California is one of the most developed, technologically progressed states in America. With nearly 40 million residents, it’s one of the major draws of the vast American market.
That being said, in such a big state, there will always be people that wish to play poker online. And the question that many people have is whether playing poker online is legal in this state. In this article, we’ll get to delve deeper into this question and give our readers alternatives if they are looking for California online poker. We’ll also get to learn more about the latest legal developments regarding this subject.
Can I play online poker legally in California?
At the time of writing, playing online poker in California for real money is illegal, and real-money California online poker sites are banned. Unfortunately, it seems that this will remain to be so for a long time to come. Ever since the notorious Black Friday incident of 2011, when indictments were issued, the assets of the biggest online poker sites in the USA were seized by the Department of Justice, the online poker market hasn’t been the same.
That being said, there are still ways to play California online poker – and legally, at that. Below you’ll find the two main ways in which you can legally play online poker in California.
Online Sweepstakes Poker
One of the variants of online poker that can be played legally in California is sweepstakes poker. It’s important to note that there’s a major distinction between sweepstakes and regular poker. The latter uses real money as wagers and bets. The former uses virtual coins for this purpose. Players can use the virtual coins to claim real-money prizes down the line. However, it’s impossible to make a real money deposit at a sweepstakes poker site.
If you’re after the social experience of playing online poker, then feel free to visit a sweepstakes site. Therein, you can play legally with other people from California. However, the drawback here is that players can’t use real money to make deposits and wagers. The lack of any real money at sweepstakes sites makes them completely legal to use. As such, they’re a great option for many poker players that reside in California.
Offshore Poker Sites
There’s another option for fans of poker that reside and live in California. Namely, they can play online poker legally on offshore sites. These are sites that are registered in other countries but that are able to accept players from the USA. It’s unregulated – but not illegal – for US players to play on these sites.
Best of all, players can use real money to make deposits and wagers. This is the main difference between offshore poker and sweepstakes poker. So, offshore sites are a great option for poker players that wish to play with real money.
That being said, there are some major drawbacks to using these sites. They all stem from being unregulated by US authorities. This doesn’t mean that these sites are all shady. There are legit offshore poker sites, too. But it’s very important to be prudent when using them, as the US authorities have no way to intercede if anything illegal transpires. It’s best to find offshore poker sites that are certified to be licensed and legit.
The Future of Playing Online Poker in California Legally
The future of being able to play online poker in California legally remains uncertain. The first thing that’s on the mind of law-givers in the state is to legalize online sports betting. Estimates and predictions show that this may occur in 2024. When it comes to playing poker online, its legalization may occur on a more distant date. Earliest estimates show that this event may transpire in 2025 at the earliest.
The reasons why legalizing online poker is so slow are of a bureaucratic nature. Also, there are some major players that would want to capitalize on the legalization of online poker to the detriment of others. So, when lawgivers do sit down with the goal of creating a legal framework for online poker in this state, they’re bombarded with requests, making the entire process much more difficult and cumbersome.
Regardless, it’s still likely that online poker will be completely legalized in California in the not-so-distant future. It’s a fun hobby that people can enjoy in their spare time – and also, playing online poker legally can bring lots of tax dollars for the state. Until then, poker players have the option to legally play at sweepstakes sites or offshore poker sites.
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