Legal Arizona Online Poker
If you live in Arizona and want to play online poker in a legal manner, you have come to the right place as this site specializes in helping residents find legal sites to play poker online. As you will come to learn, the details assembled here are based on first-hand accounts of using actual poker sites that accept Arizona players. That's because we're as crazy about the game as you are, and therefore LegalPokerArizona.com can be on-point with the same topics & questions that you want to know about.
Below you will learn about Arizona's laws about online poker and get recommendations for the best poker sites accepting Arizona residents. In the end, we hope to clear up any misconceptions about online poker being illegal in AZ + help residents that want to play online poker find safe online venues to do so.
Is Online Poker Legal In Arizona?
Specialists agree that, since "offline" poker is legal in Arizona (of course, provided certain conditions are met), it would be insane to put a ban on playing it online. With that said, thousands of Arizona residents take to the web to get their poker fix daily... or nightly, depending on when they play.
And while Arizona doesn't regulate or endorse any online gambling sites, poker included, they have nothing in place that physically stops its citizens from playing online. Anyone in the state has the freedom to choose just about any online poker site they wish and join. Provided that you meet the minimum age to play poker in a land-based venue (21 years in Arizona), you will be allowed at most legal Arizona poker sites (others just require you be 18 years old).
Satisfied? Ready to go ahead and get to the tables? We're getting to that next but we always recommend that anyone that has doubts about the legality of playing poker online for cash in Arizona should consult a paid legal professional trained in the Arizona state statutes.
Legal Online Poker Sites For Arizona Residents
So we have already established that playing poker online in Arizona is perfectly legal. What now, where can you play? We have tested a couple of online poker sites and came up with a few recommendations from the websites that we are willing to trust with our own money. We know that all U.S.A. residents can trust these sites, including those who live in the Grand Canyon State.
Bovada offers Arizona poker players a number of different tournament formats that they can play in, some of which have been recently added. In total, Bovada now has four different types of poker tournaments such as shootout events, knockout / bounty tournaments, and heads-up matches. Each of these forms can be found under the "Scheduled Tournament" section in the main lobby of the poker room.
The poker site at Bovada is completely legal for those in Arizona of age to cruise the tables. Real cash can be played for and won across several games including Texas Hold'Em, Omaha, + stud games. And it's not just tournaments (like we had talked about above) that players can get in on, as there are many cash tables as well as Sit N Go tourneys that run around the close which give players that much more freedom with how they play.
Poker players living in Arizona have many choices for legal poker rooms that they can join. But, it doesn't get much better than the option available when they go to BetOnline's tables. Their poker software offers an assortment of great features and it's been proven to be fair. After all, what good is having a poker account at a site where you don't trust the results?
One of the most important aspects to an Arizona residents centers around winning real money when you take down that tournament or go on a hot-streak in the ring games. But, it's about receiving that cash because you can't simply go to the casino cage or wherever to claim your prize... a site must have easy + quick withdrawal options. BetOnline offers a smooth transition when you go to withdraw your money from the account on site, to you. This can be done with numerous varieties of checks (depending on how fast you need your money), using wire transfers like Western Union + MoneyGram, but they can also send money back to your bank account with an ACH transfer. So, as you can see Arizona players are well covered when it comes to getting paid here.
SportsBetting.ag claims that no other site does poker better them. Certainly they are telling the prospective player this to entice them, but upon further review of the site, there is a legitimate argument to be made for that. Those living in Arizona interested in playing poker online should definitely visit SportsBetting.ag when trying to settle on a legal poker room that fits your needs.
The poker site at SportsBetting.ag will give those with accounts a great experience. Any type of online poker game they are looking for, whether it's sitting at a table or playing in a tournament, they will be able to do so. Huge bonuses, easy deposit methods, and fast payouts await those players who choose SportsBetting.ag.
More About The Legality Of Playing Online Poker For Money In Arizona
Wanting to know more about the laws and gambling regulations in Arizona? We've assembled that information for you below as it relates to state and federal gaming laws. Also included is a brief update on where the state stands in the movement to regulate and have legalized gaming in Arizona.
Gambling laws in Arizona are fairly permissive – amusement and social gambling are allowed, as well as all forms of regulated gambling. In other words, you are allowed to play poker with your friends, in the comfort of your home, in an organized venue such as a casino, as well as at a state, country or district fair that complies with local regulations. There are no laws against online poker in Arizona.
A common misinterpretation regarding the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is that online poker is illegal. This is as far from the truth as possible – the law doesn't ban online gambling in any way, it only restricts financial institutions from wiring money to gambling venues. It doesn't, in any way, prohibit players from playing games of luck or skill, but rather puts a ban on certain financial transactions. It's a law that applies to banks and casino operators and not individuals who play poker for fun or profit.
Arizona is in the surrounding region where one of the biggest gambling states in the U.S. and across the world exists. That would be Nevada, its neighbor to the northwest. But when it comes to gambling online in Arizona, in particular poker, there is no legislation that would allow players to do that at a site regulated by the state. With that being said though, there could be several good reasons why Arizona should consider the possibility of pursuing such legislation.
One doesn't need to look any further than the region they are in. If a resident in Arizona wants to gamble, they are going to venture abroad to do so, likely to the neighbors up north in Las Vegas. Should Arizona decide to go with online gambling legislation and have it pass, then you could see an influx in gambling revenue to the stay, as those gamblers in the state opt instead to play from the comfort of their own home by a licensed gaming site by the state.
This is one of the key issues to pay attention to, because at the end of the day, the passing of any type of online gambling legislation where it legalizes it has to do with one thing, and one thing only. That would be money. If Arizona lawmakers think that the potential revenue from online poker positively benefit the state, they should move forward. It's hard to think that it would not. But as it stands now, the only move Arizona might make would be if online gambling was legalized on a national scale.
Is it Legal to play Land Based Poker in Arizona?
It is indeed legal to play poker in the state of Arizona, though it will be limited and regulated to a few select sites throughout the state. Still, if you are looking for tournaments and big poker rooms full of players looking to go toe to toe with other gamblers, you will not be disappointed.
The law officially states that all forms of risking money to gain money is illegal. The only gambling the law officially endorses is “amusement” gambling which basically means poker without actual risks and winnings, just a substitute like chips. Still the state does have contracts and treaties with the tribes in the areas that allow poker within the casinos operated by those tribes.
What this means is that while poker and poker rooms are technically illegal in most of Arizona, the casinos will always have free reign over what they offer. If poker should be played in a poker room outside one of these sanctioned casinos then the penalties can be steep with operation or promotion of these rooms incurring a class 5 felony and just playing at one of these locations resulting in a class 1 misdemeanor. This could result in heavy fines if you just participate in the game. It should also be noted however that the law allows “social” gambling, basically gambling among friends where every player is on equal terms and stands to get no benefit other than the winnings of the game they gambled on.
Legal Land Based Poker Rooms in Arizona
There are many land based poker rooms in Arizona due to the large amount of tribe run casinos. In total there are about 7 different locations for poker players to go to in the state. They are all relatively close to one another, often within an hour or two driving distance. Most often you will be limited to no limit Hold ’em for tournaments and the tournaments are often at specific times in the morning or night meaning those with an inflexible weekly schedule may have difficulty making it to one of these locations.
This leaves the other major option in Arizona as playing games at home with friends. Because Arizona allows social gambling you will never find yourself getting tackled or tear gassed by a strike team for gambling in your home. As long as you are purely playing poker with the only winnings coming from playing the game itself then you have nothing to fear. This also allows you to have more variety in the type of poker you play though winnings may not be as high as at a casino.
So Arizona residents definitely have a lot of options for gambling, though those outside the Tucson area may find they require a longer trip to get to any of the big casinos. In addition the sanctioning of games at home means that poker players aren’t subject to obscure laws or fines that other states could try and force upon a friendly home game if they desired too. All in all Arizona is a great state for playing poker.
Note: This article should in no way be regarded as legal advice about online poker for USA players. We are a group of poker players who wanted to demote some false myths about poker in Arizona being illegal. If you have further concerns, we would strongly advise you to consult with a legal representative.
