Online poker is a popular pastime that has exploded since the early 2000s. Its popularity took off after a Tennessee accountant named Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning him huge sums of money and a national following. After the success of Moneymaker, online poker was featured on countless TV shows and branded tournaments, which gave it mass exposure and popularity.
But even as the game gained in popularity, it was also subjected to setbacks and crackdowns. In 2006, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which forced many sites out of the US market. The biggest online poker operators chose to fight the law and were able to stay in the market for a while.
The legality of playing poker in different states is a complex issue. Some states have banned online gambling, while others have only criminalized certain forms of it. This has led to some confusion for players, but the vast majority of states have no laws against playing online poker for real money.
Despite this, the legality of online poker in different states is still being debated and may change in the future. In fact, several states are currently looking into regulating the industry. New Jersey and Delaware have already made online poker legal, and the first sites launched in November of 2013. Pennsylvania will join them next year when PokerStars goes live, and Michigan is considering doing so as well.
Players can find a wide variety of stakes and games at legal online poker sites. There are high roller tables where the stakes are very high, and micro stakes where you can play for as little as a dollar per hand. In addition, most major regulated poker sites offer a variety of bonuses to attract new players. These bonuses are often in the form of cash or tournament tickets.
In order to qualify for these bonuses, players must have a verified ID and bank account. They must also be located within a state where the site offers real money play. Some sites disable the deposit process unless the player is present in their state, and others have strict geolocation rules that require the player to be physically present within their state in order to make a real-money deposit.
While some sites only accept players from certain countries, most are happy to serve all comers. This is a big benefit to players who don’t have access to regulated poker in their home country, and it allows them to try out the game without having to risk any of their own money. It’s also an excellent way to get familiar with the game, which can be intimidating for first-time players. This is particularly true of the new breed of online poker, which utilizes 3D graphics and is designed to be as realistic as possible. Many of these poker rooms offer free play modes that allow players to practice before they commit any funds to the game.
