Since its launch in the late 90s, online poker has had its ups and downs. One setback was the federal government’s ban on online poker in 2011. Today, four states have legalized online poker, including Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Another two, Michigan and West Virginia, are considering legalizing the game. Many more are considering legalizing it. However, the question of whether or not online poker will be legal in your state remains unanswered.
Online poker sites publicly refund players who violate their rules. But they rarely specify what kind of cheating was involved. They usually refer to “bot ring” or “collusion” to describe their actions. While the poker bots and colluders have to do with human nature, they are still a concern for serious online poker players. In order to stay ahead of the game, you should know the rules of online poker. Here are some of the important ones:
Connecticut is the third state to legalize online poker, following Nevada and West Virginia. Connecticut has a small population of 3.5 million, so legalizing online poker in CT is unlikely to be a major focus for the major players. Its lawmakers, however, are open to shared liquidity agreements with other states. So far, Connecticut is not ruling out online poker, but they are still waiting for the final ruling on the Wire Act. And, the DoJ has no plans to appeal the decision from the last court ruling. So, the path to interstate poker remains open.
New York players who want to play online poker can drive to New Jersey and register their accounts. Those who are in New Jersey can also register their accounts in Pennsylvania and play poker online. And if you live in New York and are looking to play sweepstakes poker games online, there’s no better way to make an entrance than in New Jersey. Most sweepstakes poker games are based on Sweeps Coins, which are currency used in tournaments and can be redeemed for real prizes.
Before you play for real money, try playing online poker with low stakes. The game is soft enough to let you learn the tricks of the game and get used to playing for low stakes. Many poker rooms even have a beginners’ table for beginners. New customers can join this table for up to 30 days after creating an account. This way, they won’t be surrounded by better players who may be threatening your bankroll. It’s better to play in a beginner-friendly environment before advancing to a higher-level game.
In order to play poker for real money, you must first download the poker software on your computer. This requires a small amount of memory and should take just a few minutes, even on archaic connections. While playing with a no-download version, you’ll not have the same advantages as the full download version. You can also find no-download versions of most poker sites. While these games are similar, they don’t have the same features.