While online poker has been around for decades, it has only recently become legal in the United States. The first online poker sites appeared in the late 1990s, and a surge of activity followed Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 World Series of Poker victory. However, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) forced many sites to shut down, but some, like PokerStars, remained open to U.S. players for several years.
To play online poker, you’ll first need to download the software required by the poker site. This download typically takes a few minutes and is generally virus-free. You’ll then need to create an account. It’s important to create a single account for each site, since multiple accounts are prohibited by most online poker sites.
Once you have created an account, you’ll need to deposit funds into it. Most poker sites allow you to deposit between $5 and $20, but some sites offer higher limits. To deposit more than $5, go to a site that allows deposits in multiple currencies. The time it takes for deposits to clear varies from site to site, but it’s generally less than 24 hours.
Many avid poker players have turned to foreign-based platforms that are not controlled by the USA government. Because these sites are licensed by other jurisdictions, you’ll never be penalized for making a deposit at an offshore site. For American poker players, this is often the only way to play online. But if you live in an unregulated state, you can also play on sweepstakes gaming sites. These sites don’t offer real-money games, but do provide a chance to win cash prizes.
To learn the game, the best way is to play at low stakes. It’s a great way to practice tactics, and the best part is that it’s free. Many poker sites have beginner-only tables, and new customers are free to join these tables for up to 90 days after creating their account.
The legality of online poker in the United States is a controversial issue. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed into law in 2006, but players hope that the new administration will change the law to make online poker legal again. Many other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom, have legalized online poker.
Online poker has become a legal option in many jurisdictions, including Delaware and New Jersey. While some states still have strict laws about gambling, most have legalized online poker. In addition, Connecticut and West Virginia have legalized online poker. In the US, more than two dozen live poker rooms and a handful of retail casinos offer poker.
Online poker is faster than live poker. Many poker players prefer to play online because live poker can be slow and boring. With online tables, you can deal as many as sixty hands per hour, which is much faster than live poker. This is especially true when playing short-handed games, and with multi-table play, you can deal a lot more hands per hour than you could in live games.