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Best US Poker Sites
(Updated 01-09-11)
We are unable to recommend any poker sites that are currently accepting new US players due to events surrounding Black Friday.
Some of the remaining US facing sites while still allowing existing US players are no longer accepting new US players. While some sites are still accepting new US players we feel that taking into consideration the unpredictable nature of the DOJ’s actions playing on or signing up to any of the remaining sites is not for the faint hearted and we cannot recommend it.
Before doing so players should understand the increased risk and possibility of losing your bankroll should a site suffer a large seizure of funds and render them insolvent as a result.
After the events of Black Friday (15th April 2011) when the US Department of Justice (DoJ) seized the funds of the two largest poker sites online (PokerStars & Full Tilt Poker) and also those of Absolute Poker / Ultimatebet we feel that all sites that remain US facing are at some level of risk from more seizures, this is a level of risk that on balance we do not think players should take.
Poker Sites Open to US Players
Currently PokerStars has withdrawn from the US market and is still in discussions with the DOJ about remaining seized assets.
Full Tilt poker has closed down to all players and is currently in dicussions with both regulator (AGCC), the DOJ and is trying to get investors to cover the shortfall caused by the DOJ seizing most of its assets and seemingly not being prepared to release enough to payout US and non US players balances if nothing else.
Not all of the few remaining poker site that are US facing are actually accepting new US signups.
Sites Allowing Existing US Players
There are some sites still allowing their current US players to play on their sites but not accepting new US signups either permanently or on a tempory basis …
Carbon Poker and most Merge Gaming sites still allow their exiting US players but they are not currently accepting new US signups.
Bodog is also currently allowing their US players to continue on the site but will be rebranding at the end of 2011 when Bodog will move all its US players onto another US facing brand run by one of its other partners. The Bodog will have a totally non US player base.
Sites Accepting New US Player Signups
Cake Poker and sites on the cake poker network are still acepting new players. However as with all US facing poker sites deposit and withdrawal methods are sketchy and take a long time.
The only other US facing sites are networks so small that we would not recommend them to players anyway.
Best US Friendly Poker Rooms
For players in the US there is far less choice of rooms to play as the UIGEA Bill has made depositing at online poker sites more difficult. We include information on all the deposit options at each poker room and this includes several deposit options for US players.
While the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) was designed to disrupt online gaming by restricting banking and deposits into poker sites, it has NOT made it illegal for players to play in the US. However various bills have been put forward to try and formally legalize and regulated online poker in the US. Recently individual states are acting at a state level so it is NOT be legal to play in certain states, like Washington state.
Poker Sites for US Players
We have played at 100′s of different poker sites online and fully reviewed over 40 poker rooms to compile our top rated and ranked site lists. Our top 10 best US poker sites list features the the best rooms for American poker players.
The massive growth of poker in the United States is reflected online where online poker sites are very popular. United States poker tournaments are long established like the WSOP & WPT which attracts poker players from all over the world.