Poker legislation: Is poker legal in my state?

As of July 2022, California does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

For more than a decade, California lawmakers, tribal leaders, and card room operators discussed online poker regulation. However, the barrier between tribal and commercial casinos became too overwhelming and put the plans on hold. As a result, the state legislature has not discussed this type of bill since 2016, and the current debate focuses on legal sports betting in California.

It’s likely that we’re years away from hearing about online poker in the state. Online poker players will also likely need to wait until another form of igaming is legalized and profitable before asking for a serious consideration of online poker in the future.

Learn more about live poker and poker rooms in Los Angeles here.

As of July 2022, Colorado does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

Colorado confines its gambling to certain cities and towns. Five cities, including the Black Hawk, are home to casinos that offer poker and other games. These regions benefit from tourism and businesses related to casinos.

By limiting gaming to a handful of cities, state lawmakers have a reason to largely ignore pleas from its constituents to regulate online poker from within the state. There have been few efforts through the years to examine igaming in any form.

Live poker has been available to people in Connecticut since the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe opened Foxwoods Resort Casino in 1992. The Mohegans followed four years later with the opening of Mohegan Sun. Per compacts with the state, the Native American tribes offer all types of casino gambling, including online poker.

In May 2021, the work of years of legislative efforts came to fruition when Gov. Ned Lamont signed Public Act 21-23 into law. The bipartisan bill authorized the two tribes to license and regulate online casino gambling, including online poker and sports wagering. The state then moved to approve emergency regulations, which was a faster process, to issue guidelines so the licensing process could begin.

Connecticut launched its first online casinos in October 2021. However, neither tribe has signified the intent to launch online poker on those sites.

The state may move to open online poker rooms when Connecticut signs on to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement. That will allow them to share prize pools with other states, thereby increasing the player pool to a much larger one.

The Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act became law in 2012. It showed that Delaware saw the future of the gambling industry, as it authorized online lottery ticket sales and online poker before most other states even considered it.

The state’s lawmakers knew that these offerings would combine well with legal live poker at the racetrack casinos (racinos) in the state, which also offered table games and video lottery terminals. The online options gave customers greater access to games. Because of this, Delaware was one of only a few states that generated gambling income during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.

Delaware online poker sites share one player pool, which it also shares with the same platform provider in New Jersey and Nevada. It will link with Michigan, too, via the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) later in 2022.

As of July 2022, Florida does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

With Florida rising in the world of live poker in the past decade, some are left wondering about the possibility of online poker legalization. For instance, poker players travel to the state from all over the world to play in the tournaments at casinos like the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida.

There have been serious conversations in the past about regulating online poker, though a 2021 compact negotiation almost immediately dropped online poker. Disagreements quickly arose among casino operators as to the participation of tribal and commercial entities in such an environment. 

The state’s compact with the Seminoles is difficult as it stands, with court battles consistently trying to settle disputes regarding table games. Considering these complications, online poker is not likely to find consensus anytime soon.

Learn more about live poker and poker rooms in Florida here.

As of July 2022, Georgia does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

As of July 2022, Hawaii does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

As of July 2022, Idaho does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

As of July 2022, Illinois does not permit online poker. However, the state legislature is currently discussing legalizing online poker.

Online poker websites can’t currently operate in Illinois and you aren’t supposed to play poker for monetary prizes online while physically located within the state. While playing on off-shore operated poker sites is available to anyone in the US, this action skirts the current state laws.

The State House and Senate introduced new bills pertaining to online casinos in 2021. The Internet Gaming Act would authorize online gaming with oversight from the Illinois Gaming Board. The proposed legislation specifically mentions online poker, so there may be a change on the horizon for online poker enthusiasts living in Illinois.

As of July 2022, Indiana does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

Poker players in Indiana have choices to play in tribal casinos or in properties like riverboats. However, the state hasn’t not included online poker as a gaming option—yet.

Lawmakers have considered legalizing internet games, including poker, in recent years. It was one of a handful of states to consider bills in 2021 and 2022. The goal was to legalize online poker, other casino gaming online, and sports betting. The state also wants to offer online lottery and keno games.

The 2022 legislation went further than many anticipated, and bipartisan support increased the bill’s popularity. It’s highly likely we’ll see another effort in 2023.

As of July 2022, Iowa does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

The Iowa Gaming Association was one of several entities that pushed for state-regulated online poker in the past decade. As part of their efforts, it seemed possible that the state would expand beyond its tribal and riverboat casino operators.

Since that progress in 2013 and 2014, however, there has been little interest in considering online gaming. Sports betting is now legal, even via mobile devices, but Iowa lawmakers chose to leave other forms of gambling off the table.

If casino operators push for internet casino games and poker, there is a chance it could be added to the state’s offerings.

While live poker is permitted in the state of Kansas, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022

As of July 2022, Kentucky does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing either form of poker, though it has been discussed previously.

As of July 2022, Louisiana does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

Casino gambling has long been confined to riverboats and racetracks in Louisiana. Poker is popular in the state, as is sports betting, which voters overwhelmingly supported in 2020.

However, online poker legalization isn’t very popular among lawmakers. However, there was a sincere effort to turn the issue over to voters in 2018. Each parish would have had the opportunity to vote on internet gaming, but the bill failed to pass through the legislature.

There may be an appetite for it again in the future, and it would likely be linked to the land-based gambling entities.

As of July 2022, Maine does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

As of July 2022, Maryland does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

As of July 2022, Massachusetts does not permit online poker.  The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

Until the Expanded Gaming Act of 2011, Massachusetts residents had limited options for gambling of any variety. Even with the legal introduction of casino resorts and state approval of gambling expansion, online gaming and online poker remain illegal.

The current focus for new gambling legislation centers on sports betting, which has support within the casino community.

The state has no active legislation in the pipeline to legalize online poker. If you want to play poker for money online, your best option is to travel to nearby states like Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Poker players can also play in person at any of the Massachusetts casinos.

Years of online poker bill attempts led to a successful foray in 2019. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the internet gaming and sports betting bill into law in December 2019, thanks to bipartisan lawmakers who carefully walked it over the finish line. 

The first online casino and poker sites launched in January 2021. In the year and a half that followed, more than a dozen casino sites appeared, partnering with both tribal and commercial land-based casinos across the state. Online poker players then had several choices in Michigan.

In December 2020, Whitmer signed an amendment to the original law to allow online poker sites to join MSIGA and share platforms across state lines. And in 2022, Michigan joined MSIGA to put the wheels in motion. Poker operators will likely officially link their sites in the second half of 2022.

While live poker is permitted in the state of Minnesota, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

As of July 2022, Mississippi does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

While live poker is permitted in the state of Missouri, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

While live poker is permitted in the state of Montana, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

As of July 2022, Nebraska does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

The gambling hub of the U.S. and perhaps the entire world, Nevada hosts more than 300 casinos. Live poker is a part of the legal gambling landscape, with more than 500 poker tables in operation throughout the state for cash games. Tournament poker brings many more tables into action, as the World Series of Poker more than doubles that number by itself each summer.

Nevada started considering legislation for legal online poker in 2012 with the support of the Nevada Gaming Commission. Lawmakers passed a bill in early 2013.

The law does not allow for other online casino games. Poker operators are limited in that any who operated in the United States between 2006 and 2011 were not initially eligible to apply for online poker licensing. 

There is only one operator in Nevada for online poker at this time, the WSOP poker site, which has maintained a monopoly over the state’s games for years. However, partypoker and BetMGM may launch a site in 2022 or 2023.

Learn more about live poker and poker rooms in Las Vegas here.

As of July 2022, New Hampshire does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

The people of New Jersey approved the building of casinos in Atlantic City in the 1970s as part of an urban redevelopment plan. The state long remained an alternative to Nevada for gambling, and poker rooms there have been popular since the 1980s.

New Jersey lawmakers legalized online poker and other forms of internet gaming in 2013. The state was the first to welcome PokerStars back to the U.S. market after Black Friday, and it offered more online poker choices than Nevada. New Jersey became the launching pad for most online poker operators in America after Black Friday.

As a part of the MSIGA for interstate online poker, New Jersey was one of the original authors of the agreement with Nevada and Delaware. Their respective governors well understood the need for multi-state online poker for the games to thrive.

While live poker is permitted in the state of New Mexico, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

As of July 2022, New York does not permit online poker. However, the state legislature is currently discussing legalizing online poker.

Similar to other states, New York has chosen to prioritize legislative changes in sports betting over poker. In January 2022, the New York State Gambling Commission authorized online sports betting through any of nine participating sportsbooks’ websites.

Legislation to authorize online poker was proposed with a new bill in February 2022. If passed, Bill S8412 would grant online poker permissions to existing casinos with a 15% tax on gross gaming revenue. The New York State Gaming Commission would serve as the regulatory body for online poker. 

In the meantime, poker players have to cross state lines into New Jersey or Pennsylvania for the nearest legal online games.

While live poker is permitted in the state of North Carolina, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

As of July 2022, North Dakota does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

North Dakota lawmakers haven’t sponsored any recent bills to introduce legal online poker or online gambling in general. 

In 2005, State Rep. Jim Kasper attempted to advance the state’s gambling laws, including adding authorization of online poker. The House of Representatives passed the bill, but the Senate blocked it.

Charitable casinos in the state of North Dakota can offer live poker, but the Native American casinos don’t currently have any poker offerings for gamblers. Home games of poker are legal as well, provided that your game meets certain conditions and wager limits.

As of July 2022, Ohio does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

While online sports betting will legally arrive in the Buckeye State in January 2023, online poker remains illegal for the foreseeable future. The Ohio General Assembly doesn't have any current bills proposed for putting online poker to a vote.

For the time being, the only sites to offer online poker to Ohio residents are unregulated offshore sites. Online casinos are legal in three of the states that border Ohio (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan) so Ohioans can legally play online poker by crossing into any of those states.

As of July 2022, Oklahoma does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

While players have plenty of opportunities to enjoy live gambling games in casinos across the state of Oklahoma, live poker table offerings are minimal, and online poker is illegal state-wide. 

There has been some discussion of a state bill to legalize sports betting, and online cash bingo using off-shore sites remains a legally gray area, but online poker isn’t currently part of any new legislation.

In 2012 and 2013, Oklahoma-based Native American tribes attempted to offer online poker websites. However, following numerous legal battles, false starts, and disagreements with the state’s governor, the attempts failed.

As of July 2022, Oregon does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

In 2004, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a bill to update the state’s gambling laws and legalize casinos in the state. In less than two decades, more than a dozen casinos now operate in Pennsylvania, and their gambling revenue is second in the U.S. only to Nevada. 

Pennsylvania legalized online poker and online casino games in 2017. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board awarded its first poker licenses in 2018. Online casinos launched in July 2019, and PokerStars was the first online poker site to launch in November 2019. The state quickly overtook New Jersey in online poker revenue due to its larger population.

While Pennsylvania has yet to sign the MSIGA, all signs point to the governor doing so in 2022. The online poker segment of the market will only grow when it connects with other states’ player pools.

As of July 2022, Rhode Island does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

As of July 2022, South Carolina does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

While live poker is permitted in the state of South Dakota, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

As of July 2022, Tennessee does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

As of July 2022, Texas does not permit online poker. The state legislature is not currently considering legalizing online poker, though it has been discussed previously.

Learn more about live poker and poker rooms in Texas here.

As of July 2022, Utah does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

As of July 2022, Vermont does not permit online poker and live poker. The state legislature has not discussed legalization of either.

As of July 2022, Virginia does not permit online poker. However, the state legislature is currently discussing legalizing online poker.

While live poker is permitted in the state of Washington, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

The only types of casinos allowed in West Virginia are those attached to horse racing tracks. They are called racinos, and some offer live poker.

West Virginia lawmakers, Shawn Fluharty in particular, worked for years to legalize online poker. He was successful with the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act in 2019, legalizing online gaming and lottery ticket sales. The governor did not approve it but did not veto it, so it became law.

Since then, casinos in the state have partnered with online gambling providers to launch games online. Poker was not one of those games. Operators appear hesitant to launch online poker in such a small market unless and until West Virginia signs the interstate poker agreement, MSIGA. But there is no indication that the West Virginia Lottery Commission has worked with other states to sign on to that contract.

While live poker is permitted in the state of Wisconsin, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.

While live poker is permitted in the state of Wyoming, there is no legislation that considers online poker, as of July 2022.