Global Poker has been a surprise for me, scoring excellent ratings across the board during my review. They've found a loophole that allows them to operate legal real-money online poker in 49 states, which has helped them gain massive player traffic in just a few years.
Best Nevada online poker site in 2019
Latest Nevada online poker news
- by Sean ChaffinJanuary 3, 2020
- by Sean ChaffinDecember 11, 2019
Nevada: Home to first licensed US online poker room
Contents
- 3 Good Signs: PokerStars Beefs Up PACOOP As Michigan Adds Online Poker
- 3.11 NV online poker FAQ
It all started with regulations drafted by the Nevada Gaming Commission on Dec. 22, 2011. An opinion letter written by the Department of Justice became public the following day stating that online poker did not violate the Wire Act. The DOJ opinion written three months earlier was in response to a state lottery inquiry.
Nevada Legislature took up the online poker issue in February 2013. It confirmed the regulations drafted by gaming regulators. Nevada lawmakers also included language that permits the governor to enter into liquidity sharing agreements with other states. Nevada has since entered into such an agreement with Delaware and New Jersey.
Ultimate Poker became the first entirely legal poker site in the US on April 30, 2013. There was no previous announcement leading up to the launch. The news hit the mainstream, and Ultimate Poker executives took to the airwaves to help promote the product.
Station Casinos was the group behind Ultimate Poker. The company is the largest locals casino owner in Las Vegas.
The site was heavily promoted at the casinos owned by Station and through direct mailers to players registered with the Boarding Pass players club. Ultimate Poker players could deposit and withdraw from any cashier cage operated by Station Casinos.
Ultimate Poker drew several hundred players from its first day. The first major Sunday tournaments hit its cap of 200 entrants and produced a $20,000 prize pool. Legal online poker was alive once again in the US.
WSOP.com launches and takes over the Nevada market
The fortunes of Ultimate Poker started to decline when WSOP.com launched on Sept. 17, 2013. It only took about six weeks for WSOP.com to overtake Ultimate Poker for the No. 1 spot regarding online poker traffic in Nevada.
WSOP.com Nevada was heavily promoted during the summer World Series of Poker. This helped it draw players away from Ultimate Poker.
The software used by WSOP.com was far superior to the one used by Ultimate Poker. This included the introduction of Omaha, Omaha High/Low, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud High/Low. Ultimate Poker only offered Texas Hold ’em at the time.
Real Gaming enters Nevada
Real Gaming became the third online poker room in Nevada. Backed by South Point Casino, a locals casino on Las Vegas Boulevard south of the Strip. The site only offers No Limit Texas Hold ’em cash games and one-table tournaments.
Ultimate Poker ceases operations
The competition proved to be no match for Ultimate Poker. The site struggled with inferior software and an inability to improve it in a timely manner.
Ultimate Poker dealt its last hand of online poker in Nevada on Nov. 17, 2014. It previously folded its New Jersey operations on Oct. 5, 2014, citing the bankruptcy of its business partner Trump Taj Mahal as the reason. Ultimate Gaming, its parent company, has since ceased operations.
WSOP.com now controls more than 99 percent of the Nevada online poker market. Real Gaming struggles to draw a single full table and is completely dark most hours of the day.
Interstate online poker compact with New Jersey and Delaware
Nevada and Delaware launched the first poker liquidity sharing agreement in March 2015, and New Jersey joined the mix in May 2018 to create a tri-state player pool in the US.
As the only platform available in all three states, WSOP.com was the only site to take full advantage of the liquidity sharing at launch. WSOP revealed new promotions, a bigger and better rewards program, and larger tournament guarantees in conjunction with its suddenly larger network.
888 provides WSOP.com’s platform and hosts the only poker network in Delaware. There are three skins on the Delaware poker network: Delaware Park, Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway. All are racinos that operate video lottery casinos in the state.
WSOP.com Nevada online poker details
WSOP.com is the Nevada online poker leader due to its ties to the World Series of Poker. It offers Texas Hold ’em, Omaha, Omaha High/Low, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud High/Low.
New players receive a 100 percent, up to $400, first-deposit bonus. A similar reload bonus is offered every month.
All WSOP.com deposit bonuses clear at a rate of $10 for every $50 in rake and tournament fees paid.
The Action Club is WSOP.com’s VIP program. Players earn rakeback between 8 and 35 percent and freeroll entries based on the amount of monthly rake paid.
You can cash out rakebacks through the software in amounts of $10 or more. Other promotions include World Series of Poker satellites and monthly sit-and-go leaderboards.
WSOP.com Nevada online poker bracelet event
WSOP.com hosted the first World Series of Poker online bracelet event on July 2, 2015. It was a $1,000 entry. The tournament played down to two players on the first day. The final two opponents met at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas to finish the event live two days later.
The online event has returned every year since in an even more robust form. In 2018, for the first time, players in New Jersey can compete in the online bracelet events with players in Nevada.
Satellites and super satellites to many World Series of Poker events occur at WSOP.com during the spring and summer. A handful of these satellites are freerolls. Others require a buy-in as little as $1.
Nevada live poker rooms
Nevada is the home to live poker in the US. Las Vegas is where most of the action occurs.
Venetian is the largest poker room in Las Vegas. It offers 59 tables. That number goes up during its Deep Stack Extravaganza tournament series.
Bellagio is the second-largest Las Vegas poker room. It spreads 37 tables. Other major Las Vegas Strip poker rooms include Wynn, Aria, and Caesars Palace.
There are several popular poker rooms in Las Vegas located off the Strip. The Orleans is the largest and is the home of Omaha High/Low and Fixed Limit Hold ’em in Las Vegas. The Orleans draws an equal number of locals and tourists.
Red Rock is the second-largest locals’ poker room. You’ll find it at the far west end of the Las Vegas Valley in the suburb of Summerlin. Green Valley Ranch, in the southeast part of town, is another active poker room in the locals market.
Visiting Las Vegas
There are numerous activities in the area if you need a break from poker. Rio has a zip line running between two hotel towers. The Palms offers a movie theater. Gold Coast has a bowling alley. All of those options are within walking distance.
Those with a car may want to explore Las Vegas and the surrounding area. Red Rock is a national park just west of the valley. Valley of Fire is about an hour north, Hoover Dam about an hour east. All are great outdoor activities.
Here are some of our favorite nongambling attractions in Las Vegas.
Those looking to party can take a cab for less than $10 to the Las Vegas Strip. There are top nightclubs at Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Aria, Wynn, Encore, Venetian, and Caesars Palace.
Those that enjoy the old-school feel should take a trip downtown. It will cost about $25 each way from Rio. Make sure to get in the cab at the convention center and tell the driver to take Industrial (part of which has been rechristened as Sammy Davis Jr. Drive) to keep from getting long-hauled on the highway.
Downtown Las Vegas is where legalized gambling started. It offers much better odds for those looking to gamble. The best blackjack in Las Vegas may be at El Cortez.
Great video poker is spread at numerous casinos. Craps players will want to hit the 20x odds spread at Main Street Station. In addition to better gambling, the minimum table game bet is often just $5 downtown.
While downtown, you may want to check out Fremont East. This is a block that’s undergone recent revitalization and is between Las Vegas Boulevard and El Cortez. It includes a strip of bars and clubs.
Here are our five favorite things about downtown Las Vegas.
Where to stay for the World Series of Poker
Finding a great place to stay can be tough. Rio typically offers competitive rates.
Make sure to check out Gold Coast. Directly across the street from Rio, it will likely be cheaper. The Orleans is just two blocks away, although it is a little too far to walk.
If you have a car, you may want to check out some of the locals’ casinos owned by Station. Staying downtown is another option.
Some players choose to stay at an extended stay to save some money. These are always hit and miss. Avoid the area along Tropicana the next exit down the highway from Rio. Most other neighborhoods with extended stay hotels will be in more desirable areas.
NV online poker FAQ
What Nevada regulated poker rooms are live?
WSOP.com is the only regulated Nevada online poker room as of Jan. 7, 2019.
What happened to Ultimate Poker?
Ultimate Poker was the first online poker site in Nevada. The company was not successful and ceased operations Nov. 17, 2014. Players have been paid in full.
Do I have to be a Nevada resident to play online poker?
No, but you need to be within the state of Nevada to play at regulated online poker rooms.
How does a poker room know a player is within Nevada?
Online poker rooms use three location devices to determine whether a player is within Nevada at the time of login.
One is the player’s IP address. This locates the point of a player’s internet connection. Cell phone triangulation is also used to determine a player’s location. The cellphone pings off multiple towers and its approximate location determines whether the player may sit at real money tables.
Mapping of wireless internet connections provides another location method. Real Gaming uses a smartphone app that uses multiple sources to verify the location.
Is Nevada location verification technology precise?
No, this is why players located within one mile of the state line may not play. This is the margin of error for cellphone triangulation and other methods. This ensures that no players can play outside the state.
What cities are within one mile of the Nevada state line?
Players in Primm, Mesquite, Laughlin, Jackpot, West Wendover and Stateline may not be able to play online poker in Nevada due to being within one mile of the state line.
How do you deposit at a Nevada online poker room?
WSOP.com accepts deposits via electronic checks, Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, PayNearMe, PayPal and cash at the cages of the following Las Vegas casinos:
- Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
- Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
- Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino
- Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
- Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
Real Gaming accepts cash deposits at its South Point cage, PayNearMe, check by mail and bank wire.
How do you withdrawal from a Nevada online poker room?
WSOP.com pays withdrawals by electronic checks, cash at five Caesars casinos in Las Vegas and check by mail. Real Gaming mails a check that may be cashed at South Point or deposited as normal.
How old do you have to be to play online poker in Nevada?
Nevada requires all online poker players to be 21 years of age or older. This is the same age requirement to gamble at brick-and-mortar casinos.
Do Nevada online poker rooms share player pools with any other state or country?
Nevada online poker is only offered to players located in the state. 888 and WSOP networked player pools between Delaware and Nevada in March 2015. New Jersey joined in 2018 to create an even bigger player pool. Players located in the three states can compete against each other on WSOP.com.
How do I open an account?
Accounts must be created online. The information provided is run through a database to confirm the identity of the player.
Why does my state not offer regulated online poker?
Most states require legislative action to expand gambling. This includes online poker. It will likely require a bill being passed by both state houses and a signature from the governor for a state to regulate online poker.
When did online poker launch in Nevada?
Online poker in Nevada launched April 30, 2013. This was the date Ultimate Poker went live. WSOP.com launched Sept. 19, 2013. Real Gaming opened in February 2014.
What games are offered at Nevada online poker rooms?
WSOP.com offers Texas Hold ’em, Omaha, Omaha High/Low, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud High/Low.
Real Gaming offers only No Limit Texas Hold ’em.
Can I deposit from outside Nevada?
Real Gaming allows players to deposit from outside Nevada. WSOP.com does not offer this feature.
Reddit Is Online Poker Legal In The Us
Can I withdraw from outside Nevada?
Yes, all poker rooms will allow players to withdraw from outside Nevada.
Does Nevada offer online casino games?
No, Nevada only offers online poker at this time.
Are player-to-player transfers allowed?
Player-to-player transfers are not allowed due to fraud and money laundering concerns.
Which Nevada poker site is the largest?
WSOP.com.
Pennsylvania Online Poker
| Poker Site | Online | Cash | 24 H Peak | 7 Day avg | Last Week | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | 228 | 905 | 425 | 1021,690 |
Last Updated: November 28, 2019
PA Online Poker Launch Update
Online poker is officially live in Pennsylvania! After a two-day soft launch for testing, PokerStars PA (in partnership with Mount Airy Casino) went live to the public on Nov. 6, 2019.
Early returns have already been impressive with peak 24 hour traffic of 895 players and a 7-day average of almost 500 players.
Tournament guarantees have already superseded New Jersey. The combined prize pools for the five Sunday Majors (Warm-Up, Storm, Special, High Roller, Supersonic) have hit $67,500 with just $440 total in entry fees.
The inaugural PACOOP Series is Pennsylvania’s first 50-tournament online series and guarantees $1 million in total. It runs Nov. 30-Dec. 6.
Online Poker in PA
As most know now, online poker in Pennsylvania did not launch on July 15. Operators limited their debuts to the online casino portion of interactive play.
The hold-up was not on the regulatory side of things. Rather, it was simply a matter of operators readying themselves to offer online poker.
Is Online Poker Legal In Oregon
In terms of which operators could join PokerStars, there are six other casinos in the state that have submitted applications for and been approved to offer online poker to Pennsylvania residents. They are:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National
- Parx Casino
- Sands Bethlehem (for Wind Creek’s benefit)
- SugarHouse Casino
- Valley Forge Casino
MGM has also submitted an application for online poker through its Borgata property in New Jersey.
Online poker in PA history
2018 was a landmark time for gaming company partnerships. It seemed that no week passed without another announcement about a new corporate alliance. One year later, things can still change rapidly about which companies have access to the licenses in the Keystone State.
Nevertheless, we can assume which companies will establish a presence in Pennsylvania. There are several frontrunners right now, due to their connections both within and outside the state. Here they are, along with their most relevant corporate ties:
- Pokerstars – Now Live in PA
- #1 poker operator in the world
- Has an official partnership with Mount Airy
- 888 Poker/WSOP.com
- Has links to both Mount Airy and Harrah’s, though the Mount Airy links are stronger
- Owns interstate poker network in Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware that could allow PA tie-in
- GVC/Partypoker.com
- A signed business deal with MGM, which translates to access with Boyd Gaming properties
- Expanding American reach through partnerships
- Rush Street Interactive
- Both casinos applied for online gaming licenses
- Rumored to have developed own poker software
Two other companies are not quite as good a bet to come to the table. The primary reason that they’re behind the other four companies is the lack of a physical connection in Pennsylvania.
However, their combination of expertise and proprietary software means that existing casinos may look to them in the future. They are:
- IGT
- Has submitted an application to operate online gambling in Pennsylvania
- Owns a poker platform that is ready to go
- Pala
- Owns proprietary casino and poker platform
- Has found success in online New Jersey market
It’s important to keep in mind, also, that Pennsylvania is expected to join with Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware to share player pools. If and when that happens, there may be other companies that make a move toward the Keystone State.
What is or is not legal in Pennsylvania online poker?
Once any online poker site gets licensed and up and running, the site and players are required to adhere to specific online poker regulations set by PGCB:
- Players must be 21 or older.
- Sites must verify identification.
- Players must be inside state lines to play for real money.
- Sites must verify player location using geolocation software.
- Operators must pay a 16 percent online gambling tax on gross revenue.
Pennsylvania online poker laws
The gambling expansion bill signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf on October 30, 2017, is officially known as H 271. It ultimately governs online poker in the state.
The new law tasked the PGCB with promulgating online poker regulations. It also tasked the board with handing out online poker licenses to qualified applicants.
The board began distributing licenses in August 2018. So far, seven Pennsylvania properties have applied and received approval to offer online gaming (including poker) in the state.
Pennsylvania Live Poker
Where can I play poker live in Pennsylvania?
Live poker is a big draw in Pennsylvania. According to PGCB, ten of the 12 PA casinos have poker rooms. Between them, there are 225 tables operating.
Only Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin and Valley Forge Casino Resort do not have poker rooms.
Here’s a list of the ten poker rooms currently operating across PA:
- Parx Casino – Brand new 48-table poker room replaced the highest-grossing poker room in the state in January 2018.
- Harrah’s Philadelphia – World Series of Poker-branded poker room with 28 tables.
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course – 16-table poker room open 24 hours year-round.
- Mohegan Sun Pocono – 18-table poker room with a wide range of limits, cash games, and tournaments.
- Mount Airy Casino Resort – The Poker Parlor at the Mount Airy Casino Resort features action on nine tables.
- Sands Bethlehem – 30-table poker room with cash games and regular tournament schedule.
- SugarHouse Casino – The Poker Night in America Poker Room at SugarHouse Casino features action on 28 tables.
- Rivers Casino – The Rivers Casino Poker Room at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh features non-stop poker action on 30 tables.
- The Meadows Racetrack & Casino – The Meadows Poker Room at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino features 14 tables with an open view of the live racing action on the track.
- Presque Isle Downs – State-of-the-art poker room with seven tables.
History of online poker in Pennsylvania
A massive online poker boom kicked off in the US in 2003. That’s when a Tennessee accountant appropriately named Chris Moneymaker earned his way into the WSOP Main Event through an online satellite and went on to win it all.
Poker’s popularity soared, particularly on TV, where cheap poker programming filled with commercials for online poker sites suddenly became a staple of cable network programming.
US Congress tried to gain some control by stuffing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the Safe Ports Act in 2006. The legislation ensured US banks would stop processing transactions for the many offshore online poker operators accepting US customers. A number of those operators left the US market, but others found creative ways around the new laws and online poker still flourished.
Online poker’s Black Friday
Five years later, on April 15, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice put a stop to it. The top executives at major online poker operators including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet were all charged with various money laundering and illegal gambling charges. The US-facing domains were seized and the sites immediately stopped accepting US customers The door to online poker in America was suddenly closed.
However, signs it could be opening again began to surface by the end of the year.
In December 2011, the DOJ released a legal opinion that the Federal Wire Act only applies to sports betting. It was supposed to clarify things for the state’s interested conducting in online lottery sales. However, it also paved the way for states to begin to consider licensing and regulating online poker and casino sites.
Over the next two years Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey all passed different forms of online gambling legislation and opened up fenced-in online poker markets.
Nevada and Delaware signed an agreement to share players pools in 2014 and started doing so in early 2015. New Jersey signed on to that same agreement in October 2017.
Legal and regulated online poker in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania lawmakers started kicking the tires on online gambling legislation back in 2013. Rep. Tina Davis introduced legalization that would legalize online casino games and online poker. It was modeled on online gambling bills passed in New Jersey. However, it was never really more than the start of the conversation.
The year ended with the PA Senate commissioning a study on the issue.
The Senate got what looked like positive results for online gambling from the study in 2014. Online gambling bills were then introduced in both the House and the Senate. By the end of the year, the Senate Committee on Community, Economic and Recreational Development held an online gambling hearing and Pennsylvania was suddenly seriously considering online gambling.
The legislature appeared more serious about online gambling in 2015, and it ended up in and out of the budget several times during deliberations. It end up out.
Every time lawmakers looked close to passing online gambling legislation in 2016, efforts were derailed by the consideration of even more gambling expansions across the state.
The online gambling budget balance
Finally, in 2017, faced with a massive budget deficit and few answers on how to erase it, PA lawmakers turned to online gambling.
In May, the Senate passed an online gambling bill. In June, the House fixed a number of issue with it, including tax rates, then added further gambling expansion initiatives including video gaming terminals.
Only this time the gambling expansion initiatives didn’t derail the bill. Lawmakers went into the summer of 2017 still debating the details of what had turned into a comprehensive gambling expansion bill.
When they got back to work in the fall, they worked out all the kinks and a bill, which included a plan to legalize and regulate online poker in PA, was passed.
The bill authorized the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) to put together regulations governing online poker in the state. It also asked the board to begin a licensing application process for potential operators.
As a result, Pennsylvania became the fourth state in US history to legalize online poker. Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey were the first three. All three of those states have since signed an agreement to share player pools. Language in the Pennsylvania online poker legislation will allow it to enter such an agreement in the future.
Comments are closed.