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Online Poker Real Money Legal In Ohio

All new players who decide to explore the vast universe of real money poker sites should know that federally, online poker sites are illegal. However, on the individual level, online poker is legal in some of the states. Some websites such as Global Poker (which is a sweepstakes poker site) are allowed in 49 out of 50 US states. Legal Gambling Age in Ohio Typically players must be 21 years of age or older to play at offline and online poker rooms and wager at horse tracks. The minimum age to play at.

For many years, gambling options in Ohio were very scarce. Lawmakers here seemed uninterested in changing this until 2009, when commercial casinos were legalized. Since that time, online gambling has grown significantly more popular here. Today, our team of gambling experts is going to explain how you can find the best Ohio poker sites currently operating.

Where Can You Play Online Poker For Real Money 2021. Play Online Poker for Real Money 2021. You are probably wondering what to look for in a real money site to make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck. Online poker real money USA players should keep an eye out for bonuses and promotions. Legal Ohio Online Poker. All of these poker sites below fulfill the requirements for operating legally within the global online poker industry, as well as, offer a premium online poker experience through secure software, vast card variations, built-in tools, and extra features. PokerStars forbids those from Ohio from playing for real money on their website. Alternatives include Americas Cardroom, available to play for real money in all 50 states.$5 Million guaranteed.

Some readers want to skip over this information and get straight to playing poker online for real money. No problem! Below are some of the best online poker sites in Ohio operating right now. Feel free to check them out!

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As many already know, there are some fantastic options for poker online available here. Choosing which site to join can seem a little difficult. We’ll help out by going over some of the most important features to look for.

Many still have questions about the legality of real money online poker in Ohio. Like many states, Ohio sets somewhat ambiguous regulations on this industry. Later on down this page, our team will break down the current laws to let you know what is allowed and what is not.

Online Poker Real Money Legal In Ohio

Ohio might not be thought of as a gambling destination. That’s beginning to change. This page should help poker fans understand which options are currently available and help you find where to play poker online in Ohio.

Here’s What to Look for in Ohio Poker Sites

There are a huge number of great Ohio online poker sites operating right now. Those who are new to this form of gambling may find it a little daunting trying to decide which one to join. That’s completely understandable.

Below are four features that you’ll want to look for in online Ohio poker rooms.

Safe and Easy Cashier System

Most people’s primary concern when getting into online gambling is about how safe their money will be. The US online gambling industry has come a long way over the years, and most Ohio poker sites work extremely hard to protect their members’ cash. Those caught doing anything shady are almost instantly blacklisted.

Before joining any OH poker sites, make sure it offers great deposit and withdrawal options. Head over to our gambling site reviews page and look at our breakdown of the site you’re interested in. We’ll offer information on all the different payment options available!

Helpful Customer Support Options

It’s unfortunate to see how many gamblers join a site without making sure it offers solid support options. This is an easy mistake to avoid. Just about all modern poker sites in Ohio clearly list which customer service features are offered.

We highly recommend that you join one offering a 24/7 live chat feature. This allows you to speak directly with a website representative over text. It’s best to stay away from the poker sites that only provide email support, as it can take a long time to answer your questions.

Poker Games You Want to Play

There are many different variations of poker being offered nowadays. Some online poker sites in Ohio are known to offer more poker games than others. It’s always a good idea to spend time looking at exactly which games are available.

If you want to play Texas Hold’em, for example, make sure you join a site that actually offers it! Most Ohio poker sites make it extremely easy to find the list of available games. Don’t overlook this step!

Great Promotional Offers

Promotions, for those who are unaware, are bonus offers that gambling sites offer to their members. Most promotions can help to increase the amount of money you have in your account. We recommend you find an online OH poker website that offers great promotional offers for new and existing members.

The most common promotional offer you will come across is a welcome bonus. This will add a certain percentage onto whatever you first deposit into your account. Look for promotions that are easy to use and don’t come with massive rollover requirements.

You may have found a few real money online poker sites in Ohio that provide these four features. Great! Now, simply choose which one you like the most.

Poker Sites in Ohio Continue to Grow More Popular

Casino gambling in Ohio has grown considerably more popular over the past decade. That’s not entirely surprising. Prior to 2009, there were no land-based gambling venues operating in the state. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case.

Interestingly, online gambling—especially online poker gambling—is also growing much more popular throughout the state. And there are a couple of reasons why.

More people here are beginning to realize how convenient Ohio poker sites really are. They allow you to make wagers from anywhere in the state with an internet connection! Many prefer this, rather than making the drive to a brick-and-mortar gaming venue.

Nowadays, almost all real money poker sites in Ohio also provide fantastic mobile gambling options. This makes it easy to play your favorite poker games using just your phone.

It’s incredible to see how many different games online poker rooms in Ohio offer nowadays. In some cases, the sites here provide more poker options than the top land-based venues in the state. Every site is different, though.

Online poker gambling grows more popular around the country every single year. Many feel that, in time, Ohio will choose to regulate this industry.

List of Land-Based Poker Venues in Ohio

Many people still prefer to play poker in person. There’s something special about playing poker inside a real venue with other gamblers. With that in mind, we’re providing the names and locations of the four venues in the state that offer poker.

  • Hollywood Casino Columbus: Columbus
  • Hollywood Casino Toledo: Toledo
  • Jack Cincinnati Casino: Cincinnati
  • Jack Cleveland Casino: Cuyahoga

Each of these casinos have gained massive fan bases in the state. They help to provide valuable revenue to the local economies. Some analysts believe that in time, lawmakers in Ohio will approve measures to increase the number of casinos operating here.

If you’re in any of the cities above, make sure to check out the local casino!

Legality of Online Poker Gambling in Ohio

Real money online gambling, as a whole industry, is still very new in the US. To make things more complicated, regulations towards specific kinds of online gambling differ from state to state. Fortunately, Ohio is very lenient with its internet gambling laws.

In 2009, lawmakers in the state approved a measure to legalize commercial casinos. Calls to regulate the state’s internet poker industry followed shortly afterward. As of June 2020, however, this has not yet been accomplished.

This industry remains unregulated in the state. That doesn’t make it illegal. In fact, there are no laws here that indicate internet poker gambling is not allowed. For that reason, a huge number of people now play at Ohio poker sites on a regular basis.

Section 2915-01 of the State Statutes gives their definition of gambling.

“Bet means the hazarding of anything of value upon the result of an event, undertaking, or contingency, but does not include a bona fide business risk.”

One section of this text also describes what the state considers to be “games of chance.”

“Game of chance means poker, craps, roulette, or other game in which a player gives anything of value in the hope of gain, the outcome of which is determined largely by chance, but does not include bingo.”

Some are surprised to find that poker isn’t listed under the “game of chance” category. Interestingly, there are no laws here that specifically prohibit online poker gaming. In fact, there have been several recent attempts to formally legalize and regulate this industry.

Will I Be Prosecuted for Gambling Through Poker Sites in Ohio?

It’s extremely unlikely. Lawmakers in this state have been embracing the gambling industry, rather than pushing against it. No laws here prohibit online poker gambling. In time, it’s highly likely that this industry will become state-regulated.

*We are not lawyers. Please reach out to a legal professional for more information about the specific online poker laws in Ohio.*

Ohio

Tips to Stay Safe Playing at Ohio Online Poker Sites

Safety is always priority number-one when getting into online gambling. The great thing is that the vast majority of Ohio poker sites currently operating work hard to keep their members safe. Most internet poker gamblers will never come across any issues.

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Below are five easy steps that you can follow to ensure that your online gambling experience is nothing but fun!

Choose Reputable Online Poker Sites in Ohio

This is the easiest way to stay completely safe when playing poker online. A reputable site will always protect your money. The best ones will also provide you with a range of direct and simple customer support options.

Only Bet What You Can Afford

One of the most common mistakes that gamblers make is wagering more money than they should. It’s an easy one to make, as poker is just so fun! One of the best ways to avoid this mistake is keeping track of exactly how much you are gambling. If you see things getting out of hand, take a break from using any Ohio poker sites for a while.

Read Into the Promotional Offers

Promotions are fantastic tools to boost the amount of money you have to gamble with. All real money Ohio poker sites offer their members different bonuses. Make sure to always understand how these promotions work. You can then decide whether or not you want to use them!

Utilize the Customer Support Tool When You Need It

There’s a good chance that you will never come across an issue while playing poker online. If, however, you find a problem, it’s important that you utilize the site’s customer support tools. The best online poker sites in Ohio will always be available to answer your questions.

Keep Your Online Poker Account Information Private

Last, but not least, we recommend that you should always keep your poker account information private. This goes without saying, but those with access to your username and password can collect your winnings without you knowing about it! It’s also recommended that you change your account’s password from time to time.

As long as you follow these steps, your online poker experience should be an absolute blast!

Ohio Online Poker Sites FAQ

Is There a Limit to How Much Money I Can Win Playing at OH Poker Sites?

No. Your ability to win just depends on your poker skills! Many professional players are able to win a significant amount of money on a monthly basis. Not many Ohio poker sites actually set limits on the amount of money you can win.

What Are the Best Poker Sites in Ohio Operating Right Now?

It seems as though everyone has their own opinion on this. But there are a lot of well-rated online poker options currently available here. Our team of experts highly recommend SportsBetting.ag and Ignition Poker. They’re both modern, safe sites with a wide range of different poker gambling options. Check them out today!

Will Poker Sites in Ohio Ever Become State-Regulated?

It seems highly likely that at some point, online poker gambling will become regulated by the state. It’s clear that lawmakers are beginning to embrace this industry. If you’d like to learn about any updates on the legal situation in this state, take a look at our gambling news page.

What Poker Games Are the Best for Beginners?

There are a huge number of different poker games available today. Many experts believe that Texas Hold’em is the best game for beginners. It’s fairly easy to learn and is available from nearly all Ohio poker sites operating today.

Do Ohio Online Poker Sites Offer Other Casino Gambling Options?

Some do, and some do not. This depends on whether or not you join an Ohio poker site dedicated specifically to poker gambling. There are a huge number of fantastic online casino sites operating here that offer everything from poker to slots. Do some research on the site you are interested in joining to see exactly what it offers.

Conclusion on Ohio Poker Sites

It’s been a little over a decade since Ohio legalized land-based casinos. Since that time, the gambling industry in the state has exploded in popularity. Many are now choosing to play at online poker sites in Ohio thanks to the convenience that they offer.

Reach out to out gambling experts with any additional questions you have. Good luck playing real money poker online in Ohio!

Are you looking for the best US legal online poker sites or a real money poker app? If the answer is yes, then you came to the right place. This is one of our many online poker reviews where you can find more about the best online poker options.

Without further ado, keep reading to discover how to play the best online poker for money and how to form an online poker strategy. So, let’s get started!

Contents

Best Legal Online Poker Sites

  1. WSOP
  2. PartyPoker
  3. PokerStars
  4. Pala Poker
  5. 888poker
  6. Global Poker

Is online poker legal? It's not always the same as legal online casinos and legal online sportsbooks. All new players who decide to explore the vast universe of real money poker sites should know that federally, online poker sites are illegal. However, on the individual level, online poker is legal in some of the states.

Some websites such as Global Poker (which is a sweepstakes poker site) are allowed in 49 out of 50 US states. Only Washington does not allow it. At the moment of writing our online poker reviews, only four states offer legal online poker websites in the United States. These are the following: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware.

For more information about some of the available sites, make sure to consult our Global Poker review.


US Legal Online Poker: State by State

Is online poker legal in your state? If the answer is no, keep in mind that the situation can change pretty quickly. Unsurprisingly, Nevada was the leader of regulated online poker. Once the ice was broken, the domino-effect followed.

One by one, many states tried or are still trying to pass the legislation. As you can see, some of them even succeeded. The last one to recently pass online poker is West Virginia, and we expect more legal US poker sites to be launched in the future.

When it comes to future predictions, we believe that chances are pretty good for some of the states to overcome all the legal obstacles and finally launch real money poker sites so their residents become able to play legal online poker.

Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, New York are some of the states that’ll probably make some innovations when it comes to the possibilities of playing poker online. These are the states that have active supporters of online poker in the state senate.

What’s more, regulated real money poker sites in neighboring states can only have a positive effect on public opinion. Additionally, within the borders of the aforementioned states, you can find a considerable number of land-based casinos.

Many of them come with the best online poker rooms where you can play various variants of poker, including the most popular one - Texas Hold’em. In other words, these poker offline options make it easier to launch legal poker sites and eventually start to offer legal online poker.

States Where Legal Online Poker Seems Like a Distant Dream

From this point of view, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah are just some of the states where we can see a certain legislative hostility towards online gambling. Therefore, we don’t believe that we won’t be able to play Texas Hold’em online there for quite some time.

Sweepstakes Legal Online Poker - Play Poker Free No Matter Which State You’re In

As said before, Global Poker, a sweepstakes legal online poker site, can be accessed in all US states except for the state of Washington. This legal online poker platform was launched in 2106, and since then, many players use its services. The virtual currency gaming business model is what makes it unique.

Instead of playing for real money, players play poker free, using gold coins or sweeps cash. That’s why Global Poker often appears when players search for “play poker free” or “play poker online, free”.

To understand how sweepstakes poker works, let’s start with some poker basics and make sure to understand sweeps poker terminology clearly. There’s a difference between gold coins and sweeps cash, and there’s a reason for which “play poker online, free” is actually a bit of a misnomer here.

Gold Coins are the name for the virtual currency in Global Poker, and they are equivalent to what regular legal online poker sites usually call “play money”. In other words, you can’t cash them out, but you can use them to play Texas Hold’em online or participate in some of the available tournaments with other players. On the other hand, “$weeps cash” is a promotional, virtual currency that can be cashed out through PayPal.

To sum up, you can buy gold coins that don’t have any monetary value and can’t be cashed out. “$weeps cash” is obtained as free of charge once you buy Gold Coins. Because of this virtual currency online poker model, Global Poker is not quite considered an online gambling activity. Therefore, it’s allowed in almost all of the US.

Where Can I Play Legal Online Poker in the US?

Pennsylvania is the last state where online poker had become legal when PokerStars was launched there at the end of 2019. Right now that’s also the only available option to play online poker for money in Pennsylvania.

If we don’t count Global Poker, which can be accessed in 49 states, all the other legal online poker sites come with pretty restricted access. For example, Pala Poker and PartyPoker are only available in the state of New Jersey.

However, they are not the only NJ poker sites one can access. WSOP, America's top legal online poker site, is available in the Garden State, and it’s also accessible to all Nevada online poker fans as well. Likewise, PokerStars NJ, available both independently and within the FOX Bet app

Claim the WSOP promo code in New Jersey and Nevada to Online poker real money ohioget a $1,000 signup bonus!

Where Can I Play Poker Live?

Most of the land-based casinos across different states include special poker rooms where you can play live poker. Playing Texas Hold’em online is definitely the most popular option. After all, poker is an American thing, so it’s no wonder to see it available in the vast majority of mortar and bricks casinos.

In fact, instead of listing all the states where you can sit back, relax and try out your luck with live poker, it’s better to list all those where you can’t play poker online. It’ll be easier to remember this list:

  • Alaska
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • New Hampshire
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah

We must add that in Texas, private poker clubs aren’t forbidden. As long as no house makes a profit from the game, poker can be played in private places for fun.

US Online Poker Basics

When talking about the current status of legal US poker sites, there are two especially important laws that you should be aware of. Let’s take a look at these two federal laws that govern online poker in the country.

The Wire Act

The first one is the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, often called the Federal Wire Act. As you can see, it passed long before online poker or even the internet existed. However, it prohibits certain types of betting businesses to operate via wired communications.

Ohio

In 2011, the US Department of Justice concluded that the scope of the act was limited to sporting events. Therefore, states, where online poker is now regulated, found that the bill didn’t apply to online poker nor other forms of gambling.

However, in 2019, the US Department of Justice reversed its opinion. The new opinion concludes that the Wire Act applies to all types of online gambling.

The UIGEA

The other relevant law is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from 2006. This law made it illegal for US banks to proceed with transactions for offshore gambling companies. That’s how they were pushed out of the market.

History of US Legal Online Poker

Online casinos started to appear back in 1994. They were usually situated in Antigua or the Isle of Man. However, the vast majority of their users were US-based customers. Two years later, in 1996, online gambling was also brought to the North American market soil.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established just outside Montreal. They started issuing licenses, and pretty soon, it was possible to find hundreds of new online gambling websites.

Once again, two years later and again in Canada, the first-ever poker online website saw the light of day. Planet Poker was the favorite source of fun to thousands of Americans who were spending endless hours playing the first real-money online Texas Hold’em.

Over the next few years, thanks to technological advances, better online poker software was developed, while the number of websites kept increasing. These online poker operators also started to offer various tournaments and cash games and got a solid fan base all over the world.

The Industry Kept Growing & Then It Collapsed

Even though there were different interpretations of the law, especially of the famous Wire Act, the newly developed industry kept growing.

The year 2003 is especially important in the evolution of online poker. Using an account from Tennessee, Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker after participating in the event through an online satellite. In Chris Moneymaker's case, we guess, it's okay to say that name determines destiny.

This online poker strategy was live-streamed on ESPN. Suddenly, the whole nation knew about Chris's story. A good number of Americans were hoping to be the next. All of a sudden, poker was everywhere on TV. Live games were followed carefully, and commercial breaks had one purpose: promoting online poker for money and playing Texas Hold 'em online.

The great number of promoted sites were, in fact, offshore online poker sites. A lot of them disappeared from American browsers after Congress passed the above-mentioned UIGEA in 2006.

However, even though a lot of sites weren't accessible anymore, online poker couldn't be erased that easily. Some of the offshore gambling companies had found a way around the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, but not for long.

In 2011, some of the largest online poker operators, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet, were accused of violating UIGEA and money laundering. These websites were definitely excluded from the significant US online poker market, which seemed to come to an end at the time.

Legal Online Poker Sites Rise Again

Also in 2011, the DOJ released a legal opinion that the Federal Wire act exclusively applied only to one form of gambling: sports betting. A few states saw this as a possibility, paving the way to regulated online casinos and legal US poker sites.

In 2012, Delaware was the first state that managed to do just that. Then, in December 2013, Nevada followed the example of passing online poker legislation. A week later, the Garden State became the third to legalize online gambling, and plans for NJ poker sites were made.

The first-ever regulated US online poker site was launched in Nevada in April 2013. Delaware and NJ poker sites went live that same year, a few months later. In 2017, Pennsylvania became the fourth state to join this group. West Virginia is the fifth state where online poker was regulated in 2019. Probably, more states will try to do the same thing in the near future.

Which State is Next?

Is online poker legal in California or New York? This is one of the frequently asked questions that people search for in the USA. They also search for different terms of poker terminology that sound unfamiliar to them. However, that’s another question that we could discuss on some other occasion.

Let’s get back to our question of legal online poker sites and the possible new markets in the USA. Michigan has made significant efforts to legalize online gambling, particularly online poker, while California, New York, and Massachusetts also seem to be moving in the right direction.

Real Money Poker App: How to Find the Best Poker App

It doesn’t matter if you are a Pennsylvania online poker fan or a regular visitor of NJ poker sites, the good news is that you can play poker whenever you want, anywhere within the borders of one or the other state.

Many of the best online poker websites have launched a dedicated real money poker app that you can easily download and install on your device. The best poker apps are available for both iOS and Android operating systems.

In order to find the best poker app, make sure you visit one of the websites we listed at the beginning of our review.

Also, before you replace your poker offline adventure with the one that can be found on the internet, make sure to read some of the online poker reviews and get to know the poker terminology used by the players worldwide. After a brief introduction to the poker basics, it’s time to create your own online poker strategy and join one of the legal online poker communities!