subject: Legal Questions of Visiting an Online Poker Room [print this page] Legal Questions of Visiting an Online Poker Room
Online poker is very popular, but it also seems to that visiting an online poker room is like treading into murky water with regard to the law. One must dig a little deeper to find out why playing poker online is viewed differently by the law that playing poker in a casino.
Casinos are highly regulated businesses, so it should not be a surprise to learn that online casinos and poker in particular is tightly controlled. So controlled in fact that hosting an online real money poker room is illegal in the US. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that passed in 2006 made it illegal to run online casinos from within in the United States. It is also illegal to advertise playing poker for real money on television. This is why poker sites have to be so specific about the different rules for different countries. Just as each state regulates where and how gambling can occur inside their territory, the United States passed a law making this interstate and often international activity against the rules.
While inside a casino, the identity of the player can be verified. Game play online poker rooms, on the other hand, could be done by anyone with a bank account. Even sites that verify Passports or other ID's could not be sure that the person at the keyboard was truly the person who was identified. For these and other reasons states have tried passing various laws controlling online gaming. Instead, web sites are hosted in various foreign countries. The sites also advertise their legal services like fake money games and poker schools.
Since playing with fake money is also a great option for beginners, advertising this option is not a bad idea. New poker player can play against real people with no fear of losing all their money and build their skills in a safe environment. As one gets a feel for the game one can start reading various poker room reviews and move into the realm of playing with real money. Intermediate players can often play at multiple tables at a time improving their style of game play quickly.
Poker room reviews will always include if the online poker room is legal in the United states, and often give the new player advice about how to use the poker software to build better poker skills. As online poker becomes more mainstream and states recognize the lost revenue from taxes, the laws might become more in-line with those of brick and mortar casinos and poker rooms.
