The WSOP has grown into one of the world’s biggest venues for online poker, and its schedule is filled with exciting weekly events, including a guaranteed $100,000 Sunday night event. The WSOP also features four seasonal Championship series each year. Its huge schedule of events makes it one of the best destinations for US poker players, and online poker tournaments at the WSOP give players the chance to win Circuit rings and Series bracelets. WSOP tournaments also regularly set records in the legal US online poker market.
While US online poker is still in its early stages, the process of regulation is gaining traction in many other countries. Currently, six US states have legalized online poker, and more are expected to do so in the coming years. Many countries, including France and Italy, have imposed licensing fees and taxes for online poker operators. Meanwhile, other European countries are only beginning to set up similar laws and regulations. Whether or not these laws will affect the industry remains to be seen, but there are plenty of reasons for online poker to become a mainstream activity.
The United States government has made online poker legal in a number of states. However, the Justice Department has reversed its 2011 Wire Act opinion. The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel has drafted a new opinion which replaces the RAWA bills. Although this opinion is still subject to legal challenges, it does provide clarification for the 1961 Wire Act. With Pennsylvania becoming the fourth state to legalize online poker, the federal government can now be expected to make a final ruling soon.
When looking for an online poker site, make sure to check out the games and payment methods offered by the site. Also, check out the license of the site and how long it has been in business. Online poker regulations differ by state, so make sure to check with your state before joining. Some states also have bans on some of the biggest online poker sites. Make sure you do your research and sign up to as many poker rooms as you can find. Just remember to gamble responsibly, and never stake more money than you can afford to lose.
Many players are concerned about the possibility of collusion in online poker. Fortunately, there are ways to detect collusion. Security personnel at online poker rooms check players’ hand histories to spot patterns in players’ behavior. The ability to see patterns helps prevent colluding players from folding without knowledge of their opponents’ strength. Moreover, the IP addresses of players is also checked, and attempts to detect unusual patterns can lead to their detection. As such, players are advised to make sure that they are not playing with a computer from the same household.