There are several factors to consider when it comes to playing online poker. If you are based in the US, you may be wondering if it is legal to play this game. Also, you may wonder about the safety and security issues. The answer to these questions will be based on the laws that govern the industry.
Is online poker legal in the US?
Since the introduction of online poker websites in the US, the question of legality has become a topic of debate. Although online gambling has been banned in most states, a handful of states have recently enacted laws making online poker legal. Currently, five US states have legalized online poker.
The US government has never prosecuted online poker players. In fact, hundreds of thousands of Americans have enjoyed the freedom to play poker online. As such, the government has no interest in prosecuting players and does not have the legal standing to do so. In addition, the US DOJ acknowledges that online poker does not violate federal law. This leaves it up to the states to regulate the game. For example, in the state of Utah, online poker is illegal, but no one has ever been prosecuted.
Is it safe?
The question of safety is an important one for online poker players. While there have been some black eyes in the past decade of online poker, the track record is pretty solid overall. There are many well-established publicly traded poker sites, and most are backed by reputable companies. That said, there are still some things to be careful of, especially if you live in a jurisdiction where gambling is illegal.
The biggest concern for players is cheating. Hackings have occurred, and sites that were hacked by disgruntled employees have been forced to compensate former employees for their criminal activities. Therefore, it is critical that you stick to reputable sites.
Is it secure?
Online poker isn’t 100% secure, but the operators do need to check the identity of new players. One way to do this is to use a secure online ID validation process. This would prevent the use of fake IDs and prevent collusion with other players. Typically, the verification process is quite simple, and it involves just an email address.
In addition, using a strong password is critical for online poker security. A good password should be at least 8 characters long and contain a mixture of numbers, symbols, and lower and upper case letters. It should also be different for each account. You may also want to use a separate email address just for your poker account. It is also helpful to use a password manager.