Online poker has become a popular and lucrative gambling activity around the world, offering players an easy-to-use platform to wager money on games of skill. Unlike casino and sports betting, poker is a game that can be played by people from all walks of life, providing a unique skill-based form of entertainment. In this article, we’ll look at the history of online poker, current legislation and what the future holds for this exciting gambling activity.
While the popularity of online poker has grown tremendously over the years, many people are still not sure about what it’s all about. Some players are concerned about the safety of the games and others worry that they’re not as fair as they might be at a live casino. Fortunately, these concerns are unfounded. Legitimate online poker sites are fully regulated and subject to strict consumer safeguards. Players are protected by government-enforced age and location restrictions, which prevent minors from accessing the site.
In addition, most reputable online poker rooms are available on desktop and mobile devices, so you can play whenever and wherever you like. Moreover, there are several ways to deposit and withdraw funds from your account, including e-wallets and cards. You can also find a variety of bonus offers, most notably a 100% match deposit bonus that gives you extra money to start playing with.
After Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker in 2003, online poker boomed and dozens of operators opened up websites for US customers. However, when the Obama administration reinterpreted the Wire Act in December 2011, effectively banning interstate poker, the industry suffered a setback. Regulated online poker returned in 2012 with states passing laws and licensing operators, but this was a state-by-state affair. Multi-state poker appeared to be a non-starter, until June 2019 when the Trump administration’s DOJ decided that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting and not poker.
Since then, a number of states have joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association (MSIGA), which has allowed them to combine player pools. New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware already operate in this pool and Michigan is poised to join them soon. Pennsylvania is moving towards legal online poker as well, though it doesn’t appear that the Keystone State will be ready to launch before 2023.
Despite these positive developments, there’s no doubt that the poker industry has a long way to go. However, with a growing number of regulated markets and an increasing demand for online poker, the sky’s the limit for this exciting and lucrative form of gambling. We’ll continue to keep you updated on the latest in the world of online poker, whether it’s major news, legislative progress or general updates about this burgeoning gambling activity.