Online Poker – Is Online Poker Legal in the US?

While most online poker rooms are regulated by state governments, there are still some that are not. The most notable setback occurred in 2011, when New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware passed laws that prohibited online gaming. However, the number of states that have legalized online poker has steadily increased. The United States has the most regulated market, while other countries such as Germany and Slovenia are struggling with licensing regimes. In addition, several South American countries are working to legalize the game.

The US internet poker market is trending in a positive direction, despite a 2011 opinion by the US Department of Justice. A lawsuit filed by the New Hampshire Lottery Commission ended in a positive ruling for online poker. Currently, the case is in the appeals process and may reach the US Supreme Court. A final decision is unlikely for several years. Meanwhile, the US Internet poker market is expected to continue to grow. There are no immediate plans for regulation, but the regulatory environment is favorable to online gambling, and many people are excited to see this emerging industry flourish.

In order to play online poker, you must download the software required by most sites. This program requires little memory and should not take long to download even on the slowest connection. Some poker sites also offer no download versions of their software. Although these do not provide as many features as the full download version, they are a great way to get started. For some players, no-download versions of online poker are available for free. The problem with the latter option is that the no-download version is not the same as the full-featured version.