New York is one of the poker capitals of the world, but how does it hold up for online poker? It can be little tricky to find out how to play in online casinos from New York, but we’ve done all the leg work to make it simple for you.
We’re going to take you through our top five online poker sites for New Yorkers and explain how the experience compares against playing in one of New York’s many fantastic casino resorts. You’ll find everything you need to know to get started playing poker from New York, including legality, gameplay advice, tax rules and how to pick the best offshore casino games that you can bet at legally.
100% Poker Welcome Offer Up To $1,000 100% Poker Welcome Offer Up To $1,000 100% First Time Deposit Match Up To $500 100% First Time Deposit Match Up To $500 200% Bonus up to $10,000 + 50 Free Spins
200% Bonus up to $10,000 + 50 Free Spins
200% up to $1,000 200% up to $1,000 100% Poker Welcome Bonus Up To $1,000 100% Poker Welcome Bonus Up To $1,000 150% Poker Welcome Bonus Up To $1,500 150% Poker Welcome Bonus Up To $1,500 $1000 Deposit Bonus for new Poker Players $1000 Deposit Bonus for new Poker Players
List of the Best New York Online Poker Sites
Even though New York hasn’t regulated in-state online gambling yet, you can still play online with offshore casinos completely legally. We’ve put together the list of our five top offline casinos for poker games, which you can check out below:
Reviews of the Best NY Poker Casinos
Each casino in our list is a great choice, but how do they compare? We’ll go through all of our five top poker sites in a little more detail, breaking down exactly what each one does well. Remember, these are all offshore based casinos and thus you’ll be playing with players from all over the world
1. BetOnline – The No.1 Overall Online Poker Site for New York
- Payout Time: Up to 24 Hours
- Established: 1991
- License: Panama
- Headquarters: Panama
Our Verdict: 4.5/5
BetOnline is one of the oldest online casino brands, having started all the way back in 1991. Licensed by the Panama Gaming Commission, BetOnline has a longstanding reputation as a quality provider of online casino games. They offer both cash money and play money online poker tables.
BetOnline supports playing online poker over the BetOnline website, as well as a custom desktop app you can download from the site. Once you’re inside the cash money poker tables section, you’ll find between 10-25 Texas Hold’em tables and 20-40 Omaha games depending on the time of day. We found there were only a few play money games going at any time of day, but it was enough to consistently practice.
The actual games are very well put together. The biggest complaint we noticed while playing is that some players can take up to a minute to play their hand, which can slow some games down. However, BetOnline lets you play multiple games at the same time which is a great way to speed up your hands. You can automate your betting and pre-select plays before it’s your turn. There’s also useful hand history breakdowns which include statistics on your personal performance over your previous hands.
Poker Game Variety at BetOnline: 4/5
We found plenty of different types of poker to play through BetOnline, but when we went looking for Live Games we found there weren’t any on BetOnline’s Black or Red live service. The real action at BetOnline is found in their tournament section. They’re usually holding at least four tournaments live at any one time, but there’s a huge tournament list which allows you to plan your schedule up to a month ahead.
Payment Options: 5/5
You can cash in via any major debit or credit card, as well as Bitcoin, eCheck, and Altcoins. There’s also options to fund your account via wire transfer, cashier check, money order, and Moneygram. Paying by card is a little expensive, as it incurs a 9.75% fee and you can only transfer between $20 and $5000. Bitcoin, on the other hand, incurs no fee and offers the fastest payout at only a day.
Customer Support: 4.5/5
Customer support at BetOnline is great. We found their customer support staff responsive and friendly, responding to our questions about payment as soon as we opened up their live chat. There’s also an email line and phone number for direct support, which we greatly appreciate. However, we initially found our VPN was blocked from accessing support and had to change out of New York in order to start the chat.
Bonuses & Promos: 4.2/5
When you start playing poker with BetOnline, you’ve got access to a 100% first deposit bonus. There’s a $50 deposit minimum, after which you’ll be given a bonus for your first deposit up to $1000. After you’ve been credited your bonus, you’ll get $5 of it released for every $50 you earn in rake.
| Bonus name | Bonus amount | Promo code | Rollover | Minimum deposit | Bitcoin accepted? |
| Poker Sign-up Offer | 100% up to $500 | BOLCASINO | $5 for $50 rake | $50 | ✅ |
Pros:
- Provides resources that let you play free online poker
- Generous sign-up and ongoing promotions
- Features a variety of tournaments, including Sit & Go’s
- Offers Six Plus Hold’em to play with a live dealer
Cons:
- Charges additional fees for some USD payment methods
2. Bovada – Best Poker Site For No Limit Games
- Payout Time: Up to 72 Hours
- Established: 2011
- License: Curacao
- Headquarters: Curacao
Our Verdict: 4.7/5
Bovada is a reputable online poker site with over ten years of operating online, providing casino games, a sportsbook, and live dealer games to gamblers across the US and beyond. Bovada is open to players from New York state but you’ll have to use a VPN in order to access the site.
Once you’ve gotten into the Bovada website itself, you’ll find it’s a simple process to join a poker game. We found there were many players at the poker tables throughout the course of the day, often split fairly between “fish” players and more experienced poker veterans.
Poker Game Variety at Bovada: 4.7/5
Bovada offers an extensive range of real money poker games, from low stakes games to high roller tables depending on what your budget is like. The platform features several versions of Texas Hold’em and Omaha, including no-limit, pot-limit, and fixed-limit variants. Additionally, Bovada Poker provides two distinct tournament types, multi-table and single-table, which utilize the Sit-and-Go format to reduce wait times between games. There’s almost always several tournament games happening at the same time, so we didn’t find it very difficult to find a seat.
Payment Options: 4.0/5
Bovada lets players pay in via all major credit and debit cards, as well as by bank wire. There’s also great cryptocurrency support, where we found that players could cash in and out via Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Tether, Ethereum, and more. Payment times are significantly shorter when using cryptocurrency.
Customer Support: 4.3/5
Bovada’s customer support is pretty good, although we were a little disappointed by the long response times. However, we found that once we got ahold of a member of support staff our questions related to payment were answered thoroughly and respectfully. There’s also a help forum you can access where other Bovada members can answer questions and offer advice, in addition to a help desk where you can search for popular questions before escalating your issue to staff.
Bonuses & Promos: 4.2/5
Bovada’s main bonus offer comes in the form of a Casino Reward program. For loyal customers, there’s the chance to accrue points by playing Casino games which can be cashed in for bonus money to play on the tables. Other than that, there’s also a poker sign-up bonus for new customers who deposit up to $500. Some other casinos on our list definitely have a more extensive list of poker bonuses, but Bovada rewards consistent long-term play over flashy single-use bonuses.
| Bonus name | Bonus amount | Promo code | Rollover | Minimum deposit | Bitcoin accepted? |
| Poker Sign-up Offer | 100% up to $500 | CAWELCOME100 | N/A | $10 | ✅ |
Pros:
- One of the best online poker casinos for mobile gameplay
- Accepts both USD and crypto payments
- Tournaments include a GTD $1 million Monthly Milly
- Features Super 6 Poker with a live dealer
Cons:
- Visa and Mastercard deposits capped at $1,500
3. Everygame – Fantastic Bonuses For New Players
- Payout Time: Up to 48 Hours
- Established: 1996
- License: Kahnawake Gaming Commission
- Headquarters: Antigua
Our Verdict: 4.7/5
Everygame is another pioneering iGaming brand on our list, going all the way back to its founding in 1996. There’s a great poker cardroom to try out, as well as slots and a sportsbook for hardcore gamblers.
The Everygame Poker Mobile app actually allows you to play when you’re out and about, both in cash games and tournaments. You can download the app for both iOS and Android, or you can just play online through the mobile site.
Cash games of No Limit Texas Hold’em start at $0.04 big blind and $0.00 for small blind, and caps out at $20 and $10. It’s the same for Pot Limit Omaha, but the small blind is $0.02 instead. Pot limit Texas Hold’em has the same blinds as Pot Limit Omaha, but reaches $100 for big blind and $50 for small blind.
Poker Game Variety at Everygame: 4.7/5
It’s a simple process to get into a poker game, and the player pool is absolutely huge. At peak hours it’s not unusual to see hundreds of players in cash money poker games. There’s both Texas Hold’em and Omaha, split up into a bunch of different formats and both limit and no limit. Once you’re playing, we found the most popular game was Pot Limit Omaha. There weren’t quite as many players for No Limit or Limit Texas Hold’Em, but there was still a huge set of players to pick from.
Payment Options: 4.0/5
Everygame offers many different ways to pay, but you might find yourself bumping up against their deposit limits fairly quickly. Minimum deposit ranges from $10 to $25 depending on your method of payment, but you can only deposit up to $1000 on Visa or Mastercard. Depositing via Bitcoin may take up to ten minutes. Maximum withdrawal is $2500 for Bitcoin which takes two days to process, whereas Wire Transfers only allow you to take out $2500 per week which can be frustrating.
Customer Support: 4.3/5
Customer support for Everygame Poker is lightning fast. We were immediately connected with an operator via their live chat who confirmed that is is truly 24/7. You can also contact Everygame by e-mail and phone, but you should check out their helpful FAQ section first to make sure your query isn’t already answered. There’s separate email lines for both poker and payments.
Bonuses & Promos: 4.2/5
For poker bonuses, there’s a first deposit match of 200%. This bonus goes up to $1000, so you’ll have to deposit $500 if you want the full bonus. It’s a pretty good bonus as far as sign-up bonuses go, but you’ll probably want to check out Everygame’s loyalty bonuses instead if you’re interested in long-term poker gaming.
| Bonus name | Bonus amount | Promo code | Rollover | Minimum deposit | Bitcoin accepted? |
| Poker Sign-up Offer | 200% up to $1,000 | INSIDERS1 | 30x | $25 | ✅ |
Pros:
- Features a fixed Rakeback rate of 36%
- Offers a particularly generous poker welcome bonus
- One of the few casinos to offer no deposit bonuses
- Provides live chat support 24/7
Cons:
- Does not accept many cryptocurrencies
4. SportsBetting.ag – Daily Poker Bonuses and Incentives
- Payout Time: Up to 48 Hours
- Established: 2011
- License: Panama
- Headquarters: USA
Our Verdict: 4.7/5
SportsBetting.ag may look a little less impressive than the other offshore casinos on our list, but don’t be fooled by a slightly outdated user interface. SportsBetting.ag has decades of experience in providing online gaming, and thanks to a takeover by BetOnline in 2012 it’s only continued to improve.
The poker rooms are provided by RealTimeGaming, which means you can expect the highest class of anonymous online poker games. The poker client comes fully functional, with automated betting, stats readouts, a full play history for past hands, and both cash and play money games. It’s an ideal environment to start learning poker, as well as offering many tournaments for seasoned players.
Poker Game Variety at SportsBetting.ag: 4.7/5
There’s no live face-to-face poker at SportsBetting.ag, but otherwise the selection of games is pretty good. Texas Hold’em and Omaha are both represented in both limit and no limit games. There’s also Americana, 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo, and 32 Card Draw. You’ll find most of the player base in either Texas or Omaha, but there’s usually at least one or two games in each category even at off-peak hours.
Payment Options: 4.0/5
SportsBetting.ag has a pretty good reputation when it comes to making payments swift and easy. Cryptocurrency maximum deposits and withdrawals are $100000, between Bitcoin and ten other cryptocurrency options including Ethereum. Withdrawal through wire transfer has a minimum of $500, but you can draw out up to $25000 at once in up to five business days. There’s a flat three percent fee on everything, but it’s worth it for drastically quicker payouts than most online casinos. Most casinos take up to two days to deposit crypto, but SportsBetting.ag does it within 24 hours.
Customer Support: 4.3/5
Each essential line to customer service is covered by SportsBetting.ag. Whether you want to speak to a live agent available 24/7 through live chat, send an email detailing your problem, or speak to a support agent over the phone, SportsBetting.ag has you covered. We called their phone line to speak to payments clarifying some of the bonuses on offer and found them to be knowledgeable and polite.
Bonuses & Promos: 4.2/5
SportsBetting.ag has a wealth of online poker bonuses to choose from. There’s obviously the first deposit bonus for first time players, but there’s also leaderboard competitions and Sit and Go tournaments with bonus prize pools for the winners. Keep your eyes out, because from time to time SportsBetting.ag also has seasonal events with bonuses to encourage players to return.
| Bonus name | Bonus amount | Promo code | Rollover | Minimum deposit | Bitcoin accepted? |
| Poker Sign-up Offer | 100% up to $1,000 | SB1000 | $5 for $50 rake | $50 | ✅ |
Pros:
- Accepts payments in 18 cryptocurrencies
- Windfall Sit ‘n Go’s tournaments with top prizes of 2,000x
- No fees for crypto payments
- Provides a downloadable app for Windows and Mac
Cons:
- A dated interface that could use an aesthetic upgrade
5. Ignition – Constantly Running New Poker Tournaments
- Payout Time: Up to 48 Hours
- Established: 2016
- License: Curacao
- Headquarters: Curacao
Our Verdict: 4.7/5
Ignition is one of the newer players in the online casino industry. Where some other providers may lag slightly behind the newer technical trends, Ignition has remained an innovator by wholeheartedly embracing cryptocurrency payments way before their competitors.
There’s one problem with playing at Ignition for players from New York, and that’s geo-blocking. You’ll need to access Ignition from a VPN from a state that isn’t New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, or Nevada. Each state on this list apart from New York has online poker regulated in-state.
Ignition has a great range of poker games and some of the most populous cash game and tournament rooms on our whole list. At peak hours we observed some seven hundred players or so in a quick scan of game rooms, and there’s always a wide range of tournaments going on offering everything from Sit and Go tournaments to the Super Millions Poker Open.
Poker Game Variety at Ignition: 4.7/5
You’ll see games for Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo, as well as Jackpot Sit & Go games. These are lightning fast rounds played with a minimum buy in of $2 and maximum of $60. With increment increases every three minutes, it’s a great option when you want to play quick, big cash games. On top of this, there’s a Jackpot bonus money multiplier applied to the pot every new game which can reach 1000x.
Payment Options: 4.0/5
You can deposit at Ignition via Bitcoin or Visa and Mastercard. Card deposits are from a minimum of $25 to a maximum of $1500, but the deposit limit for Bitcoin is increased to $5000. These deposits are usually instant and we found that we were able to start playing after depositing cash almost immediately. Withdrawals are also pretty quick, with only 24 hours clearing time for Bitcoin withdrawals. There’s no fee on Bitcoin withdrawals either. For bank wire, the main problem is that there’s a minimum withdrawal limit of $1500. Make sure you’re aware of this before you try to withdraw cash.
Customer Support: 4.3/5
Ignition’s customer support wasn’t too shabby. We found that the email form for support got back to us within two hours, and our support questions were answered thoroughly and politely. We would have liked to see a live chat option, but it’s not the end of the world as we found we were put through to a representative pretty quickly. The help desk is also pretty comprehensive, with plenty of information on the various games and policies of the casino.
Bonuses & Promos: 4.2/5
Ignition has a pretty standard poker sign-up bonus of up to $1000, but there’s also a bunch of poker free-rolls doled out every week to keep people playing. The poker sign-up bonus can also be used on some other casino games, so check out the conditions when you sign up to see exactly which ones the bonus funds.
| Bonus name | Bonus amount | Promo code | Rollover | Minimum deposit | Bitcoin accepted? |
| Poker Sign-up Offer | 100% up to $1,000 | N/A | 25x | $20 | ✅ |
Pros:
- Offers a mobile-friendly poker site
- Sit & Go’s with high-value guaranteed prize pools
- Provides 24/7 live chat support
- Offers some of the fastest payouts in the US
Cons:
- Lacks eWallet options like PayPal
- High wagering requirements for promos
FAQs
Is online poker legal in NY?
Can I legally play poker online in NY?
What is the most legit online poker site for NY?
What is the best online poker site for beginners in NY?
Comparing Poker Sites in NY
Each one of our poker site providers listed below are reputable, safe, and have a huge player pool so you’ll always be able to find some action. That said, you can check out our comparison table below to help you decide exactly which casino is best for your needs.
| Poker Room | Poker Bonus | Promo Code | Casino Poker | Freerolls | Qualifiers | Guarantees |
| BetOnline | 100% up to $1,000 | BOLCASINO | 16+ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Everygame | 200% up to $1,000 | CAWELCOME100 | 1+ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| SportsBetting.ag | 100% up to $1,000 | INSIDERS1 | 10+ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bovada | 100% up to $500 | SB1000 | 5+ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ignition | 100% up to $1,000 | N/A | 10 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Is Online Poker Legal in NY?
Online poker has not yet been legalized in New York. However, there are many options for citizens located in New York to gamble online with poker legally. Most federal legislation related to gambling is targeted at unlicensed gambling providers, not patrons or clients. It is perfectly legal to gamble on poker at an “offshore” online casino, which is any casino located outside of the US. However, as the legal age for playing poker is 21 in the state of New York, you will have to be at least 21 to gamble for money on sites like Bovada and SportsBetting.ag.
To date, no individual has ever been prosecuted for betting at an offshore poker site from New York, or indeed anywhere in America. Due to the legislation in place in New York, poker is considered a game of chance rather than skill, and therefore falls under the category of gambling. This is a highly contentious definition, and is currently being challenged in the New York Legislature.
This means that there is currently no online sportsbook or casino owner in the state of New York that offers online poker. This may be set to change soon, but in the meantime we’ve identified several reputable online offshore poker sites such as BetOnline, Everygame, and Ignition, which have a history of good conduct when it comes to operating online casinos. You can safely play poker at these offshore casinos with confidence that the games are run fairly.
NY Poker Laws
New York has a long history of backroom poker games, which might elicit fantasies of smokey midnight games played out in closed delis and barbershops. In reality, in-person poker is completely legal in New York as long as you’re playing with a licensed casino.
There’s plenty of places to play in person, such as the Turning Stone Resort Casino, Rivers Casino, and Del Lago Casino. Generally, you’ll find that most in-person poker rooms in New York are located up state. This is because the original provisions for licensing casinos in New York state required that certain areas would not have a licensed casino operating within their bounds, including several Native American reservations and New York City itself.
Here’s a list of the most relevant laws you’ll need to know about as an individual wanting to play poker in New York.
-
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This act established the framework for gaming on Indian Reservations in 1988, which was the first step towards legal gambling on the federal level in America. As a result of this act, casinos could be built on any tribal lands in the United States. These lands are considered sovereign property of the tribes that live on them, and so there is a limited ability to forbid gambling there. This led to many casinos being built across America, but especially in New York.
- New York General Obligations Law Section 5-401. This law forbids illegal wagers, bets, and stakes unless otherwise allowed under an additional law. It is highly contentious whether or not poker should be considered a game of chance under the wording of this law, and several cases have been made against it. Most famously, Lawrence DiChristina was taken to court for violating this law by running an illicit underground poker game with a house rake. When brought to court, he appealed based on the notion that poker is a game played between players and relies on skill in order to create the winning outcome. Although he was convicted, this conviction was overturned on appeal as the court found this argument valid.
When Will Online Poker be Legal in NY?
Online Poker has been a hot button topic in New York for over a decade, with several attempts from lawmakers to bring these sites to NY. In fact, there’s been a proposition to allow online poker sites to operate within the state of New York at least once a year since 2014. Most recently, Assemblyman Gary Pretlow put forward a bill in January 2023 requesting the reclassification of both Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hold’em poker as games of skill played against other players, instead of games of chance played against the house.
This reclassification, as well as fundamental groundwork for online regulation, oversight and state tax contained within the bill, would blow the door wide open for online poker sites to legally operate in New York. It was brought to the state legislature on January 17th January 2023 and is currently pending review by the Assembly Gaming, Racing and Wagering Committee.
Previous Online Poker Bills in NY
New York has always been a very active state for poker games, legal or not. The first provisions for Class II Indian Casinos in 1993 have paved the way for the state to become a gambler’s paradise. New York began approving licenses for casino resorts outside reservations from 2013 onwards. Since then, there’s been a heavy push in the state to legalize online poker betting.
2014
- S6913. Introduced by State Senator John Bonacic. This Senate bill was the first attempt to categorize poker games as chances of skill rather than chance, along with relevant provisions for regulation and licensing. Referred to the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Commission and amended but did not pass Committee approval.
- A9591. Introduced by Assemblyman Gary Prelow. This Assembly bill provided similar initial provisions for online poker. Amended, passed back to Racing, Gaming and Wagering, and after further amendment the bill did not proceed.
2016
- S5302. Introduced by State Senator John Bonacic. Additional proposal to reclassify poker as a game of skill with appropriate minimum standards for licensed online poker gambling. Several amendments passed through the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Commission along with Finance, but after passing Senate approval this bill did not receive Assembly approval.
- A9049. Introduced by Assembly Gary Prelow. Attempted to update the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law to define poker as a game of skill. Amended and recommitted to Racing, Gaming, and Wagering twice. Did not pass Committee approval.
2017
- A5250. Introduced by Assemblyman Gary Pretlow. Another attempt to reclassify poker. This one was referred to the Racing, Gaming, and Wagering committee, then reported to Codes where it failed a year later.
- S3898. Introduced by State Senator John Bonacic. An additional attempt at reclassifying poker, along with the necessary regulatory frameworks and tax laws. Amended on third reading, this bill passed the Senate vote but died in Assembly and was returned to Senate, where it ultimately did not pass.
2019
- A4924. Introduced by State Senator Joseph Addabbo. After John Bonacic retired, Joseph Addabbo took up the mantle for both leadership of the Racing, Gaming, and Wagering committee as well as advocacy for online poker in New York. Unfortunately, his first bill to reclassify poker languished in referral to the Racing, Gaming, and Wagering committee in 2020.
- S18. Introduced by Assemblyman Gary Pretlow. Like this year’s attempt by Addabbo, Pretlow’s attempt at reclassification was referred to Racing, Gaming, and Wagering where it received no further action in 2020.
2021
- A1668. Introduced by Assemblyman Gary Pretlow. This try at legislating a change in online poker laws didn’t go anywhere, finding a home with Racing, Gaming and Wagering.
- S1447. Introduced by State Senator Joseph Addabbo. This reclassification wasn’t successful, once again being referred to Racing, Gaming and Wagering for no progress.
2023
- A1380. This is where we’re at with the cutting edge news for poker legislation in New York. It seems like since Bonacic’s departure, there’s been little progress in either the Senate or the Assembly in regulating online poker games. This is Assemblyman Gary Pretlow’s latest bill, which is still proceeding through the New York Legislature. It’s currently for first referral for Racing, Gaming, and Wagering for approval. After this point, it may be referred back for amendment, passed to another committee for further approval, review, or referral, or may stay with the committee until the end of the legislative session. Once it’s scheduled for reading, it will need to pass both senate and assembly approval before the bill is eventually passed to the New York Governor, who has the ability to veto the bill. Given Govenor Kathy Hochul’s known support for new casino locations in New York City, it seems likely a well regulated online poker industry in New York would receive approval from her office.
Tax on Online Poker Winnings in NY
Online gambling is perfectly legal in the United States. So much so in fact that you have to pay tax on your winnings on any betting you do inside the United States. When you bet with a regulated poker site based in a state like Nevada, Delaware, or New Jersey, you’ll need to declare both your winnings and losses. You pay tax on the total amount of winnings you receive, so if you bet $50 and win $10000, you have a taxable income of $10050. Likewise, when you bet $9000 and win $10000, your taxable income is $19000. You are allowed to use your losses to offset your winnings, but only up to the total amount of winnings you have.
All online casino and sportsbooks operating from the United States are required by law to report your earnings to the IRS. Offshore poker sites do not operate under the same requirement, so they do not report your earnings. You will have to process your own taxes if you bet at an offshore poker site. You should consult with an accountant or another qualified professional for personalized tax advice, which will always be better than general information about tax.
Regulated Poker Sites vs Offshore Poker Sites
There are actually relatively few differences between regulated and offshore poker sites. Many offshore poker sites, including every one in our list, are regulated and licensed by independent bodies. The biggest barrier to playing offshore sites in the past was the issue of withdrawal and deposits, as many sites operate internationally and thus require lengthy approval processes to transfer money into your bank account. Cryptocurrency has more-or-less solved this issue, as now it’s possible to withdraw your winnings within a day thanks to the speed and lighter regulation associated with currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Regulated poker sites in the US also have much smaller player pools, as often the regulatory bodies approving these sites demand that each state’s player pool are sectioned off from each other to comply with regulatory law. This may change in the future, but for now one of the biggest downsides of playing on a regulated poker site is a lack of players. However, on the other hand, poker sites in the US are regulated with much higher scrutiny and it may be easier to contact state regulators if you feel that you have been treated unfairly. Unfortunately, if you’re not from a state where online gambling is legal, your only choice is an offshore poker site.
Will NY be Ring-Fenced or Shared Player Pool?
When you play online poker, you could be potentially connected to users from anywhere in the world. This quickly becomes a regulatory nightmare when you think about the interactions between all the different jurisdictions worldwide where gambling is legal, often with wildly different rules on how you’re allowed to gamble.
As a result, many online poker sites will “Ring Fence” their player pools, so that players from one state will only be connected with other players from that state. As New York does not currently host online poker sites, it seems there is no regulatory requirement for players from New York to be ring-fenced from other players. When in doubt, contact your site’s support staff for further information on how their site’s players are separated.
How to Play Online Poker in NY
You must register an account before you can start playing online poker on any of our featured sites. This is done to lower the risk of underage gambling and adhere to casino licensing requirements. Below, we’ve listed the steps that you need to complete to join BetOnline, deposit funds, and start playing your favorite poker game.
Step 1: Register a BetOnline Account
Visit the BetOnline Casino website and click on ‘Join’. Enter your personal and contact information and click on ‘Create Account’.
Step 2: Verify Your Email Address
Right after completing registration, you should receive an automated email from the BetOnline team. This email welcomes you to the casino and asks you to confirm that your email address is correct by clicking on the link. Do this in order to complete this step.
Step 3: Place a Deposit
In order to play online poker with real money, you must place a USD or cryptocurrency deposit. Once you’re logged into your BetOnline Casino account, click on ‘Deposit’ and select one of the available payment options. Enter the value of your payment and other information as shown on your screen.
Step 4: Access the Poker Platform
With your payment complete, you’re ready to start playing online poker. Click on ‘Poker’ on the navigation menu and choose between playing standalone games or ‘Tournaments’. You will be asked to log in once again using the same credentials.
Step 5: Start Playing Poker Online
Browse through the available games and tournaments until you find one that you wish to play. Click on it to launch it and start playing. You’ll find the appropriate rules in the game’s options and you can also set your nickname from your profile options if you wish to hide your name.
Types of Poker Games available at NY Poker Sites
Most people with an interest in gambling have probably played a game or two of Texas Hold’em, which is one of the most popular types of poker out there. However, offshore casinos offer many different types of poker, some of which have fairly exotic rules. These are the most common game types we’ve found while playing poker online, so we’ll take you through each one briefly before you sit down and try them out for yourself.
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is considered a modern classic for poker games. It’s played all over the world, and may well be the most popular form of the sport at this point. Each player draws two hand cards, and then a round of betting commences. Three open cards are then drawn, which players bet on. Two more rounds of betting follow with one more open card laid down at the start of each round. Once the final round of betting has closed, the hand made up of the best five cards from the open set of cards on the table plus each player’s hole cards is the winner. If two or more players have a hand of exactly equal value, the pot is split between them.
Omaha
Omaha is quite similar to Texas Hold’em, but there’s a few key differences. Each player is dealt four cards for their hand instead of two. When making up a winning hand at the end of Omaha, players must pick two of their four hole cards to build a winning hand. They must also pick only three of the community cards dealt on the table. This is much stricter than Texas Hold’em, where the best five cards can come entirely from the table.
7 Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is an old school version of poker that used to dominate American saloons and bars before Texas Hold’em became the most popular form of poker in the 2000s. It’s played with two hand cards per player, as well as two open cards per player. The best open hand controls the betting for that round, until eventually another three open cards and one more hand card is played per person. Once betting is concluded, the player with the best poker hand from all of his cards wins.
Five Card Draw (Video Poker)
Five card draw is a very simple version of poker played directly against the house. You draw five cards in one hand. You then have a single round of marking cards, where you decide which ones to keep. The rest are swapped out for new cards drawn from the same deck. This forms your final hand, which pays out according to the odds of the hand you’ve formed against your original bet. The quick and direct nature of the format lends Five Card Draw very well to gaming terminals, and as such you’ll find video poker in all manner of places up and down the country. There’s plenty of variations, including Deuces Wild, Jokers Wild, and Jacks or Better.
Poker Site Bonuses available for NY Players
Poker site bonuses are useful for weighing up which casino you’re going to go with, as some offer extremely attractive deals to attract new customers. However, it’s important to know exactly what sort of bonus you’re getting when you sign up. Check out our list of bonus types below for more info.
| Bonus Type | About | Recommended Site |
| Welcome Bonus |
|
|
| Ongoing Promotions |
|
|
| Free Roll |
|
|
Comparing Sign-Up Bonuses
| Casino | Casino Bonus | Promo code | Rollover | Minimum deposit | Bitcoin accepted? | Expiration date |
| BetOnline | 100% up to $1,000 | BOLCASINO | $5 for $50 rake | $50 | ✅ | 30 Days |
| Everygame | 200% up to $1,000 | CAWELCOME100 | 30x | $25 | ✅ | 90 Days |
| SportsBetting.ag | 100% up to $1,000 | INSIDERS1 | $5 for $50 rake | $50 | ✅ | 30 Days |
| Bovada | 100% up to $500 | SB1000 | N/A | $10 | ✅ | 6 Months |
| Ignition | 100% up to $1,000 | N/A | 25x | $20 | ✅ | 6 Months |
Making Deposits & Withdrawals at NY Poker Sites
You’ll always want to know exactly how and when you can withdraw your money when you’re gambling online. There’s pros and cons to each, so check out our breakdown below:
| Payment Method | About | Examples |
| Cryptocurrencies |
|
|
| Traditional Payment Methods |
|
|
| eWallets |
|
|
Deposit Options Available
Please note, these are only the deposit options for each of our recommended online casinos. Due to increased regulation procedures required by PayPal, none of our offshore casinos offer it. However, cryptocurrency payments often bridge the gap when eWallet providers can’t provide a service to users from certain countries.
| Sportsbook | Bitcoin | Bitcoin Cash | Ethereum | Dogecoin | Debit / Credit Cards | Bank Transfer | PayPal |
| BetOnline | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Everygame | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| SportsBetting.ag | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Bovada | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Ignition | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Withdrawal Options Available
Just like with the deposit options listed above, none of our recommended offshore casinos will accept PayPal for withdrawal, making it a case of whether you want to accept some form of bank transfer or a cryptocurrency payment.
| Sportsbook | Bitcoin | Bitcoin Cash | Ethereum | Dogecoin | Debit / Credit Cards | Bank Transfer | PayPal |
| BetOnline | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Everygame | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| SportBetting.ag | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Bovada | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Ignition | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Playing on NY Poker Apps & Mobile Sites
All of our providers have a mobile version of their online casino you can play through your internet browser, so you’ll always be able to play a few quick hands on the go. In addition to this, some of our providers also offer a mobile app for a better user experience. We found that while some of the online apps suffered from a poor connection or missing features, every mobile browser version worked perfectly. Our advice is to stick to using the mobile browser when playing casino games on your phone.
While you could play on your laptop on the go, sometimes it’s far more convenient to play on your phone when you’re looking for quick games. It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing on Android or iOS, you’ll still be able to get in on the gambling action. However, it’s vital that you make sure you have a good internet connection or mobile data, as dropping out of a poker game because your internet stopped working means in the worst case you’ll lose the stake for your hand.
Tips for Playing Online Poker for Real Money in NY
Here are our top five tips for playing online poker for real money in NY:
- Know Your Odds: Poker is a game of constantly changing odds. Understanding how likely you are to win from your opening hand is an essential part of graduating from poker amateur to expert. Learn how to calculate poker odds on the fly. This will massively improve your chances in each hand as you will understand now only how likely you are to win, but how to react to other players raising and calling based on your odds.
- Learn From The Best: Many poker legends have gone on to write at length about their approach to the game, from Phil Gordon’s series of Little Colour Books to Dan Harrington’s musings on the game. These books contain decades of poker experience and can completely change your perspective on the game. Take their advice, integrate it into your game, and find out what works for you.
- Read Behavior: When playing poker online you’re deprived of many involuntary visual cues that a player might give away when playing at the table. However, there’s always the actions someone takes at the table. Make sure you note who’s bluffing, who takes longer when they’re deciding a tough call, and when new players enter and leave the table. You might be playing with anonymous participants, but every player has patterns.
- Be Aggressive: Once you know how to calculate your starting hand and determine the correct price of a hand, be bold and aggressive with the hands you decide to buy in on. An easy trap in beginner poker play is to continually limp behind in bad hands and not capitalize hard enough on good hands. When you are confident in your hand, be brave.
- Play What You Can Afford: Emotional composure is vital for success in poker. You need to make decisions about your hand based on the facts of the game, which is much harder to do when you’re worried about what will happen when you fail. By playing with a dedicated pool of savings that is separate from your living costs, you can focus entirely on the game in front of you which will keep you relaxed and making intelligent decisions.
Playing Online Poker vs Poker Live in NY
Playing online is pretty different from playing live poker games. Of course, the atmosphere of a live game can never be replaced. However, there’s many advantages to playing online that may not be immediately apparent. Although you can’t read your opponent’s tells, similarly you’re able to play in a relaxed environment knowing that if your jaw drops at receiving pocket aces nobody’s going to be able to tell.
Playing online also gives you the ability to learn the game at your own pace. You’ll be able to keep card cheat-sheets in easy reach to remind you which hands are worth more. There’s also a constant stream of new games with flexible player pools, especially when you play with an offshore poker provider. Peeling away from a poker table at a casino might leave you waiting around for another free space, but online changing tables is nearly instant.
It’s far easier to keep the composure and dispassionate view of the odds you need to succeed in poker when you’re playing online, without the judgements and pressure that comes from in person games. Playing several high speed hands over the course of a view hours quickly teaches you that variance is a reality in poker.
While sometimes the correct play can still lose you a hand, quicker games with less distractions will teach you to stick to those correct plays because the odds are in your favor. Building winning habits is far harder at an in person table, where the emotional reaction of losing a big hand that was in your favor can scare you off from making the same play again.
Live Poker in NY – Casinos With Poker Rooms
New York is one of the best destinations in America for real-life poker rooms. Check out our list below of top five Casino Resorts.
Tioga Downs Casino Resort
- Address: 2384 W. River Road Nichols, New York 13812
- Opening hours: Monday and Tuesday Closed. Wednesday to Sunday: 10am-2am
With six tables to choose from and games including Texas Hold’em limit and no limit, Omaha Limit and Pot Limit, all with High/Low variants, Tioga Downs is a great choice for the avid poker fan. There’s no food service here, it’s strictly business here – poker only. There’s a 10% rake up to $5 a hand. Turn up for $100 high hands every Wednesdays & Saturdays in every half hour from noon to 11pm.
Del Lago Resort & Casino
- Address: 1133 State Route 414 Waterloo, NY 13165
- Opening hours: Thursday, Sunday, Monday: 9am-2am. Friday, Saturday: 9am-4am.
The Del Lago has tables for Texas Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Seven Card Stud, all limit and no limit. There’s a healthy set of poker promotions including hourly $200 high hands every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. You’ll find there’s a bad beat jackpot in play, and there’s a 10% rake up to $5 per hand.
Rivers Casino and Resort
- Address: 1 Rush Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
- Opening hours: 10am-2am Daily
Every Monday there’s a $10000 dollar tournament for no-limit Texas Hold’em. Their daily high-hands go up as high as $500. There’s also a bunch of larger tournaments to add to your calendar such the Monster Stack event with a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool, the Capital Region Classic which has a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool, and the Rivers Poker Open with a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Resorts World Catskills
- Address: 888 Resorts World Drive Monticello, New York 12701
- Opening hours: Casino open 24/7, poker tables shut between 2am-8am
Resorts World Catskills is a truly next-gen casino. You’ll be able to play Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow, 3 Card poker, and Crazy 4 poker in state of the art gambling enclosures that come with their own USB charging decks for your phones. Thirteen 65″ HDTVs adorn the walls of the Catskill’s poker room, so you’ll be able to keep your eye on any sports bets you might have running. There’s a complimentary drinks service, plus a packed schedule of tournaments running throughout the month that you can check out through their website.
Turning Stone Resort Casino
- Address: 5218 Patrick Rd. Verona, NY 13478
- Opening hours: Call 800.771.7711 for opening hours.
Turning Stone has 32 tables in their incredibly luxurious bespoke Poker Room. Complimentary Wi-Fi, free Parking, twelve HD TV screens making sure you don’t miss the latest sports action, there’s even complementary phone chargers at every seat. Turning Stone have gone above and beyond to make sure you’re playing in maximum comfort when you’re playing poker at one of their tables.
Famous NY Poker Players
Some of the world’s most famous poker players cut their teeth in backroom poker clubs all over New York. The most notable of these was the Mayfair Club which was a regular hangout for elite level poker players such as Howard Lederer, Erik Seidel, Steve Zolotow, and Dan Harrington. The Mayfair Club was shut down in the early 2000s, but the legacy of the players who regularly played there spans into the present day.
- Erik Seidel: This New York local came from a background in stock trading to the world of professional poker in the late 80s. Ever since, Seidel has been a dominant force in the World Series of Poker. He’s currently ranked fourth for all-time poker earnings, has nine WSOP bracelets which puts him at the fifth highest of all time, and regularly earns over $5 million a year in worldwide poker table earnings.
- Howard Lederer: Although Howard Lederer was raised in New Hampshire, it was in his college days in New York City that he found his love for poker. Now known as “The Professor” for his instructional style and cold calculating play. Lederer is well known for his enlightening commentary behind the mic as well as his efforts to help spread knowledge of the game through strategy books, instruction videos, and charitable events.
- Steve Zolotow: Steve Zolotow is another son of New York City, although he eventually moved to Las Vegas after spending many years of his life in New York. Steve has won two WSOP bracelets and has total winnings of around $2.3 million.
- Jay Heimowitz: Jay was another Mayfair club regular who was an instrumental force in the founding and initial success of the club. When Jay was reunited with other club members Mickey Appleman, Dan Harrington, Mike Shichtman, Howard Lederer, and Steve Zolotow for an episode of NBC’s Poker After Dark, Heimowitz walked away with first place and a pot of $120,000.
The Best Poker Site in NY
Our number one poker site in NY absolutely has to be BetOnline. It’s a well established casino with prompt payouts, a huge variety of poker game types, and a great player pool. You know you’re in safe hands with a 24/7 support team dedicated to solving any issues you might have, and as one of the oldest online casinos you can be confident in their liquidity. We found that it was simple to register for BetOnline, and the deposit process went smoothly. Similarly, we had no issue with drawing out our winnings in Bitcoin. Give them a chance yourself, or try one of the other top-tier offshore casino providers for online poker in New York!
