On a date now famously known as Black Friday – April 15, 2011 – the FBI shut down some of the largest US-facing poker providers, limiting their access to players in the country. These sites were pushed into shutting down, with many players losing their accounts. When online poker made a comeback several years later, US states decided to regulate provider sites individually. Many states today have still not made online poker legal within their borders, but this is gradually changing. If you want to play online poker in the US, there are many resources to help you do it legally. You can click here to find out more about the aspects of online poker in the country and then read on to learn where it is legal.
- Nevada
On February 25, 2013, Nevada passed House Bill AB 114 into law, making it the first state to legalize online poker in the country. The bill saw two gambling providers receive permission to offer online poker games within the state. However, one dropped out of the game due to competition, leaving the other as the state’s only legal poker site to date.
- New Jersey
New Jersey legalized online poker exactly a day after Nevada. The state passed Bill A2578, which was proposed and sponsored by Senator Ray Lesniak, allowing gambling providers to offer online poker games to residents. Initially, one gambling provider took up the mantle in New Jersey, but it has since gained multiple competitors.
- Delaware
With a population of less than 1 million, it would be difficult to believe that Delaware is also a major player in the online poker business. The state passed a bill legalizing the game on October 31, 2013, allowing gambling sites to provide online poker services within its borders. This is done through the shared liquidity deal between Nevada and New Jersey. In terms of numbers, Delaware is responsible for the smallest revenue of all states with legal online poker.
- Pennsylvania
Four years passed between when Delaware made online poker legal and when Pennsylvania joined the club. The state passed a legalization bill in November 2017, ushering in major poker providers. In 2021, the WSOP launched its official site in the state, allowing Pennsylvania residents to play online WSOP bracelet.
- Michigan
Following another lull of two years, Michigan joined the rank of states with legal online poker sites. Plans to set up a permitting framework for poker providers were temporarily stalled, officially resuming in 2021. Michigan currently brings in a large portion of the poker earnings by “legal” states.
- West Virginia
West Virginia legalized online poker in March 2019, following extensive lobbying. The state’s Lottery Commission established online poker room rules a year later, making things official. However, no poker rooms have applied for operating licenses in West Virginia as of today. The theory is that the state’s market is too small to bring in profits without a liquidity deal with other states.
- Connecticut
Connecticut is the last and most recent state to legalize online gaming in the US. State lawmakers passed a bill, with Governor Ned Lamont signed into law in 2021. Lamont also signed agreements with notable land-based casino providers within the state, including the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes. However, like in West Virginia, no providers have applied for licenses to run online poker rooms in Connecticut. Some have opened sportsbooks and offer other casino games, but no poker yet.
Final Thoughts
Only five states had legal online poker sites in operation as of 2021, even though at least seven had passed laws to legalize the game. Lawmakers continue to lobby for legalization in other states, and more are bound to follow suit in the coming years. Meanwhile, you can play poker on licensed and regulated online sites in these states.
