Poker Sites by Country
Your geographic location can actually be a very big factor in deciding on an online poker site to open a new account with. This is because the laws vary quite a bit in different parts of the world. In some countries playing online poker isn’t legal at all. In other countries, it’s legal, but not as easy to find a poker site to play at. Other countries offer fully legal poker games, licensed and regulated or even provided by the country’s government, and in some other countries there’s just no law on the books at all.
US Poker Sites
The United States which is more commonly called the USA or simply the US is made up of 50 states, as well as a handful of trust territories. The country’s primary currency is the United States Dollars
The United States has been engulfed in a legal battle since the passage of the UIGEA; a bill that was passed as a part of the Safe Port Act of 2006. Since that time, the bill has literally leeched the life out of the poker industry on the internet in the States. While Americans do not currently have access to some of the most mainstream poker sites there are still a handful of online poker sites left open to USA residents.
Even so, it can still be difficult to process a withdrawal request, or to even deposit money into a United States facing online poker site, this is because the UIGEA doesn’t make it illegal at all to play online poker, what it does is change the way that banks are allowed to do business with online poker sites. IN most cases, banks in the USA aren’t allowed to be a part of transactions related to internet gambling. That means that gamblers have to find prepaid credit cards that are reputable, like Visa and MasterCard, but that are offered by international banks.
There is an upside to the legal situation in the United States though, states like Nevada have finally begun to legalize and properly regulate and tax online poker. The downside is that after what gamblers went through following the UIGEA passing, and Black Friday in the USA, online poker may never again become the tax revenue earner it once could have for America.
Canadian Poker Sites
Since “Black Friday” in the United States, Canada has served as a refuge for players looking to continue their online poker play. As a result, the Canadian online poker scene is vibrant, with many options available for legal play. While there is some legislation regarding online poker operation in Canada, it does not pertain to the customer’s side of things.
The only truly legal poker sites in Canada are the ones operated by provincial operators. That means that, technically, online poker from an internationally housed site is not legal. However, the law only applies to the operator of the establishment. Customers who access international poker sites are not in violation of any law. That means that any online poker option that accepts Canadians as players is completely legal for the player.
Poker Stars: This major online poker provider is a great choice for Canadian players. They even offer a tournament called “The Canada Cup II” that allows players to compete for a Caribbean final table experience.
Betfair Poker: Betfair Poker is another fantastic choice for Canadians. They offer attractive bonuses on deposits and freeroll tournaments specific to Canadian players only.
UK Poker Sites
For players in the United Kingdom, online poker service has been freely available. That should continue in the future, though with some minor alterations. These alterations should have no substantial impact on the player’s experience, however.
In 2005, a law was passed that subjected all wagers taken by an organization to a 15% tax. A list of countries that were not subject to this tax was created at this time. As a result, many online providers moved part or all of their business to these countries in an attempt to avoid this tax. This loophole has been closed.
For players, this means that the poker site’s skin will likely be housed on a .co.uk address, and there will likely be additional rake built into the site’s fees. That should be the extent of the impact for players. Otherwise, it should be business as usual, though players can be prosecuted for playing at services that do not obtain proper licenses and pay the new tax.
888 Poker: 888 Poker offers iPad and Android versions of their software, as well as significant bonuses in both cash and tournament tickets exclusive to UK players.
Bet365 Poker: Bet365 Poker offers a 200% deposit bonus for poker accounts and free bets in their sportsbook. They are another fully legal and licensed option for poker players in the UK.
Australian Poker Sites
Australian legislation creates murky legal waters for online poker players. Similar to other laws created in Canada and other countries, it is not illegal for a customer to play online poker at any site that accepts their money. However, it is illegal for a company to provide online poker and casino services to Australians.
However, no business has ever been prosecuted by Australian authorities. Many online poker providers happily accept Australian players, as they are not operating under Australian law. As a result, players in Australia have the same variety of options that many international poker players have.
Lucky Ace Poker: Lucky Ace Poker offers new account deposit bonuses and satellite tournaments into the Aussie Millions poker tournament for Australian players. They also offer new deposit freeroll tournaments.
Everest Poker: Everest Poker is a major poker provider with a large player base. Due to their marketing efforts, games of every type and limit can be found during most times.
