How to Choose the Right Online Poker Room For You
Today's poker players are spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting a online poker room to play at thanks to there being dozens of major sites offering online poker services to them. Sometimes, too much choice can make the selection process stressful, so here at PokerNews we've created a ranking system for what we believe are the best online poker rooms in business today.
PokerNews' Online Poker Room Rankings
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The team at PokerNews are not only experts in all areas of poker, we also love this fantastic game and are avid online poker players ourselves. This means that we are committed to providing an accurate ranking system that helps you, our loyal readers, to choose a poker room that is going to provide you with endless entertainment and a first class experience every time you sit down to play poker.
When one of our team is tasked with writing a review of an online poker room, they go to great lengths to ensure the review is accurate, fair and a true representation of what you will experience if you choose to give your business to that particular poker room.
Poker players today are spoiled for choice when choosing an online poker room thanks to dozens of poker sites providing their online poker services to them. However, with so many leading poker sites available online, the selection process can become quite confusing and stressful at times, especially to newcomers entering the online poker community.
To do this, the reviewer looks at several key areas – detailed below – and puts the software through its paces so you know what to expect when you come to create your account at the site in question. In short, we do all of the groundwork and research so you do not have to.
Which Are The Best Online Poker Rooms?
One of the most common questions asked by poker players is which are the best online poker rooms. The answer to this question, like most poker-related inquiries, is it depends.
As the saying goes “one man's meat is another man's poison,” meaning that what one person finds ideal for an online poker room may not be what someone else is looking for. Cash game players have different needs than multi-table tournament specialists, while low-stakes grinders look at a site differently to high-volume high-stakes players.
Thankfully, regardless of what games you play and what stakes you currently compete it, PokerNews' online poker room rankings and reviews give you an insight into what to expect from each poker room listed; both the positive and negative qualities are there for all to see.
How Does PokerNews Rank Online Poker Sites?
Our team members examine each of the online poker rooms in great detail before publishing their findings on the PokerNews site. As you will see from the reviews, we give a brief description of the poker room, list several pros and cons and reveal who the poker room's owner is, where its headquarters are, who provides the online poker room with its software and, if known, where the game servers are located.
From there, we take a look at bonuses and loyalty schemes offered by each poker room, examine where most of the site's traffic is concentrated, detail any notable software features that allow the site to stand out from other poker rooms, list the deposit and withdrawal methods, before highlighting the all-important customer support channels.
If a site has plentiful traffic across all games and formats they will rank higher than online poker rooms that are less busy. Likewise, should a poker room offer generous sign-up bonuses or run regular value-packed promotions it will rank higher than one where these offers are scant.
By looking at these key areas, you know what to expect (and what not to expect) before you sign up to a poker room, which means you can concentrate solely on playing poker and enjoying yourself.
What Should I Look For In An Online Poker Room?
Poker Forum Sites
It is all well and good having the PokerNews reviews at hand, but what should you be looking for other than glowing references from our team of experts? Here are some key areas that you should be looking for in an online poker room.
Bonuses and Loyalty Scheme
Every online poker room offers new customers a bonus when they sign up for an account with them. The size of the bonus and the conditions of its release vary wildly from each poker room, but most require you to make an initial deposit and will gift you a bonus based on the size of that deposit.
An increasing number of online poker rooms offer a no-deposit bonus so you can test the software for yourself without the need to risk any of your own bonus. The main downside to these types of bonuses is they are always much smaller than a typical welcome, sign-up or first deposit bonus.
Once you have signed up to a poker room, it will want to retain your business and one way to do this is via a loyalty of VIP scheme. Again, like bonuses, these scheme vary from site-to-site so finding one that suits how much poker you play is key. Some VIP schemes look amazing at first glance, often offering huge prizes for reaching the top levels, but if the stakes and volume that you play makes reaching those dizzy heights impossible they may as well be offering you the moon.
Security
Hardrock casino hollywood fl address. For a poker room to even be considered for review at PokerNews we ensure that it has received official certification from an authorized online gaming regulatory body in regards to its random number generator and in its encryption methods.
Thankfully, these days, the best online poker sites are bound by strict terms of its license and security is taken very seriously.
Traffic and Games Offered
If you prefer to play mid-stakes pot-limit Omaha high/low there is no point signing up with a poker room that does not spread these games. Short-handed no limit hold'em cash games are by far the most popular format offered by online poker rooms today, yet some sites enjoy plenty of traffic in other games while some offer specialist games rarely found in the online poker world.
Software Features and Functionality
Even if a poker room ticks all of the above boxes, you may not want to play there if its software is not up to scratch. Software of the major online poker rooms has massively improved in recent years and even some of the smaller poker rooms have excellent software.
Look at the features offered by a poker room such as auto top-up, preferred seating, automatic rebuys and anything that you prefer to have available to you and see if is available on your chosen site. Chances are, if it is listed among our best online poker rooms, the features you require will be present.
Play at Global Poker
California poker players can play at Global Poker, an online poker site with a unique sweepstakes model and that offers PayPal deposits.
Latest California online poker news
- by Sean ChaffinOctober 1, 2019
California online poker bill AB 2863
California Assemblyman Adam Gray introduced AB 2863during the 2016 legislative session. The bill took a different approach from previous years’ efforts to legalize online poker in the state. In those attempts, the various stakeholders were unable to reach a consensus and the bill failed to come to a vote before the end of the session.
In 2016, Assemblyman Gray hoped to solve the issue with the debate about whether horse racetracks should get involved in the state’s online poker industry.
The California horse racing industry would have received up to $60 million per year from online poker taxes if AB 2863 had passed the state legislature. Additionally, 5 percent of the annual taxes would have gone to California’s Fair and Exposition Fund, which supports administering agencies, state, county and district fairs.
The other 95 percent would be split three ways. Purses for the horsemen would receive 95.4 percent. Finally, the remaining 4.6 percent would be evenly divided between pensions for horsemen and employees of racetracks.
This is usually represented in the following way:. These may vary between casinos, but the most common type of deposit bonuses are also called “match-up bonuses”.The most common bonuses see you deposit anything up to €100, with the casino then matching this deposited amount by giving you extra betting money in the form of bonus cash. 888 casino bonus wagering requirements.
AB 2863 did not address licensing fees or a tax rate. These portions of the bill were intentionally blank, while the previous version required a $15 million deposit and a 15 percent tax rate.
Another issue in AB 2863 was a bad actor clause, which is why some California tribes want to keep PokerStars out of the state. Consequently, this led PokerStars and its coalition to rally against AB 2863.
The 2016 legislative session ended in California on Aug. 31, 2016. AB 2863 did not get a vote and was thus declared dead for the year. Whether the issue will again see the light of day in 2018 is anyone’s guess.
Past California online poker bills
California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer introduced AB 167 in 2015.The bill would have permitted all card clubs, tribes and racetracks to offer online poker in California.
Additionally, it would have created player penalties for giving action to unlicensed, offshore sites.This bill had the support of the PokerStars coalition, but not the Pechanga coalition.
Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced AB 9 during the 2015 California legislative session.This bill included a “bad actor” clause and did not permit licensing of racetracks. This bill had the support of the Pechanga’s coalition, but not PokerStars’ coalition.
Finally, State Sen. Isadore Hall and Assemblyman Gray introduced SB 278 and AB 431, respectively.These were placeholder bills with no primary language about online poker.
PokerStars’ coalition
PokerStars’ coalition consists of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Commerce Casino, Hawaiian Gardens and the Bicycle Casino.
This group opposes the so-called “bad actor” clause, which would exclude any company that accepted bets after Dec. 31, 2006, in the US without proper licensing.
The reason for PokerStars’ coalition’s opposition to the clause is apparent. As a result of the provision, PokerStars would be excluded from operating in California, removing the group’s partner.
The PokerStars coalition also supports the inclusion of the state’s racetracks. The consensus is that any bill that does not include the horse racing industry will get a veto by Gov. Jerry Brown.
Pechanga coalition
There are seven tribes that oppose bad actors and the participation of racetracks in California. Those tribes are:
- Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
- Barona Band of Mission Indians
- Lytton Band of Pomo Indians
- Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians
- Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
- Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
- Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
Other tribal positions
Online Poker Sites California Forum 2106 Online
Most other California tribes have remained mostly silent on the issue of racetracks or bad actors.Pala Interactive, the online gaming subsidiary of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, appears to expect the inclusion of racetracks.
Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians partnered with Caesars for its land-based casino. Hence, it seems logical that it would use WSOP.com for its interactive gaming.Rincon and Caesars both stated that they support the inclusion of PokerStars in the California online gaming market.
California online poker FAQ
Why is California behind other states in legalizing online poker?
While California was one of the first states to offer legal card clubs, its ability to move that a variety of factors hampers the industry’s move to the internet.
There are three gaming segments in California: card clubs, racetracks and tribes. All three have different opinions as to how to approach online poker, even within the groups. Because of this, there are issues with agreeing on how to move forward.
Additionally, there are conservative groups that oppose any form of gambling expansion.
Are there any legal online poker sites in California?
There are no legal poker sites in California. Hence, Bovada, Winning Poker Network, Merge Gaming and all other offshore sites operate unlicensed.
What are the chances that California legalizes online poker?
California online poker appears to be unlikely to pass in the near future.
What are the main issues keeping online poker from legal online poker?
The main issues pertaining to the inclusion of racetracks and PokerStars.
Will California offer legal online casino games?
All bills introduced up to this point have only proposed legalizing poker. They did not include casino games or sports betting.
Will California pool with other legal poker states?
Most California online poker bills have proposed the possibility of sharing players with other states, so it is possible that California could choose to pool players with New Jersey or Nevada should the state move forward on legalizing internet poker.
How soon would California launch online poker if they pass legislation in 2018?
It would take between 12 and 18 months for California online poker to launch if approved by lawmakers.
Will PokerStars operate in California?
Online Poker Sites California Forum 2106 2016
That depends on the bill that eventually passes. While some include language that would specifically exclude PokerStars, some industry experts believe that a bill excluding PokerStars can never pass in California.
How much tax revenue will California generate?
Online Poker Sites California Forum 2106 Free
It is estimated that California online poker rooms would generate about $350 million a year in rake. This would translate to $35 million a year in tax revenue at a rate of 10 percent.
Additional licensing fees for sites and employees would also create taxes for the state.
Online Poker Sites For California
Will California poker sites be available outside of California?
No download slot games. Legal California poker sites would only be available in states where a liquidity sharing agreement is created. Otherwise, players will be required to be in California at the time of action.