Do you have the itch to play online poker for real-money? Good news as you have found the perfect resource for connecting with poker sites accepting Americans that still allows them to play cash games and tourneys.

This page will tell you everything you need to know when you are ready to jump into the online arena especially when it comes to risking real-money with your wagers. The OnlinePokerLaws.com staff, as you may already know, is well-versed when it comes to playing online. They have all the first-hand knowledge to prepare poker players that have never played online before and users that have never played poker before, online or live, for what to expect when playing in games or tournaments where real-money is on the line.

Is It Legal To Play Online Poker For Real-Money In The U.S.?

There was a lot of debate that swirled around this issue following the infamous "Black Friday" when the biggest poker websites were seized by the Feds. That single event created a ton of misconceptions about the legality of real-money poker... misconceptions being the key word.

It turns out that these operators didn't go wrong by letting Americans play for money. Things went bad went those websites mis-appropriated player funds and the government had to step in before the situation was completely out of control.

But before this news came to light, the damage had already been done as many had already drawn their own conclusions about what happened. This was how the misconception of it being illegal to play poker on the Internet when betting with real money came to be.

Without going into all the specifics (which can be found on our 'is online poker legal?' page), you should know that it is not illegal to engage in online poker, for cash or when playing for free. There have been new re-interpretations of the laws that were used to shutdown the "Black Friday" poker rooms which backs up the claim that real-money poker games are legal.

The bottom line is that actually playing online for real-world currency is not illegal when using off-shore poker sites like the ones we've listed on this page. They have friendly deposit methods which help them get around the UIGEA (U.S. players explicitly not liable for violations) and have all the games you want to play.

More About Playing Poker For Real Money On The Internet

If you've read most of what we've said on this site, you will already be keen to a lot of the info we're about to go over such as deposits and payouts. Of course we have full pages on each subject which are complete guides to the topics but this will be just a quick lesson on why they're important.

Deposits - You can't bet real-money if you do not deposit real-money... shocker!

This is obvious because nothing that is worth anything is ever free, online poker included. You're on this page because you want to play for real but first you need to know what you're doing.

Americans go to their wallets every time and pull out a credit card if they have one. Not a bad idea and it might even work but for all of us, it's simply not an option for one reason or another. Sometimes banks decline transfers to gambling sites, sometimes players do not own a credit card or even a debit card. That's ok because there are ways around it but you've got to read and read between the lines to figure out exactly what's going on.

Methods are sometimes disguised by other names but in actuality, these are companies that you've heard of before... like Western Union. Wire transfer services are notorious for not being referred to by name but poker sites always use the big-name providers.

Checks would seem like an obvious choice when credit cards aren't an option but not all sites accept them. Confused yet? Our page about online poker deposits will help you make more sense of it all.

Payouts/Withdrawals - If you win, you want to get paid right? Of course you do...

Another thing that should be easy when it comes to real-money play is actually getting paid but because of laws in the U.S., this too can be difficult if you don't know what you're getting into.

The Europeans have it made because they can usually just re-credit whatever they charged on their credit card to deposit but Americans will have no such luck. Getting credit or debit cards to work for deposits is hard enough and payouts would be that much harder. Still, with one of the best methods gone by default, there are still other options.

Waiting for a check or money order is usually a player's best bet however it is not uncommon to go the wire transfer route. For reasons ranging from lack of banking options to the time-frame the payout is needed influence this decision.

Another thing that has a strong influence on which method is picked are fees. You can learn more about how online poker payout methods work by following the previous link.

Know Your Limits - Get Help If You Need It

No, we're not talking about betting limits and help getting better at poker. For some, gambling for money can be an addiction that can ruin a life. While poker isn't necessarily "gambling" in the truest sense, that same rush of adrenaline will wash over you. It's exciting, it's fun but it can also be a dangerous thing for others.

We encourage anyone that thinks they might need help with an online poker addiction to do so. There are several great groups out there like Gamblers Anonymous that treat problems such as yours everyday.

If you feel you are out of control or have a family member that is, don't wait... take action because online poker is not worth the headache when it comes to being home-less or ruining your family.