? As part of a lot of loyalty programs, your perks will improve as you move up the tiers of the loyalty program. Some of the common perks include freerolls, access to exclusive events, dedicated account manager, birthday gifts, and faster withdrawals. 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 →
