Poker New York

The state of New York has long been associated with poker, dating back to several nationally known 19th-century poker clubs. It extends through the 20th and 21st centuries and the famed underground. New York City Poker Tour is one of the greatest poker rooms to play live poker action in Midtown, New York.

1. Poker Rooms In New York State
2. Poker New York Times

You can download any of the NY online poker apps listed below, create an account and deposit. The only thing you can’t do in New York is bet online. To place a bet, you’ll need to travel to New Jersey.

Download online poker apps in NY and bet in NJ

New York Online Poker

New York has a thriving casino industry, legal sports betting in upstate casinos, and two neighboring states that offer legal online poker. But New York itself has yet to legalize traditional real money online poker.

No doubt that has been a disappointment for poker players from Albany to Buffalo to New York City. Poker is immensely popular in New York and players flock to the state’s live tables.

Many also head across the border for major events like the World Series of Poker Circuit and World Poker Tour events in the region at properties including Borgata and Harrah’s in Atlantic City and Parx in Pennsylvania.

Some New Yorkers may even pop across the border to play poker online in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. While plans for online poker in New York probably aren’t the cards for 2020, many hope that changes for 2021.

Latest NY online poker news

• by Martin DerbyshireOctober 8, 2018
• by Martin DerbyshireMarch 21, 2018

Is it Legal to Play Online Poker In New York?

The technical answer to that is “no,” at least from a legislative point of view, but that doesn’t mean New Yorkers are entirely out of options. There are currently two options for New Yorkers to find real money online poker right now:

• Sweepstakes poker at Global Poker
• Legal online poker in New Jersey or Pennsylvania

A trip to New Jersey offers players a few nice options, and getting online and playing is a simple process. Creating a new account and getting cash into it to play is also easy to do right from your home in New York.

In Pennsylvania, PokerStars PA launched in November 2019 and is the only legal online poker option in the state as of April 2020.

Play at Global Poker with $20 Welcome Package

One option for players in New York is sweepstakes or social gaming poker. There are numerous free-to-play social poker apps, but sweepstakes poker offers a bit of a different opportunity.

is the biggest and best known of these and offers a nice gaming experience for players in the US and Canada (excluding Quebec). Global offers two options for poker games:

• Gold Coins
• Sweeps Coins

Gold Coins are a free-to-play virtual currency. All Gold Coin games are free (you receive free Gold Coins on sign-up) but your winnings have no cash value.

Players who buy additional Gold Coins receive a second virtual currency called Sweeps Coins. These can be used in separate Sweeps Coin ring games, tournaments, sit & go’s, and regular live tournament series with major guarantees.

Players can accumulate Sweeps Coins and cash them in for real cash prizes. Global Poker’s unique sweepstakes model offers a fun social gaming experience but also the opportunity to play 100% legal online poker for real cash prizes.

Global is owned and operated by VGW Holdings Limited, which is publicly traded and incorporated in Australia. The Malta Gaming Authority regulates all of VCW’s sweepstakes online casinos, which include Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Sweepstakes Slots.

Players can also expect fair games with secure account information and player funds. The site offers the following poker variations with stakes for every bankroll level:

• Omaha
• Crazy Pineapple

New Yorkers looking to get in the action without heading across the border may find Global Poker a fun option. Check out the exclusive USPoker exclusive bonus offer below.

Online Poker in New Jersey & Pennsylvania

Another option for New Yorkers looking to play online poker is to travel to New Jersey or Pennsylvania. As mentioned, you can create and fund your account right from New York, then head across the border to play online.

Online poker has been legal in New Jersey since 2013 and has multiple online poker sites operating under partnerships with legals casino. Here’s a look at the sites offered:

New Jersey

WSOP.com – $10 Free

WSOP.com leads the market and having shared player pools with Nevada and Delaware helps. WSOP.com offers daily guaranteed tourneys, cash games, major tournament series and shots to win WSOP online bracelets and circuit rings. 888poker, a renowned international brand in its own right, shares software and players with WSOP.com

PokerStars – $30 Free Play on $20 Deposit

An internationally recognized name in the industry with the largest poker site in the world. The site runs tons of daily cash games and guaranteed tournaments, major tournament series (eg. the $1.2m NJSCOOP) and big promotions from time to time. Zoom Poker (fast-fold poker) and Jackpot Spin & Gos also bring in a ton of players as do its selection of mixed games – one of the rare poker sites that goes well above and beyond the usual selection of online Texas Hold’em games.

partypoker – $25 Free

Another proven international online site. NJ also offers BetMGM and BorgataPoker.com as partypoker skins in the state. All three sites share player pools in NJ.

partypoker has much improved software and a redesigned poker app specifically designed for playing one-tap poker in portrait mode. It also has one of the biggest free no deposit poker bonuses going:

Pennsylvania

Online poker in Pennsylvania has been limited to just one site for now, but it’s a winner in PokerStars. partypoker is expected to join the fold later in 2020.

PokerStars – $30 Free play on $20 Deposit

The platform launched in November 2019 and is a fenced-in market in PA. The site has been popular with players eager to get back online and has featured several major online series similar to offering in NJ, but generally with larger guarantees.

Real Money Poker Apps in NY

Along with offering play on traditional poker software, all operators in NJ and PA offer real money poker apps. These take the online poker experience and distill it down for ease of use and the ability to play anywhere.

Poker apps are tailored for simple tap functionality and game play and easy to navigate lobbies. Most events offered online can also be found on the app.

Downloading is simple and clicking through our links will take you directly to your poker site of choice. From there you can download the app and claim your welcome bonus.

It’s important to note that online poker operators use geolocation software to ensure players are located within a legal jurisdiction. Players can still sign up, deposit, and withdraw funds from anywhere however.

How to Open a New Online Poker Account in NY

Once you’re ready to play some online poker, signing up is quick and easy. Players will simply need to input some basic information like:

• name
• address
• email
• username
• password

Once that’s finished, you may need to confirm your identity and email but that only takes a few minutes. What’s great for online players is that most sites offer great bonuses for making a deposit and a free no deposit poker bonus you can use for real-money play just for signing up.

Those deposit bonuses can account for hundreds of free dollars to play. Making a deposit and taking advantage of those only takes a few minutes. Standard industry deposit methods include the following:

• E-check bank payments (ACH transfers)
• Visa/Mastercard
• Wire payments
• E-wallets such as Neteller
• Cash at partner casinos

Once that’s complete, finding a game and some stakes that suit you is as easy as navigating into the lobby. Players will find something for every bankroll:

• Cash games
• Multi-table tournaments
• Sit & go tournaments
• Jackpot-style tournament events
• Major tournament series

You also have the option at most sites to play for free money with no deposit. This offers a great opportunity to learn the software and sharpen up on your skills.

Are Legal Online Poker Sites Safe?

All legal NJ and PA poker sites must meet gaming commission approval, licensure, and regulation. Players can feel comfortable playing online here and a level of security they might not find in unregulated offshore sites.

All transactions on legal sites are encrypted and player funds are kept separately so they’re secure. Payments and cash outs are quick and simple.

This isn’t always the case with offshore poker sites, with slow payouts a common complaint. Players also don’t have the security of regulators like the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

These governmental bodies ensure that online operators are secure and following proper procedures. Online gaming sites must be licensed just like any other land-based casino.

Government regulation also offers players some recourse in the event there is a concern with an operator as well. Players can feel safe using one of the online poker sites in NJ or PA. Read more about safe poker sites here:

Which Poker Sites Could Open in New York?

New York has long been home to several tribal casinos and racinos. However, in 2013, voters approved a measure allowing up to seven commercial casinos in the state as well.

Players looking for live poker in New York at least have a few options with some nice-sized card rooms. Those include:

Poker Rooms In New York State

• Turning Stone (Verona) – 32 tables
• Resorts World Catskills (Montricello) – 19 tables
• Rivers Casino (Schenectady) – 16 tables
• Seneca Niagara (Niagara Falls) – 23 tables
• Del Lago (Waterloo) – 14 tables
• Tioga Downs (Nichols) – 12 tables
• Seneca Allegany (Salamanca) – 8 tables

A few of these stand out when it comes to considering possible online poker in a regulated New York market. Other legal states allow properties to enter into partnerships with major online poker operators for iPoker and iGaming.

Turning Stone remains one of the biggest live poker site in the state and even hosted some televised events during the poker boom. It could be a player with a major partner if laws are changed.

Rivers Casino is owned by Rush Street Gaming, which also has casinos with the Rivers brand in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and Des Plaines, Illinois. The company has signalled it would eventually offer online poker in Pennsylvania, but there was no news of a launch as of April 2020.

That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be possible, especially if New York did legalize online poker. Rush Street offers online gaming and sports betting in PA. A similar move would be expected in NY and poker might also be an option.

With a population of 20 million, New York represents the “big fish” sought by many industry observers. A large state like NY or California included in an interstate compact could be a game changer for the regulated US online poker industry.

If that did happen, look for major operators in the four current legalized states to jump in on the action. That could include:

• PokerStars
• WSOP.com
• 888poker
• partypoker

Other players might be willing to jump into the fray as well. Rivers partners with Unibet in Pennsylvania. Unibet is a trusted online gaming brand in Europe where it also offers poker. That could be ramped up in the US with a successful NY legalization effort. If NY legalized online poker, other states might be willing to get in on the action too.

Current Online Poker Status in New York

Poker players in NY may have found their frustration growing over the last few years. Despite legislative efforts in 2019, action on the online poker issue stalled and nothing was done.

That came after similar inaction in 2016 and 2017 after the Senate passed bills but the Assembly failed to act. Similar efforts to legalize for mobile sports betting also failed in 2019.

In January 2020, the same bill from 2019 was again assigned to the Senate’s Gaming, Racing and Wagering Committee. The bill would authorize up to 11 licenses at $10 million each, each valid for 10 years. The state would tax revenue at a rate of 15%, similar to New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

New York citizens will have to become more active if they want online poker in their state.

The Wire Act’s Effects on Online Poker in New York

Another hindrance to the online gaming industry is the Wire Act. In 2019, the US Department of Justice changed a previous opinion and now argued the act applies to online gaming as a whole and not just sports betting.

The ruling would have made interstate compacts illegal and could have repercussions beyond poker, but also lotteries, horse racing, and other iGaming opportunities. As of April 2020, the issue was still in court.

The DOJ lost the first round in court but appealed the ruling.The entire issue could ultimately wind up in front of the Supreme Court. The battle has hurt the expansion of interstate compacts.

Small populous (and small poker player pool) states like West Virginia may need these compacts for poker to survive. That probably wouldn’t be the case in New York. But adding its population to a shared liquidity pool would see a massive influx of players and prize pools.

New York online poker history

New York has long been home to several tribal casinos and racinos. However, in 2013, voters passed a measure to allow up to seven commercial casinos in the state.

So far, four commercial casinos have appeared in New York. They are:

• Del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo
• Rivers Casino & Resort, Schenectady
• Resorts World Catskills, Monticello
• Tioga Downs Casino, Nichols

Since then, legislators have been trying since 2014 to legalize online poker. Bills by Sen. John Bonacic and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow have had varying levels of success in making their way through the legislative bodies, but ultimately, all have died.

The notable parts of the bills have been their proposed regulations. They have made several recommendations, such as:

• Up to 10 licensees may operate online poker sites
• The licensing fee is $10 million
• Revenue would be taxed at 15 percent
• New York could enter into shared liquidity agreements with other states

New York online poker FAQ

How many poker players are there in NY?

That isn’t known exactly but it’s a good bet there are hundreds of thousands who would be ready to play poker online. Some may already be playing online in NJ and PA on occasion.

Major tournament series at properties like the Borgata in New Jersey and card rooms at NY casinos like Turning Stone have no lack of players.

The Empire State has also been home to some of the biggest names in poker including Erik Seidel, Alex Foxen, Bryn Kenney, Isaac Haxton, Scott Seiver, Nick Schulman, Vanessa Selbst, Shaun Deeb, and numerous others.

Why is New York considering legalizing online poker?

New Yorkers have played on unregulated online poker sites that operate without basic consumer protections. Legalization of the game will provide a safe environment for players while generating significant revenue for state coffers.

Due to this, the bills have gained widespread support from powerful casino lobbyists and a bevy of legislators.

When can players expect a bill to pass?

2020, at the earliest. Because New York is still working to get its act together on sports betting, legislators will likely feel more pressure to authorize that type of gambling first.

The Meadowlands Racetrack opened its sportsbook on July 14, 2018. The track’s proximity to New York City — 6 miles — means that legislators will have to watch New York dollars cross into New Jersey for several months.

Online poker’s best hope would be to piggyback itself onto a sports betting bill. However, it is unknown if such an amendment would be acceptable to pass.

However, New York’s land-based casinos have fallen short of revenue projections so far. It is possible that legislators could see online poker as a way to prop up those bottom lines.

Despite considerable support, the online poker bills have not made much headway in recent years. It’s a good bet that won’t change in 2020 and players may have to look to 2021.

Will New York offer online casino games?

Unlikely. Legislators have presented online poker bills in the last five years, and none of them have mentioned legalizing online casino games.

Would New York enter into to pooling agreements with other states?

Likely. The proposed laws in the past have specifically granted that right to New York’s government once online poker itself was up and running.

However, the US Justice Department has thrown the entire notion of interstate pooling into question with its January 2019 Wire Act opinion. Although the government agency is fighting litigation over the decision and has delayed any enforcement until the latter part of 2020, there is still a cloud over any type of expansion plans for interstate poker.

Should New York legalize online poker, how long will it take for sites to get up and running?

Up to a year. Under the most recent bill, the state would not grant licenses for 180 days after the passage of regulations. The operators’ readiness level will depend on how long an approval process would take after those 180 days.

Would out-of-state players be able to wager on New York online poker sites?

Possibly. In previously proposed bills, geolocation enforcement fell under the purview of the New York State Gaming Commission. However, players would not need a New York address to play on a state-regulated online poker site.

Can New Yorkers make any kinds of online wagers?

Sort of. The legislature passed a bill to allow daily fantasy sports play in 2016.

But, that law has experienced some legal setbacks. So, it’s unknown what the long-term outlook for DFS in New York is.

Is online poker legal in New York?

No, online poker is not explicitly legal in New York. Since New York law doesn’t explicitly criminalize online poker, some might assume that such an omission actually makes it legal. However, that assumption would be wrong.

Section 225.00 of theNew York Penal Code clearly states a person engages in gambling when that person stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance. It says any contest, game, gaming scheme or device in which the outcome depends on chance, even if the skill of the player may also be a factor, should be considered a game of chance.

Tribal and commercial casinos offer live poker rooms that host both cash games and tournaments.

Sweepstakes poker in New York

While New Yorkers cannot play legal real money poker online, sweepstakes online poker sites provide an option.

Poker New York Times

By employing a sweepstakes model and using virtual currencies rather than cash, these poker sites are able to operate in states where traditional online poker is not available. The best known and most popular sweepstakes poker site in NY is Global Poker.

Global Poker welcomes players from New York and every other US state aside from Washington. The site uses two virtual currencies: Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Players can buy Gold Coins and use them to play “cash” games and tournaments where they can win more Gold Coins.

The Gold Coins have no actual cash value. However, when players purchase Gold Coins, they also receive free Sweeps Coins as a bonus. You can use these Sweeps Coins to play in “cash” games and to enter tournaments for which the prizes are Sweeps Coins. Players can collect Sweeps Coins by other methods, too, such as through Facebook giveaways or by writing directly to Global Poker to request them.

Once players have won a certain number of Sweeps Coins, they can redeem them for cash prizes that they can then withdraw.

Are offshore poker sites safe for NY players?

No. There are a number of online poker sites accepting NY players, however, they are offshore sites. Offshore poker sites present significant risks for players, and you should avoid them in favor of legal sites.

If you deposit funds and play at an offshore site, you do so without any of the protections a licensed and regulated poker site provides. Since offshore sites operate outside of New York jurisdiction, you have no legal recourse should you encounter any problems related to the security of their funds or game integrity.

If you suspect cheating, collusion, multi-accounting or other issues regarding the fairness of games on an offshore site, you have to hope the site’s security team will respond to your complaints and deal with them appropriately. But there are no guarantees, and no legal means to ensure against such issues arising.

There have even been cases where such sites have shut down without notice, leaving players suddenly unable to access their accounts. Again, if an event like this were to occur, you would have little or no chance of recovering your bankroll.

The short answer, then, of whether it is safe to play on offshore sites is no, it is not. Fully legal, licensed and regulated sites are much preferable for US players.

When will NY have legal online poker sites?

It might seem as though New York is unlikely to legalize real money online poker any time soon. Residents in the state shouldn’t be entirely pessimistic, though.

Online poker in NY has a number of supporters among the state’s lawmakers. In fact, they have been seriously discussing the possibility of legalizing online poker for many years.

Online poker legislation has been introduced in New York every single year since 2014. In 2017, the Senate even voted in favor of a bill by an overwhelming 54-8 margin before it subsequently died in a House committee.

Primary proponent Sen. Joseph Addabbo reintroduced the online poker bill again in 2020, though it once again failed to move forward. As in the past, the bill would have authorized up to 11 licenses for online poker, each good for 10 years. The state would collect 15% tax revenue, a rate similar to both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The bill may not have advanced up the legislative ladder, but the issue certainly remains in play.

Recently, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers have seriously started considering the possibility of legalizing online sports betting in New York. There has also been discussion surrounding online gambling as a general topic. Either development could very well create favorable conditions for the subsequent introduction of legal online poker.

Online poker options in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

As far as real money online poker options go, New York players can create accounts on legal online poker sites in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They can even deposit funds from their New York homes. However, players must be physically within the applicable states in order to play online poker.

Online poker rooms in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer a great variety of cash games, sit and go’s and multitable tournaments. Most sites focus on No Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha, although WSOP.com also spreads seven-card stud, and PokerStars has a variety of mixed games.

Many New York poker players routinely travel either to NJ or PA to participate in the big online tournament series that frequently run on WSOP.com and PokerStars. WSOP.com invites New Jersey players to compete for WSOP Online Circuit rings and even WSOP bracelets.

In addition, on PokerStars, players in the Garden State can play the New Jersey Spring Championship of Online Poker (NJSCOOP) and New Jersey Championship of Online Poker (NJCOOP) series, and those in Pennsylvania can play the PASCOOP and PACOOP.

Live poker in New York

There are a number of live poker rooms in New York’s casinos. Poker rooms in the tribal casinos date back to the 1990s and 2000s, while commercial casino poker is newer, opening during the latter half of the 2010s.

Here’s a quick look at the poker rooms in each of the four tribal casinos and four commercial casinos:

Also worth noting are the two commercial poker rooms at Casino Niagara (26 tables) and Fallsview Casino Resort (16 tables), both in Niagara Falls just over the border in Ontario, Canada.

Commercial vs. tribal casino poker rooms

Players must be 21 or older to play any of the games in New York’s commercial casinos, including poker. Tribal casinos, though, operate within their own jurisdictions. As a result, in some cases, the age requirement differs.

For example, the minimum age to play poker at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino and Turning Stone Resort Casino is 18 years old. Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, however, requires players to be at least 21 to play.

Brief history of New York poker

When it comes to underground poker, New York is home to many of the most famous clubs in America.

Books like The Thompson Street Poker Club and Queer Luck from the 1880s and 1890s chronicle such clubs and the characters who populated them, albeit in an embellished fashion.

Starting in 1919 and lasting into the early 1930s, another well-known poker club met regularly at the Algonquin Hotel in midtown Manhattan. The group consisted of actors, writers, poets, columnists and critics, and they called themselves the Thanatopsis Pleasure and Inside Straight Club. Given that members of the famed Algonquin Round Table took part, it’s no surprise there were many stories written about the games.

Such poker games weren’t technically legal, but they thrived nonetheless. New York eventually legalized other types of gambling, like pari-mutuel wagering on horse races (reinstated in 1940) and the state lottery (in 1967). Underground poker clubs remained illegal but could be found all over the five boroughs.

Many clubs met in private homes or apartments, while others set up in restaurants, bars, office buildings and sometimes even in churches. A number of clubs convened at Hungarian restaurants commonly known as “goulash joints” or “ghoulies.”

Some clubs became quite famous, such as the Mayfair Club, which started as a bridge club before introducing backgammon, gin rummy and poker. Famous players like Stu Ungar, Erik Seidel and Dan Harrington were among those who played poker at the Mayfair. Later, the writers of the 1998 film “Rounders” would draw inspiration from the Mayfair and model the fictional Chesterfield Club after it.

Such clubs began encountering significant resistance from legal authorities, particularly during the tenure of New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The Mayfair was shut down in 2000, as were other clubs. Eventually, though, other establishments arose to take their place.

Legal options for New York poker players have also emerged over the years. In 1993, the state’s first tribal casino opened: Turning Stone in Verona. Others followed, and in 2013, voters authorized an amendment allowing commercial casinos to open outside of New York City. The first of these opened a few years later.

NY’s path to legalizing online poker

As mentioned, online poker legislation has been a topic of legislative discussions in New York since 2014. At first, a few half-hearted bill submissions and discussion was all there was.

However, in 2016, a bill passed through the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee. It marked the first time online poker legislation pushed past the introduction stage.

The NY Senate passed the bill by a vote of 53-5, and things looked promising. However, the 2016 legislative session ended in June without any action from the State Assembly.

The Senate passed similar legislation by a vote of 54-8 in June 2017. From there, online poker legislation looked like a good bet to go beyond where it had gone a year earlier. Unfortunately, like its predecessor, the bill never made it past the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Racing and Wagering.

The next two years, 2018 and 2019, proved to be quite frustrating for fans of online poker games. Although the demise of PASPA in 2018 was a boon for state legislatures and sports betting, it may have had a negative effect on the prospects for online poker in New York. Since the profit and tax potential for sports betting is so much higher than for online poker, many lawmakers made it clear that online sports betting would happen before online poker had a chance.

Another court ruling further wounded the prospects of online poker in New York. The online poker bills filed by State Sens. John Bonacic and, later, Joe Addabbo both relied upon the argument that poker was predominantly a skill game. However, a state court ruled that the skill argument was invalid for daily fantasy sports, and created a precedent that would apply to online poker, too. In 2020, a state appellate court upheld the lower court’s finding.

Between the blossoming of sports betting and the legal challenges, New York’s 2018 online poker bills died uneventful deaths without floor votes. Because sports betting became the en vogue topic, refiled bills didn’t even have the same level of momentum in 2019 or 2020.

However, New Yorkers who want online poker can take solace in the fact that they do have some steadfast champions in the legislature. In addition to Addabbo, who took up the torch after Bonacic retired in 2019, State Assemblymen Gary Pretlow and Clyde Vanel have also acted positively toward online poker legislation.

With that said, the end of 2020 seemed to put online sports betting in the spotlight, as Gov. Andrew Cuomoreversed his stance and endorsed the practice. At this point, online poker fans should hope that online sports betting can become a reality and let lawmakers see the potential of allowing the online poker games to begin.