Poker is one of the top casino games for many and is referred to as the national card game in the USA. You can play multiple tables in online poker, as a cash game and tournament mode exist. The game provides premium enjoyment since it hosts a wide variety.
Although online poker in the USA is now available on several online poker sites, some scam sites are masquerading as true. To check if a site is genuine, it must have a regulator seal confirming its authenticity. Also, the game is not available in the whole country. So, the online casino must mention the state where its poker services are available.
Let’s take a closer look at what you need to know about online poker in the USA.
The Online Poker in the USA Has Its Own History
The history of poker-like games dates back to 900AD in China. Though the games used dominoes and not cards, ranks were used. During the days of the renaissance, similar games were played in France and Germany. In New Orleans back in 1829, the earliest poker record was close to the modern-day games. This game involved bluffing and betting. Instead of the current 5-card draw, games those days were wither a 20-short card deck or a full 52-card deck.
Because New Orleans was a major hub connecting the Mississippi River with the Gulf of Mexico, the game spread to many other states and saw the rise of steamboat casinos up and down the huge river. By 1997, the online card rooms started, and the following year saw the first real money online poker at the poker room Planet-Poker. Mike Caro, also called the “Mad Genius of Poker”, was the top celebrity endorsing the site. Paradise Poker (888) also came into play.
In the 2000s, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) began organizing big events and tournaments. However, things exploded when an accountant and newbie, Chris Moneymaker, won the main event in 2003. His story was inspiring, and he saw many people interested in the game. New sites for online poker in the USA and diverse formats brought more competition to the game and pushed up the prize won at WSOP.
Unfortunately, poker was dealt a big blow as the USA introduced the Unlawful Gambling Act of 2006. Then, as if that wasn’t horrendous enough, in 2011, the Feds, in conjunction with the attorney general of the State of New York, did a crackdown on online poker sites coming up in the country. This saw players losing their access and their money on the site. Some online sites also quickly folded up. However, PokerStars, a popular online poker games site, paid a fine and still stands through its New Jersey site.
When states were granted authority to regulate online poker, some allowed the game within their borders while others didn’t. States like Nevada and Pennsylvania now allow online poker rooms.