Online poker laws in the US

Is online poker legal in the US?

Online poker is legal and licensed in a small number of states, illegal by statute or regulator statement in others, and unaddressed in many. There's no national online poker license. Whether you can play depends on where you are when you log in and whether the site is licensed by that state.

Federal law sets the outer limits. It does not make playing poker online a federal crime for you, but it does reach the businesses that run gambling unlawfully, and it backs up state law with payment restrictions. Our quick answer page, is online poker legal in the US?, covers the basics; this page goes through the statutes, the states and what they mean in practice. For other topics, see our US gambling law hub.

Federal online poker laws: Wire Act, UIGEA and § 1955

The Wire Act and poker

The Wire Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1084, makes it a crime for someone in the business of betting to knowingly use wires to send interstate or foreign bets or wagers. Whether it covers poker at all has been argued for years. The Justice Department's 2011 opinion limited it to sports; its 2018 opinion said most of its prohibitions reach non-sports gambling too.

On January 20, 2021, the First Circuit held in New Hampshire Lottery Commission v. Rosen that the Act covers only bets on sporting events or contests. In a June 18, 2021 letter, state attorneys general told the US Attorney General that the ruling binds the Department only as to the parties in that case and asked it to withdraw the 2018 opinion. The 2018 opinion is still published by the Justice Department (opens in a new tab), and a Supreme Court review was not found in our sources.

UIGEA and poker payments

UIGEA bars gambling businesses from knowingly accepting cards, electronic transfers, checks and similar payments in connection with unlawful internet gambling. "Unlawful" means unlawful under the federal or state law where the bet is placed or received, per 31 U.S.C. § 5362 (opens in a new tab). UIGEA doesn't make poker illegal; it targets operators who take payments for games that are already illegal somewhere.

The Illegal Gambling Business Act

Under 18 U.S.C. § 1955, running a gambling business that breaks state law, involves five or more people, and runs for more than 30 days or takes $2,000 in a single day is a federal crime punishable by up to five years. Again, it is aimed at the business, and it depends on state law being broken first.

Online poker laws by state

State positions fall into four groups. The table uses what regulators and statutes say; where our sources are third-party, it says so.

Nevada's rules sit in NRS Chapter 463 (opens in a new tab), which also sets 21 as the minimum gaming age. For Iowa, the Racing and Gaming Commission's September 2025 release (opens in a new tab) adds that unlicensed operators are not subject to independent testing or player protection rules. Each state's hub page has the details.

Most other states have no poker-specific online rule in our sources. Their general gambling statutes and regulator statements still apply, and regulators in many, such as Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota and New York, say online casinos aren't legal there. Our states with legal online casinos page lists the seven licensing states.

Online poker in the seven internet gaming states

Seven states license real-money online casino gaming, each under its own statute:

• New Jersey: Casino Control Act Article 6C; 9 internet gaming permits held by 7 entities on the Division of Gaming Enforcement's September 22, 2026 list.
• Pennsylvania: 12 certificate holders and 25 authorized brands as of February 13, 2026.
• Michigan: Lawful Internet Gaming Act (PA 152 of 2019); 15 authorized online casino platform providers.
• West Virginia: Lottery Interactive Wagering Act; up to 5 licenses by statute.
• Delaware: online games at three casinos through the Delaware Lottery and one platform.
• Connecticut: Public Act 21-23 (2021); two licensees linked to the state's tribes.
• Rhode Island: a state-run monopoly with Bally's, launched March 5, 2024 (third-party).

Our sources don't list which of these licensees run poker rooms, so we won't guess. If online poker is offered legally in one of these states, the site will appear on the regulator's authorized list and will check that you're inside the state. Maine also legalized tribal-run online casinos in January 2026 (LD 1164), but nothing had launched by October 2026 and a lawsuit is pending.

Tribal poker and card rooms

Live poker is far more widely available than online poker. Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, Class II gaming includes certain non-banked card games, regulated by tribes with federal oversight, while banking games against the house are Class III. Player-vs-player poker is non-banked because the house isn't playing a hand. See tribal gaming for the class system.

Some states license commercial card rooms too. California's Bureau of Gambling Control oversees 91 cardrooms alongside 60 tribal casinos. Our card rooms guide explains how they work.

Poker rooms vs house-banked poker games

The word "poker" covers two very different products online, and the law and the math treat them differently.

For house-banked games the cost of play is simple to estimate: expected loss = total stake × house edge. Tri Card Poker from RealTime Gaming is listed by a third-party catalog at 95.51% RTP, a 4.49% house edge, so $500 of total bets costs about $22.45 on average. Jacks or Better is listed by a third-party site at 99.54% RTP, so $500 of play costs about $2.30 on average if you play the strategy that figure assumes. Real sessions swing far above and below those averages. Our Tri Card Poker review explains the game's rules and pay table.

Offshore poker sites: the legal and practical risks

Offshore poker and casino sites aren't licensed by any US state. Regulators describe the consequences plainly: Michigan's Gaming Control Board says it cannot help players recover deposits from offshore sites, and Arizona's Department of Gaming says unregulated sites are outside its authority, so victims have little chance of recovering funds.

• No state regulator reviews game fairness or how player balances are held.
• No state complaint route if a withdrawal stalls or an account is closed.
• Terms, including bonus and withdrawal rules, are whatever the site sets.
• Card payments may be declined because of bank gambling blocks linked to UIGEA.

Our offshore casino legality page covers this in more depth, including what each state's regulator has said.

Taxes on online poker winnings

Poker winnings are taxable federal income, online or live, legal site or not. Under the IRS W-2G instructions (opens in a new tab), a payer reports poker tournament winnings when the net win, meaning the prize minus the buy-in, meets the threshold, which is $2,000 for 2026.

Example: a $200 buy-in tournament that pays $2,500 gives a net win of $2,300, which meets the $2,000 threshold. A $1,000 buy-in that pays $2,800 nets $1,800 and wouldn't trigger the form, but the $1,800 is still income to report. Losses are deductible only up to gains if you itemize, and from 2026 the deduction is reported to be capped at 90% of losses; check IRS guidance. See the W-2G form and gambling taxes.

Online poker law timeline

How to check whether an online poker site is legal for you

1. Look up your state's position on our state hubs or with your state's gaming regulator.
2. If your state licenses online poker or internet gaming, find the regulator's list of authorized sites and match the exact brand.
3. Expect a licensed site to verify your age and that you are physically inside the state.
4. If the site isn't on any state list, treat it as unlicensed, with no state protection for your balance.
5. Keep records of buy-ins and cashouts for taxes, whichever kind of site you use.

If poker is taking more time or money than you planned, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is free and confidential at 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), by call or text. Our helpline page lists chat and local programs.

Casino poker games with an offer via our links

We don't partner with any poker room. The closest fit among our partners is casinos that carry house-banked poker games and video poker. SlotoCash lists Tri-Card Poker and Double Double Bonus Poker on its own site, and third-party reviews report Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild and 14 video poker variants at Planet 7. Both are offshore casinos that no US state licenses, so check your state's law first. The Michigan Gaming Control Board named Planet 7 in actions announced April 9, 2025 and SlotoCash on October 8, 2026.

SlotoCash Casino: $6,000 Welcome Bonus + 60 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). The casino's terms list a $20 minimum per bonus, 25x (deposit + bonus) wagering and no max cashout, but its general bonus terms exclude video poker and table games by default, and welcome bonus play is limited to slots, keno and scratch cards. Its site advertises a different package, $7,777 plus 300 spins over five deposits, so the terms shown at sign-up apply.

Planet 7 Casino: $2,750 Welcome Bonus + 45 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Third-party reviews report a 200% match with code WELCOME200, 30x (bonus + deposit) wagering on slots and a $1,000 max cashout, with sources disagreeing on other terms.

In short, the bonuses are for slots, not poker; if you want to play poker-style games, consider playing without a bonus. We earn a commission from these links.

21+ (18+ where allowed). Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: responsible gambling tools and free help. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).