• So, yes, it will ensue: The prime poker market in America will nearly all absolutely be valve. Unfortunately, once online poker becomes legal, California very well may be tending not to divide its players with further states. This would eliminate a vast amount of players from an interstate poker group.
• WSOP/888 US is currently the only poker site that shares online poker players between all three legal online poker states (NJ, Nevada & Delaware). It’s currently the #1 US online poker site by traffic. Poker Stars – New Jersey and Pennsylvania Party Poker – New Jersey only.

1. 888 Poker Legal In California Today
2. 888 Poker Legal In California State
3. 888 Poker Legal In California Family Law
4. 888 Poker Legal In California County

In the competitive world of professional poker, the player with the most experience often takes home the most money, and California online poker is no exception. California is home to 5 of the top 20 earners in professional poker currently and players like these have often accredited most of their experience to playing online poker on licensed offshore sites while from their home state of California.

The idea is to see as many hands as you can while you’re playing. Some online poker players in California have been known to see upwards of 10,000 hands in a single day, more than a typical casino player would see in a lifetime. This is something that can only be achieved with the features available through online poker sites rather than face to face games at live poker rooms.

888 Poker and its partner Harrah's Casino finally approved in Pennsylvania October 15, 2020 — Hanging in limbo, 888 or WSOP.com has trudged a long path of confusion as legislature in Pennsylvania remained unsure of whether to approve it or not. 888 Poker PA will also host some of the best promotions in the state, including a $10 signup bonus and a 100% deposit match to $888. Finally, a glitch-free client with excellent support make 888 Poker Pennsylvania a must play site. Signup for your free 888 Poker PA account today and enjoy all the benefits of playing with a pioneer of online poker. Wasn’t online poker supposed to be legal in California by now? The PPA sure thought so. In 2013 John Pappas, the Executive Director, mentioned that, with support from a dozen key tribes, he would be surprised if a bill wasn’t passed by early 2014.

This page will provide you with information about the state’s available online poker games, bonuses, banking options, software capabilities, and even a bit of a historical perspective on poker gambling in California.

Are Online Poker Sites Legal In California?

There are only a few regions in the US that have legalized state-regulated and licensed online poker gambling operations, and CA is not yet one of them. California is considering the legalization of domestic online poker operations but the bill being considered has not yet been approved to become law. The DOJ’s Legal Opinion issued in 2011 set the stage to allow each individual US state to pass legislation legalizing online casino and/or poker gambling, however, few US states have taken advantage of this option.

Currently, there are no California online gambling laws or any US federal online gambling laws which make it a crime for California residents to play poker online at legitimately licensed and regulated offshore online poker destinations. Licensed offshore poker rooms are the primary legal option for CA players looking to enjoy legal online poker gambling for real money and until California reaches a legislative consensus regarding state-regulated online poker platforms, licensed offshore poker remains a stable and legal alternative.

888 Poker Legal In California Today

CA laws do, however, punish online poker operators based in the Golden State who service CA players without proper licensing or authorization by the state. Any domestic CA-based online poker sites are illegal until the state announces passed legislation and begins issuing licenses.

Legally Licensed Online Poker Sites Accepting California Players

Following brands are the top online poker providers in the industry and have been for many years. Our team of analysts has meticulously reviewed each aspect of these websites to ensure that they are operating in a legal offshore jurisdiction that also provides them with the proper regulatory oversight and licensing.

These brands have all developed great reputations within the online gambling industry and have demonstrated a dedication to providing a legitimate, secure, and high-quality destination for engaging in premium online poker entertainment.

Other California Gambling Pages

What Games Can I Play At Interactive Poker Sites?

There are tournaments and poker games of all shapes and sizes available online which readily come to mind. CA players can find tournaments for playing Texas Hold’Em, 3, 5, and 7 Card Stud, 32 Card Draw, Americana, and of course, Omaha and Hi/Lo, as well as, many more poker games. There are also several variations of these poker games available at each of our recommended destinations as general games or tournaments.

Players may also find specialty poker games such as HORSE or Caribbean Stud, among others. The poker sites listed in this guide all utilize proprietary software solutions to power their gameplay, software, and virtual poker room. Each brand offers a feature-rich interface that empowers players by supporting multi-hand, multi-table, speed play options, and more.

Can I Play For Free At Online Poker Sites?

Available from most providers, Free Play functions are an extremely useful tool for first-time online users. Free Play essentially provides a risk-free environment to let players get to know the software interface by letting them play with limitless fake money. This is a great way for first-time online poker players to become acclimated to the online environment, learn a new game, or test out their strategy online.

Poker playing is about confidence, therefore, Free Play allows new online players to build up their confidence to become comfortable using and navigating the online interface. Newbies can learn new poker games or hone their skills on their favorite game without taking any financial risk. Seasoned casino vets can also use Free Play to get used to online multi-hand and table features if they are looking to see more hands per hour or learn where to click and practice online betting strategies.

CA players can also choose to play in the Freeroll tournaments which are another opportunity for players to play for free. In these types of tournaments, there is no entrance fee and therein lies the opportunity to win real cash prizes without any financial risk on the player’s behalf.

Are There Online Poker Bonuses Available?

Top tier poker websites will offer first-time players a welcome bonus which usually takes the form of more money in the players account to gamble with through a “Match Bonus”. The site will specify matching a certain percentage of a player’s first deposit, or deposits if they allow redemption more than once, and do so it just for the player signing up and depositing funds into their account. There are also reload bonuses, referral bonuses, and special promotions which are often tied to tournaments.

Keep in mind that poker deposit match bonuses are handled differently from online casino bonuses as they are awarded incrementally in a ‘the more you play, the more you get’ scenario. Bonuses offered normally have attached conditions which must be met before withdrawing, so read each bonuses conditions thoroughly before redeeming.

Can I Play Poker From My Mobile Phone?

There are mobile poker gambling options available for iPhone, Android, Windows, and more from all of our recommended brands. Relying on the most popular mobile brands and networks, most poker apps have switched from downloadable to browser-based or better known as responsive design. This change in mobile optimization to responsive design has effectively changed the way mobile games are offered by allowing players to simply enter the brand’s URL into their mobile browser and play at will.

What Are The Banking Options For Online Poker?

The wallet systems that are associated with these online poker systems have multiple methods of deposit and withdrawal. However, the deposit and withdrawal options available do vary somewhat between brands. Players can always find accepted forms of digital decentralized currencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and Dash as they seem to be the most successful while traveling seamlessly and processing quickly throughout the online gambling world.

Players may also likely to find options for the major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, and sometimes American Express and Discover. However, if these cards are tied to a traditional banking institution players may see their attempted deposits canceled by their bank. This is due to the UIGEA, a federal banking regulation preventing banks from processing gambling transactions.

Other more successful payment methods include several forms of wire or money transfer from bank-to-bank and person-to-person. Sometimes fees and processing times are associated with the type of deposit or withdrawal method used, so be sure to review these details so that you are aware of which methods are the most or least beneficial to you.

California Views on Poker Gambling from The Beginning

California has a long history with poker reaching back into the late 1800’s. When the California constitution was drafted in 1879, draw poker was conveniently left out of its gambling restrictions which placed a prohibition on basically all other forms of gambling. It became a common occurrence for card players from all over the country to travel to California looking for big poker games and big thrills.

In the late 30’s, people could find numerous legally regulated cardrooms in Long Beach, L.A., Hawthorne, El Monte, and a number of unincorporated areas in L.A. County. Today, card rooms are still all over the state of California, these are player banked and exist within the current laws as social gambling. In these games, the house simply takes a small fee from each hand and the players gamble against each other instead of the house.

Poker Rooms In California

Back in New Jersey & More States to Come in 2020?

Currently, PokerStars is only available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Updated March. 5, 2020 – PokerStars launched in Pennsylvania and has the highest traffic of all regulated poker sites in America. It also hosted the Pennsylvania Online Championship of Poker. This was a huge series with more than $1 million in guaranteed prizes. It took years, but it looks like it was worth the wait for Pennsylvania players.

PokerStars has been running strong in New Jersey since 2016, but it hasn’t reached the size Pennsylvania has. A shared player pool could really kick things up a notch though. We’ll see if success in Pennsylvania leads to PokerStars in more states.

Legal Online Poker in the USA

Six states have legalized online poker. Out of those, four currently have sites up-and-running. Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Two more states legalized online poker but are still working on setting things up. West Virginia, legalized online poker in 2019. But online poker sites there aren’t expected to launch until 2021. The same goes for Michigan.

When it comes to PokerStars, only two states have Poker Stars software. PokerStars gained approval to operate in New Jersey in 2015. Their site, pokerstarsnj.com, went live on March 21, 2016. Of course, you have physically located in New Jersey to play. It’s play money for all other states. PokerStars NJ also offers casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette and more.

PokerStars then launched in Pennsylvania in late 2019. They kicked things off with the Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker that drew thousands of players and culminated in a $300 buy-in main event with a $100,000-guaranteed prize pool.

If you’re not in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, PokerStars could still come to your state further down the line. If you want to play today though, there are still plenty of great alternatives.

Best PokerStars Alternatives for US Players

We recommend Ignition Poker as the best alternative. A lot of people prefer it to non-state run sites since they accept players from all 50 states. Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, ACR, Black Chip Poker and Intertops also rank highly. As state by state rollouts occur, we will continue to keep you updated on when PokerStars makes it to your state.

Can You Play PokerStars in the USA?

Real money online poker play on PokerStars is only available if you are physically in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. PokerStars will be in more US states soon though. West Virginia and Michigan are the current front-runners to join the party.

PokerStars, which also owns Full Tilt Poker, is currently owned by The Stars Group, formerly called Amaya Gaming Group and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. PokerStars is partnered with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, and their main competition in the state is WSOP/888 and Borgata/PartyPoker. In Pennsylvania, they teamed up with FoxBet, which is the real-money wagering provided by FOX Sports.

While there’s online poker Delaware and Nevada, but PokerStars has yet to get a license in either state. If you do not live in either New Jersey or Pennsylvania, we recommend Ignition Poker or Betonline.ag. They are safe and trusted sites that service all 50 states. Check out our reviews for a comprehensive look at how each online poker site. We detail the most important factors to look at when picking an online poker room.

888 Poker Legal In California State

Make no mistake. Online poker is legal in the USA. It’s 100% legal for you to play. Don’t have to worry about getting arrested.

How Many Players on Pokerstars?

PokerStars remains the largest poker site on the internet with tens of thousands of players logging in weekly. PokerStars traffic is far superior to any other poker website and it controls over 50% of the market.

The sale of PokerStars has now changed the game in the US market. It is a prerequisite for any online casino that operates with a US license to also have or be partners with a US operated “land-based” casino. PokerStars partnered with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. Unfortunately, PokerStars has struggled with its NJ-based traffic. On the bright side, Pennsylvania has been a traffic bonanza for PokerStars since it launched in late 2019.

PokerStars also made a massive deal with gigantic casino conglomerate Eldorado Resorts, which operates properties across 12 different states. The US government has to be pleased that PokerStars is playing ball and infusing the US market with plenty of cash.

When Will PokerStars Return to the USA?

It kind of already is. If you’re in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, just download the software. If you’re in another state, then you’ll have to wait. Regulated online poker has been moving pretty slow. Even then, some states that have legalized it haven’t let PokerStars in. That’s because they have another obstacle. Some important gaming groups in the USA see the brand as a bad actor because it operated without a license in the USA for years.

The brand is still incredibly popular around the world though. The site also paid over an estimated $850 million in fines because of Black Friday. It might take some time, but PokerStars will make its way back to the USA on a broader scale.

Good Faith Will Not Prevail?

While some US states have been reluctant to allow PokerStars back, it should be noted that the company bailed out tens of thousands of American poker players. Full Tilt famously didn’t have funds on hand to repay its players after Black Friday. PokerStars then bought Full Tilt and repaid all its players for millions and millions of dollars.

PokerStars was simply a better-run business and separated their player accounts from operating expenses. It was, therefore, an easy task for PokerStars to immediately pay back its players after they were forced out of the US market in 2011. PokerStars was also better at becoming a global poker business. Most of its player traffic came from outside the USA.

This act of good faith was on top of the hundreds of millions they paid out in penalties to US officials. It was an example of responsible gaming. As more and more casinos based in the USA secure their licenses to operate, PokerStars will likely be entering several of these state-regulated markets.

When Will I Be Able to Play PokerStars in my State?

We have in-depth real money online poker guides for many of the US states that are updated whenever there are changes to state legislation. Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut guide to when online poker will be legalized in each US state. For now, it appears that progress will only occur at the state level and a federal online poker bill is still just a pipe dream.

Some states have a higher chance of legalizing and regulating online poker in the near future, however. We keep close track of some of the more progressive states and try to give our readers some insight into which states could be closing in on legalization. You can take a deeper dive into your states specific laws in regards to PokerStars and all online poker laws with our state-by-state guides.

Online Poker USA Law State-by-State Guides

You can refer to the legal status of online poker in every US state here:
Alabama – Arizona – Arkansas – California – Colorado – Connecticut – Georgia – Idaho – Iowa – Kansas – Maine – Maryland – Massachusetts – Michigan – Minnesota – Mississippi – Montana – Nebraska – New Hampshire – New Mexico – North Carolina – North Dakota – Ohio – Oklahoma – Pennsylvania – Rhode Island – South Carolina – Tennessee – Vermont – West Virginia – Wyoming

The Entire History of PokerStars in the USA

PokerStars has a fascinating history in the online poker industry with a substantial portion of it taking place in the USA.

2000s

• Now a billion-dollar, publicly-traded company, PokerStars had rather humble beginnings.
• It began in the early 2000s as a Costa Rican company called Rational Enterprises that was majority-owned by Israeli-Canadian Isai Scheinberg.
• PokerStars was just one of many of the early real-money online poker operators including PartyPoker, Pacific Poker (Now 888poker) and Tropical Poker.

2003 – 2006

• PokerStars’ claim to fame came in 2003 when an accountant named Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP Main Event 2003-2006 Las Vegas after qualifying on the site.
• Moneymaker was the first player to win the Main Event after qualifying online and helped create the so-called “poker boom” of the early 2000s.
• PokerStars quickly became a favorite amongst poker players for its secure deposits, reliable support team and booming cash games.

2006 – 2011

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• The poker boom was stifled early on when the US government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 that led to publicly-traded companies like PartyPoker getting forced to leave the US market altogether.
• UIGEA had the opposite effect on PokerStars because it was a privately-held company, it remained in the US market and quickly took the reins as the most popular online poker site in the world.

2011 – 2016

• The gravy train came to an end in 2011 when the Department of Justice seized the .com addresses of three online poker sites: PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute/UltimateBet.
• Online poker players referred to the day as “Black Friday”. It would be years before PokerStars would be allowed to re-enter the US market.

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2016 – Today

• PokerStars continued to flourish on the international market and was purchased by Amaya Gaming in a massive $4.9 billion deal in 2014. Subsequently the first officially licensed online poker sites in the USA start to pop up in 2014.
• New Jersey became the first state to allow PokerStars back in 2016.
• In late 2019 Pennsylvania follows suit and allows PokerStars to officially open its doors to players in the state.

Unfortunately, many other states remain a pipe dream and it will likely be decades before PokerStars is allowed to operate in the entirety of the USA.