How Americans Can Play Online Poker

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Ronald Norris

When online poker first began, the large majority of players were Americans. For a long time poker was thought of as an American game, even though there have always been very strong players from England and other countries outside the U.S.

The UIGEA and American Poker

The online poker landscape changed dramatically for Americans in 2006, however, which was the year the UIGEA passed. The UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, was a rider added to a port safety bill by the U.S. Congress which strictly limited Americans’ ability to play online poker.

The Meaning of the UIGEA

Specifically, the UIGEA said that U.S. banks and other financial institutions could not transact directly with online casinos, including poker rooms, even if those sites were located outside of United States jurisdiction. The government acted quickly to enforce the new rules, causing online accounts to be frozen and even making a few arrests.

Despite public outcries from poker players, the new act stood fast, and as a result, many online poker sites withdrew from the United States market. Three years later, the aftermath of the decision is still being felt. That being said, how can Americans play online poker in the current environment?

Americans and Online Poker Today

Fortunately, there are ways. For one thing, not all online poker sites turned tail and fled at the implementation of the UIGEA. PokerStars and FullTiltPoker moved quickly to absorb all the traffic that sites like PartyPoker abandoned. They realized that the act does not specifically prohibit Americans from playing online poker, it only restricts how they can get money to and from online poker sites. As other poker sites saw the success these two were having by remaining in the U.S. market, they slowly but surely crept their way back. Today, U.S. players have several online poker options.

Furthermore, the UIGEA may not last. The UIGEA was one of the dying gasps of an old, more conservative administration, and a number of bills have been introduced to try to protect poker from anti-gambling statutes as a game of skill. Although none have taken hold yet, there is a good chance that one will in the near future, making online poker safe and accessible for everybody, even Americans.

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