1. New York Poker
2. Can You Play Poker Online For Real Money In New York
3. Are There Any Poker Sites For Real Money
4. Online Poker New York State

Legal Age To Play Poker Online In New York. To play poker in New York, bettors will need to be at least 18 years old. This will hold true at both land-based poker rooms and online poker rooms accepting residents from New York. It's often up to the sportsbook to determine their minimum age requirements. ACR hosts the largest poker tourneys that New Yorkers can play online. The weekly Sunday Major is a $215 game with $150,000 guaranteed, and there are frequent opportunities throughout the year to compete in contests with more than $1 million up for grabs. Cash games consist of NLHE, PLO, PLO/8, LO8, and 7 Card Stud. State-regulated, real-money online poker is legally available in only a handful of states. As of July 2020, players in New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Delaware enjoy access to legal online poker sites. Michigan and West Virginia have passed legislation to make online poker legal, but the launch of products is pending in those states. Meanwhile, legal, real money poker has yet to come to NY despite the efforts of lawmakers over recent years. What follows is an overview of NY poker, including the state’s history and sweepstakes online poker sites. NY players also have the option of downloading a NJ poker app in New York and crossing the border to play online. The only thing better than playing for real money at an online casino in NY is doing so with an even bigger bankroll. Getting a great bonus is a key part of joining an online casino and one that we value when selecting the best sites for you. Every New York online casino on this page will offer you a welcome bonus when you sign up.

Is online poker legal in New York?

No, online poker is not explicitly legal in New York. Since New York law doesn’t explicitly criminalize online poker, some might assume that such an omission actually makes it legal. However, that assumption would be wrong.

Section 225.00 of theNew York Penal Code clearly states a person engages in gambling when that person stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance. It says any contest, game, gaming scheme or device in which the outcome depends on chance, even if the skill of the player may also be a factor, should be considered a game of chance.

Tribal and commercial casinos offer live poker rooms that host both cash games and tournaments.

Sweepstakes poker in New York

While New Yorkers cannot play legal real money poker online, sweepstakes online poker sites provide an option.

By employing a sweepstakes model and using virtual currencies rather than cash, these poker sites are able to operate in states where traditional online poker is not available. The best known and most popular sweepstakes poker site in NY is Global Poker.

Global Poker welcomes players from New York and every other US state aside from Washington. The site uses two virtual currencies: Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Players can buy Gold Coins and use them to play “cash” games and tournaments where they can win more Gold Coins.

The Gold Coins have no actual cash value. However, when players purchase Gold Coins, they also receive free Sweeps Coins as a bonus. You can use these Sweeps Coins to play in “cash” games and to enter tournaments for which the prizes are Sweeps Coins. Players can collect Sweeps Coins by other methods, too, such as through Facebook giveaways or by writing directly to Global Poker to request them.

Once players have won a certain number of Sweeps Coins, they can redeem them for cash prizes that they can then withdraw.

Are offshore poker sites safe for NY players?

No. There are a number of online poker sites accepting NY players, however, they are offshore sites. Offshore poker sites present significant risks for players, and you should avoid them in favor of legal sites.

If you deposit funds and play at an offshore site, you do so without any of the protections a licensed and regulated poker site provides. Since offshore sites operate outside of New York jurisdiction, you have no legal recourse should you encounter any problems related to the security of their funds or game integrity.

If you suspect cheating, collusion, multi-accounting or other issues regarding the fairness of games on an offshore site, you have to hope the site’s security team will respond to your complaints and deal with them appropriately. But there are no guarantees, and no legal means to ensure against such issues arising.

There have even been cases where such sites have shut down without notice, leaving players suddenly unable to access their accounts. Again, if an event like this were to occur, you would have little or no chance of recovering your bankroll.

The short answer, then, of whether it is safe to play on offshore sites is no, it is not. Fully legal, licensed and regulated sites are much preferable for US players.

When will NY have legal online poker sites?

It might seem as though New York is unlikely to legalize real money online poker any time soon. Residents in the state shouldn’t be entirely pessimistic, though.

Online poker in NY has a number of supporters among the state’s lawmakers. In fact, they have been seriously discussing the possibility of legalizing online poker for many years.

Online poker legislation has been introduced in New York every single year since 2014. In 2017, the Senate even voted in favor of a bill by an overwhelming 54-8 margin before it subsequently died in a House committee.

Primary proponent Sen. Joseph Addabbo reintroduced the online poker bill again in 2020, though it once again failed to move forward. As in the past, the bill would have authorized up to 11 licenses for online poker, each good for 10 years. The state would collect 15% tax revenue, a rate similar to both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The bill may not have advanced up the legislative ladder, but the issue certainly remains in play.

Recently, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers have seriously started considering the possibility of legalizing online sports betting in New York. There has also been discussion surrounding online gambling as a general topic. Either development could very well create favorable conditions for the subsequent introduction of legal online poker.

Online poker options in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

As far as real money online poker options go, New York players can create accounts on legal online poker sites in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They can even deposit funds from their New York homes. However, players must be physically within the applicable states in order to play online poker.

New York Poker

Online poker rooms in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer a great variety of cash games, sit and go’s and multitable tournaments. Most sites focus on No Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha, although WSOP.com also spreads seven-card stud, and PokerStars has a variety of mixed games.

Many New York poker players routinely travel either to NJ or PA to participate in the big online tournament series that frequently run on WSOP.com and PokerStars. WSOP.com invites New Jersey players to compete for WSOP Online Circuit rings and even WSOP bracelets.

In addition, on PokerStars, players in the Garden State can play the New Jersey Spring Championship of Online Poker (NJSCOOP) and New Jersey Championship of Online Poker (NJCOOP) series, and those in Pennsylvania can play the PASCOOP and PACOOP.

Live poker in New York

There are a number of live poker rooms in New York’s casinos. Poker rooms in the tribal casinos date back to the 1990s and 2000s, while commercial casino poker is newer, opening during the latter half of the 2010s.

Here’s a quick look at the poker rooms in each of the four tribal casinos and four commercial casinos:

Can You Play Poker Online For Real Money In New York

Also worth noting are the two commercial poker rooms at Casino Niagara (26 tables) and Fallsview Casino Resort (16 tables), both in Niagara Falls just over the border in Ontario, Canada.

Commercial vs. tribal casino poker rooms

Players must be 21 or older to play any of the games in New York’s commercial casinos, including poker. Tribal casinos, though, operate within their own jurisdictions. As a result, in some cases, the age requirement differs.

For example, the minimum age to play poker at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino and Turning Stone Resort Casino is 18 years old. Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, however, requires players to be at least 21 to play.

Brief history of New York poker

When it comes to underground poker, New York is home to many of the most famous clubs in America.

Books like The Thompson Street Poker Club and Queer Luck from the 1880s and 1890s chronicle such clubs and the characters who populated them, albeit in an embellished fashion.

Starting in 1919 and lasting into the early 1930s, another well-known poker club met regularly at the Algonquin Hotel in midtown Manhattan. The group consisted of actors, writers, poets, columnists and critics, and they called themselves the Thanatopsis Pleasure and Inside Straight Club. Given that members of the famed Algonquin Round Table took part, it’s no surprise there were many stories written about the games.

Such poker games weren’t technically legal, but they thrived nonetheless. New York eventually legalized other types of gambling, like pari-mutuel wagering on horse races (reinstated in 1940) and the state lottery (in 1967). Underground poker clubs remained illegal but could be found all over the five boroughs.

Many clubs met in private homes or apartments, while others set up in restaurants, bars, office buildings and sometimes even in churches. A number of clubs convened at Hungarian restaurants commonly known as “goulash joints” or “ghoulies.”

Some clubs became quite famous, such as the Mayfair Club, which started as a bridge club before introducing backgammon, gin rummy and poker. Famous players like Stu Ungar, Erik Seidel and Dan Harrington were among those who played poker at the Mayfair. Later, the writers of the 1998 film “Rounders” would draw inspiration from the Mayfair and model the fictional Chesterfield Club after it.

Such clubs began encountering significant resistance from legal authorities, particularly during the tenure of New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The Mayfair was shut down in 2000, as were other clubs. Eventually, though, other establishments arose to take their place.

Legal options for New York poker players have also emerged over the years. In 1993, the state’s first tribal casino opened: Turning Stone in Verona. Others followed, and in 2013, voters authorized an amendment allowing commercial casinos to open outside of New York City. The first of these opened a few years later.

NY’s path to legalizing online poker

As mentioned, online poker legislation has been a topic of legislative discussions in New York since 2014. At first, a few half-hearted bill submissions and discussion was all there was.

However, in 2016, a bill passed through the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee. It marked the first time online poker legislation pushed past the introduction stage.

The NY Senate passed the bill by a vote of 53-5, and things looked promising. However, the 2016 legislative session ended in June without any action from the State Assembly.

The Senate passed similar legislation by a vote of 54-8 in June 2017. From there, online poker legislation looked like a good bet to go beyond where it had gone a year earlier. Unfortunately, like its predecessor, the bill never made it past the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Racing and Wagering.

The next two years, 2018 and 2019, proved to be quite frustrating for fans of online poker games. Although the demise of PASPA in 2018 was a boon for state legislatures and sports betting, it may have had a negative effect on the prospects for online poker in New York. Since the profit and tax potential for sports betting is so much higher than for online poker, many lawmakers made it clear that online sports betting would happen before online poker had a chance.

Another court ruling further wounded the prospects of online poker in New York. The online poker bills filed by State Sens. John Bonacic and, later, Joe Addabbo both relied upon the argument that poker was predominantly a skill game. However, a state court ruled that the skill argument was invalid for daily fantasy sports, and created a precedent that would apply to online poker, too. In 2020, a state appellate court upheld the lower court’s finding.

Between the blossoming of sports betting and the legal challenges, New York’s 2018 online poker bills died uneventful deaths without floor votes. Because sports betting became the en vogue topic, refiled bills didn’t even have the same level of momentum in 2019 or 2020.

However, New Yorkers who want online poker can take solace in the fact that they do have some steadfast champions in the legislature. In addition to Addabbo, who took up the torch after Bonacic retired in 2019, State Assemblymen Gary Pretlow and Clyde Vanel have also acted positively toward online poker legislation.

With that said, the end of 2020 seemed to put online sports betting in the spotlight, as Gov. Andrew Cuomoreversed his stance and endorsed the practice. At this point, online poker fans should hope that online sports betting can become a reality and let lawmakers see the potential of allowing the online poker games to begin.

Disclaimer: We are anticipating the Online Poker & Casino landscape in New York. We will update our website with current information as soon as we can.

Back in 2013, the laws pertaining to online gambling changed and new laws allowed individual states to operate and regulateonline gambling sites. New York is still working out the details, but in 2020, you can expect NY online poker to become available. At this time, there are no online casinos nor NY online poker sites that are providing real money play.

Early in January of 2019, a Senate Bill was filed that would allow NY residents aged 21 or over to engage in poker action online. The goal is to issue 11 licenses to NY online poker sites. While there will be a limit as to how many sites will be allowed to operate, this is great news if you are a poker fan in NY. With the best online poker games soon playable online, you can enjoy top-rated games and have the chance to achieve some amazing pot payouts.

Best Online Poker Sites in NY

Since the NY laws have not yet been finalized, we are not sure which of the best online poker sites will begin operating in New York. However, you can expect the sites to come to offer reliable and trusted games that are developed by the most respected software companies in the gaming industry. These NY online poker sites will not only provide great game choices, but will also present you with great poker bonuses, poker apps, rewards programs, and high paying tournaments.

Below is a table that provides you with information on the best online poker games that will be expected to appear at NY online poker sites. The table also informs you of the type of poker game.

Are There Any Poker Sites For Real Money

Even though we are not yet sure of the exact NY online poker sites that will be operating, you will surely be able to engage in most of these popular games when sites are launched. Brush up on your online poker skills with our Best Online Poker Tips guide.

Poker sites will present you with a large array of game choices, each with different minimum and maximum wager amounts. The actual games will all depend on what software provider that site will be using. It will be possible for you to have accounts at different NY online poker sites when they start to operate. By doing this, you can access more types of games and have additional bonuses and promotions available. Playing poker online is one of the great ways to enjoy the game from the comforts of your home and in NY, you will soon be able to enjoy the convenience and security if legally operating sites once legislation passes.

Downloading Poker apps in NY

One of the exciting things about the best online poker sites coming to NY is the fact that there will also be poker apps that can be downloaded. With these poker apps, you will be able to access real money poker games using a variety of mobile devices. The apps will be designed to replicate the online site and can quickly be downloaded or accessed using a web browser.

Most of the NY online poker sites that will be launched will support Android and iOS devices. These sites will provide a quick download right from the main online page. If you are using an iOS device, you will also be able to find the poker app at the App Store. Unfortunately, the Play Store does not support any real money games, so as an Android player, you will have to get the app from the main site or play through your browser.

Since NY online poker will be new and will appeal to many, the best online poker sites will present you with bonuses when you create a new account. These bonuses can be collected when you register using the poker app provided, so you have an instant way to boost the account balance and place more wagers on the many variations of poker that will be supported.

If you will be accessing the NY online poker apps using a device other than Android or iOS, you will have to access that site through the web browser. This will not require any download or installation of software. The poker games will be loaded instantly, allowing you to enjoy great games no matter what device or operating system you are using.

How to Play Poker Online

As soon as the laws are finalized and NY online poker becomes available, you will find it quite simple to get started. The sites will offer a quick registration process that you will complete. This will include providing a full name, address, phone number, email address, and SSN. You will also be asked to choose a unique username and password for site access. You might even have the opportunity to use a promo code for a nice welcome bonus, like the WSOP Promo Code.

Online Poker New York State

After you create an account at a new NY online poker site, you can visit the cashier to select a method of payment. The best online poker apps and sites will offer a variety of options that will include credit and debit cards, prepaid cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers. All licensed and regulated sites will make use of encryption software to ensure the highest levels of security.

After an account has been created and funded, you will be free to take advantage of any offered bonus or promotion. You can then choose from the supported poker games and instantly begin playing for the chance to win payouts.

You will be able to use your log in details to access the poker apps on mobile devices as well. With fast and secure registrations and trusted payment options, you will find that NY online poker sites will provide the safe environment you seek when looking to engage in real money play.

Common FAQs

If you are new to playing poker games online and wish to find out some additional information, we have provided a brief FAQ section that will address some commonly asked questions. When sites start to operate in NY, you will also have the ability to access the customer support team for more assistance and information if required.

Currently, there are no legal operating online NY online poker sites at this time. The legislation is pending and it is believed that poker sites and online casinos will start to become available in the state of New York starting in 2019. We do not have ant site names at this time. Each site that wishes to operate will have to pay a licensing fee and meet requirements set forth by legislation once it has passed.

Since lawmakers are still waiting for the bill to pass through Senate, there are currently no operating NY online poker sites at this time. However, you can access the offshore sites or play at online sites that offer free poker games. Until laws are finalized and sites have been licensed, you are not able to engage in any real money poker action in the state of New York when playing online.

As soon as sites start to launch, most will present you with an app that will allow you to play poker games using a mobile device. These apps will present a large array of poker variations where you can place different bets. Some of the games will also have side bets that can increase overall payouts. There may also be progressive jackpot poker games that are featured with the apps once they are launched.