If you are new to the world of online poker, you may be wondering where to start. Before, this popular pastime was limited to back rooms of casinos and bars. Then, along came the internet and elevated poker into the spotlight. Before 2000, most Internet poker games took place in chat rooms, but technology progressed and secured online poker sites were created. These sites allowed players to safely hold their cash and wager against other players. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best online poker sites.
Legal online poker legislation began to appear on the state level in 2013, when the Senate passed a bill that allowed Nevada to legalize online poker. New Jersey and Delaware soon followed suit. In 2017, New Jersey passed similar legislation by a majority vote. Though the state could have been the first to legalize online poker, Gov. Chris Christie’s office did not approve the legislation. Nonetheless, states such as Delaware, Michigan, and Pennsylvania have passed bills to regulate online poker.
The first step to playing online poker is to download the appropriate software to play. While poker software does require a small amount of memory, downloading it should not take long, even on old connections. No-download versions of poker software are also available on most poker websites, but they are not nearly as powerful as the download-only versions. Also, be sure to stick to a budget and never risk more than you can afford to lose. That way, you can be certain you’ll never go broke.
While some players are worried about cheating, there’s no evidence that poker bots are responsible. In fact, cheating in online poker is often done by players themselves. It is impossible to stop a bot from playing at the highest stakes, but there are ways to protect yourself. If you’re worried about your safety, check out online poker websites. Most of them have security teams that investigate rule violations, and they publicly refund players whose accounts have been banned.
In the United States, there are currently five states that offer legal online poker. Pennsylvania joined the ranks of these states on Nov. 4, 2019; Delaware is expected to follow suit in 2021. New Jersey and Pennsylvania are the two leading states for online poker traffic, with Connecticut and New York coming close behind them. If you’re planning to play online poker in the US, you should check with the state’s regulations before you make your choice. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy the freedom of choice.
New York’s gambling laws are relatively lenient, and online poker is already legal in the state. However, the state of New Jersey is still an unknown for some players. In addition to Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware have legalized online poker, and some other states are considering it. It’s important to remember that in order to legally play online poker, you need to physically be in the state that the site is in. This way, you can avoid the legal hassles associated with playing poker online.