US Poker Sites 2014

#1 US Online Poker Site August 2014
#1 Rated Poker Safe Poker Site For US Players Fastest Deposits and Withdrawals 2X The Players of Other US Sites

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Poker Sites For US Players

Living in the United States and looking for where to play poker online for real money? That's what I do and I've been doing it since it all started. In both 2006 (UIGEA) and in 2011  (Black Friday) have shaken up online poker but some sites have survived and are doing better than ever.  Poker is Americas' Game and has always been played for real money and its still available at safe secure sites. 

All the sites I recommend are the very best available to US players and i play at these sites myself. Poker games available include Texas Hold em, Omaha and Stud, with the highest traffic for all sites is No Limit Holdem and Limit Hold em.  With software upgrades, new withdrawal methods and a ton of new players and guaranteed tournaments the poker landscape is constantly improving for American residents.

The Best Online Poker Sites that Accept US Players

Bovada Review

Highest Traffic US Poker Site Fastest US Withdrawals Very Soft Competition

100% up to $1000

ACR Review

Fast Debit Card Withdrawals 2013 Traffic Growth 63% New Software (July 2013)

100% up to $1000

	Carbon Poker Review	US Mobile Poker Apps Fast Deposits & Payouts 45% Cash Back Rewards	200% up to $5000
	Bet Online Review	Accepts All 50 States Weak Players Sports Betting & Casino	25% Instantly

US Poker Traffic and Key Data

Ratings for US facing poker sites for July 2014, highest traffic is at Bovada, which has twice the average player numbers as its nearest competitor. The weakest players are at Americas Card Room and the fastest withdrawals are at Bovada via Rapid Transfer, with Americas Card Room  a close second via debit card - Click the poker room name for a full review.

Highest Traffic Volumes			Softest Poker Sites			Fastest Withdrawal Speed
1	Bovada		1	Americas Card Room		1	Bovada
2	Americas Card Room		2	Bovada		2	Americas Card Room
3	Bet Online		3	Bet Online		3	Carbon Poker
4	Carbon Poker		4	Carbon Poker		4	Bet Online
5	Lock Poker		5	Lock Poker		5	Lock Poker (Very Slow)

Banking Options for US Poker Players

Deposits

Playing poker online for real money is still a snap.  All sites accept major Credit Cards but occasionally it can be hit and miss. VISA is Recommended as having the highest acceptance rate.   Bet Online has the highest acceptance rate for VISA, MasterCard and Amex.  Other deposit options for US players include Check, Click2Pay, Cash Transfer (Western Union or MoneyGram), another alternative is player to player transfers (P2P) which works at all sites except Carbon Poker. If you don't have a Credit Card, a prepaid VISA or cash transfer via Western Union or MoneyGram would be the fastest way to start playing poker for real money.

Withdrawals

Getting your money off a site and into your pocket is what I consider to be the most important factor of real money play.  The following information applies to all sites listed on our website unless otherwise stated. Here is what you need to know: 

1)  All sites require that you confirm your identity to prevent someone from fraudulently taking your money by making sure you are you.  To confirm your identity send a copy of your photo ID (drivers license, passport or other equivalent) plus a current utility bill or bank statement with your name and address. Basically all you need to do is put the documents on your table take a picture with your phone and email it to the card room.  It is a good idea to do this as soon as you sign up for an account so you can access your money when you want it. 

2)  Living in the US there are a few good options to get your money: Check - checks are the cheapest way to get your money into your pocket, there is usually a low or no fee (Bet Online offers one free withdrawal by check per month) and it takes about 10 days for you to receive the funds.  So checks are cheap but not the fastest way to get paid.  Western Union & MoneyGram  - these services are a faster way to get your money, but there is a fee and for smaller amounts it is too high to be worth while in my opinion.  Those should only be used when you need the money fast.  Debit Card - Only available at Americas Card Room upon request they can send you a Debit card that can be used for withdrawals it costs about $5 to load the card from your player account and for the ATM fee to withdraw. There is no cost to get the card but there is a $5 monthly fee for administration.  The great thing about the card is that it is fast and cheap - about 24-48 hours until you receive your money  at a minimal cost compared to Western Union or MoneyGram where fees are often over 10% of your withdrawal.

3) None of the sites that are listed here have had any problems with bad checks or any failure to pay.  I continually check forums and keep an eye out for any problems.

Is it Legal to Play Online Poker In The United States?

US Federal Laws - Do not prohibit online poker for real money, the seizure of domains and assets of Full Tilt, PokerStars, Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker were due to unlawful banking practices of these companies in relation to the UIGEA.  The poker sites that I have listed here are not affected.

US State Laws - The one state that prohibits online poker for real money is Washington State.  New York, Utah, Missouri, Maryland, Louisiana, and Kentucky have vague laws where online pokers legality is a grey area.  All other states either approve of online poker or have no laws against it.

The Wire Act - The wire act is a law that prohibits Sportsbooks from taking bets across state lines via telegraph or telephone and also applies to the internet.  This makes it illegal for the Sportsbook and not the bettor. 

UIGEA-  This law was created in 2006 and is called the unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act: This law was not aimed at US Players but at banking and gaming companies that were using certain financial transactions that relate to money laundering. An unregulated Poker Site, Casino or Sportsbook that did not pass the strict KYC or Know Your Client laws for banks created an opportunity for transactions that were used to launder money into the financial system.  On certain poker sites "chip dumping" in heads up games was seen as a possibility for moving illicit funds, the Department of Homeland Security wanted it closed, thus the law.

Jurisdiction -  The online poker / betting sites on this site are all outside of US jurisdiction and are legal and regulated in their offshore countries. Making US interference in an international business a violation of the World Trade Organization to which it is a member.  Bet Online accepts players from every state.

Regulation - All the listed poker sites listed on this website are Licensed and Regulated offshore.  This means that they are required to meet a lengthy list of regulations most important of which is to provide fair games, segregated accounts for players funds and customer support including problem resolution. If a site is found in breach of any of the regulations and a request to address the problem is not met their licence can be pulled.

Poker Sites Not Available to US Citizens

Major Poker Sites:

PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Party Poker, 888 Poker, ipoker network, Microgaming Network

Recently Closed To US Players (2012-14):

Intertops Poker, Cake Poker,  Fugu Poker, Colt Poker, Hi Life Poker, Minted Poker, Bodog Poker (Now Bovada), PDC Poker (Closed).

Blacklisted Poker Sites:

Ultimate Bet, Absolute Poker, Hero Poker, RPM Poker

Other poker sites that are not mentioned are left out purposely, they either don't serve the US market, are of low quality or have unresolved customer disputes.

All of the sites listed on US Poker Sites 2014 are "open for business and have my personal recommendation for real money US poker players and bettors"