The United States government is attempting to regulate online poker in the hope that it will eventually become a legal, regulated industry. As of April 15, 2011, it is illegal for US banks to process any transactions with offshore online poker sites. But some sites still accept US players and have found ways to get around the law. The numbers are still growing, and there are still a number of states that haven’t made it legal yet. You can read about some of the latest efforts to regulate online poker in the US below.
Before joining an online poker site, ensure that your personal information is secure. This includes your date of birth, social security number, full name, and address. You can also obtain an IP PIN from the IRS. Although not essential, a PIN from the IRS is a good idea for life in general. The more secure you are with your financial information, the less likely you’ll be to get scammed. Here are some tips to make online poker legal in your state:
In online poker, a huge number of hands are dealt each round, and the action moves fast. You can play multiple tables, sometimes 40 at a time – something you wouldn’t be able to do offline. You can choose from cash games, tournaments, omaha, or holdem games. No matter which game you’re looking for, you’re bound to find a table full of other players willing to play with you.
The next important step in online poker is to learn as much about the game as you can about the players. One good tip is to learn the starting hands of opponents. Knowing how a player plays the hand can mean the difference between winning and losing large pots. Online pros even write down information about opponents on paper to avoid forgetting it. And because poker is a game of incomplete information, you can learn a lot about the players around you and become a profitable player very quickly.
Once you’ve chosen a poker network, it’s time to download the necessary poker software. Most networks are virus-free. Once you’ve downloaded the software, you need to create an account. One account per person is allowed. Multi-accounting is a major offense and will result in a permanent ban from the poker site. So, make sure to choose a network where you’ll play. If you don’t want to spend a fortune in online poker, choose a network where there’s plenty of competition.
Interestingly, while most states have legalized online poker, others have not. Florida is one example where online gambling is legal, but it is a gray area in practice. Though the state’s gambling laws do not directly address online poker, they do regulate land-based poker. Georgia is another state where online poker may become legal. However, the political environment in the state makes legalizing it unlikely. And despite recent progress, there are still plenty of legal obstacles to overcome.