How Do US Poker Players Play Online in Any State?

The US has a rich and storied history with poker. Add in the online counterpart and the story becomes even more intriguing. Some players even leave their native state or the US entirely to play online poker for real money with no restrictions or legal entanglements. But how can you play in even the most ardently strict state?

The answer is…Offshore!

Okay, you don’t need to go offshore or leave the US but these sites allow you to play online poker for real money legally in the USA. Offshore poker websites or offshore casinos operate outside of American jurisdiction because their businesses are headquartered in places like Malta or Antigua. These places are far-flung destinations where tax isn’t administered in the same way and aren’t restricted by somewhat draconian laws that some US states rule. The sites simply welcome players from around the world as they make their websites available to American audiences.

American players can simply log on and go about their pastime like any other site, with many of the contemporary sites allowing players to wager and bank in US dollars.

Did the American state governments make this situation themselves?

In a single word, yes. The unamicable and hardline approach set out by some American state governments oppressed the natural gambling instincts and desires in many Americans who simply want to play a game of poker online in their free time.

This oppression made a gap in the market for these services for an alternative offering the same services. While operating a site in the US was out of the question, setting up a site elsewhere and making it accessible to Americans is relatively easy.

Can everyone access these sites?

This is dependent on a few variables. It could be that if you live in a very anti-gambling state which will have some power over the information you access, as well as your internet service provider which might block specific sites if they are marked as nefarious to them. Of course, with enough legwork, you can usually circumvent these blockades with the assistance of a proxy or a VPN.

Can you get into trouble for playing on these sites in the US?

If you’re logging on from a state that already allows online gambling or online poker, it’s unlikely that they’ll care too much. If you’re logging on from somewhere that prohibits the pastime you might have more of an issue. Of course, local law enforcement should have more important issues to deal with like catching killers and whatnot. All prior instances have usually seen the local authorities try to shut down the offending site or restrict its access. Obviously, with the majority of them based very far away, they don’t have much luck in doing so.

The authorities typically tell the offending player not to do it again.

Unless you go and tell the police, it’s unlikely that they are simply going to find out that you’ve been using offshore gambling sites without a cause.

Please remember that the state and federal laws are subject to change and that the information above should not be constituted as legal advice.

Are there any pitfalls with using these sites?

When you use a site that is governed by the US and ratified by your presiding state (if you’re lucky to live somewhere that doesn’t outlaw it) there’s a certain level of safety with this. If the website suddenly takes all your money then you can contact the local authorities and they will try to help you as the offending platform is operating with the US law.

The same cannot be said about offshore sites. They aren’t subject to US jurisdiction at all, as they are not based there and don’t make any attempt or claim to be US-based. They simply offer a global service. This means that if these sites start acting poorly or unceremoniously there’s very little that the state and federal officers can do to help you. They’ll probably just tell you not to do it and say you shouldn’t have used these sites in the first place.

Of course, some perfectly amicable sites out there will operate with honor. There are now multiple online poker rooms and online casino comparison sites that review sites that inform potential players just how offshore vendors operate and whether they can be trusted or not.