U S. online poker faces regulatory turning point in 2025 Yogonet International

You entered a poker industry that was overwhelmingly male, both at the tables and in the media. As a poker fan, I got behind the ropes access to everything and made money to boot, so it always felt like a blessing. I had a glimpse of what tournaments looked like because the WSOP Circuit had come through Caesars Southern Indiana.

The top sites offer numerous deposit methods, charge little fees, and process those transfers as quickly as possible so players can launch into poker action right away. But the number of poker sites available to Americans, for example, is much smaller than poker players in Canada and Europe. A lot of players put themselves behind the eight ball because they enter re-entry tournaments in Las Vegas while telling themselves they will only buy in for one bullet. Best-selling author and professional poker player Alex Fitzgerald shares how to reassess your game to be prepared for next www.pokernewsdaily.com year’s WSOP summer series. I wish him and all the final table players the joy and thrill of it that I was so fortunate to have.

There’s also plenty of juicy cash game action for players at all bankroll and skill levels. Its tournaments are well-structured, with a mix of progressive knockouts, daily guarantees, and satellites to popular live events like the PartyPoker MILLIONS. Because it attracts players from across 888’s casino and sportsbook, the action is never-ending.

“People told me that they observed his kindness and compassion towards other players as they exited. The difference between players who win and the very biggest winners. They will get you closer to the right answer in the real games you are actually playing. Then I decided to get into a very thin call-down spot against the one other player at the table who could actually play ball. Against those players, you need a river plan before you call the turn.

As a result, there was no one to hold them accountable when misconduct, such as the infamous cheating scandal at UB, victimized players. Without proper legalization and regulation, online poker sites operate without much oversight. As one of the most conservative states in the country, Utah does not offer online or live poker and don’t hold your breath for that to change any time soon. There is no online poker in Texas and the state has some of the strictest gambling laws in the country. There is no online or live poker in Tennessee and it seems unlikely that either will be reaching the state any time soon.

ICM considerations, bankroll implications and gameplay dynamics become even more relevant, and there are several factors to consider in order to be profitable. Strategy is vital for any poker format, but a solid plan and discipline is arguably even more essential when it comes to poker tournaments. Like 888poker, Party tends to lean towards higher guarantees rather than offering the volume of events that PokerStars and GGPoker does with their series.

Daniel Negreanu reveals why PLO is his game of choice, Josh Arieh’s influence and how he beat Artur Martirosian heads-up for his eighth bracelet. In the end, McKeehen outlasted 673 entries in the $5,300 buy-in to score a top prize of $462,600, which was adjusted during heads-up play. \”I caught some cards and I won some big pots. It seemed every time the pot got really big, especially three-handed, I had the best hand. That was helpful.” “It feels like every time I get into the situation, I just can’t. “Down here in Florida, I don’t feel like I’ve ever done as well as I should have,” McKeehen told SHRPO live reporter BJ Nemeth. As it turns out, it’s been a long time coming for the North Wales, Pennsylvania pro.

And lastly, I think Greg ‘FBT’ Mueller played very, very tight at the final two tables, but that was a bit of an over-adjustment. I think it’s clear Jumalon is the favorite, and as long as he can play a good final table, he should secure a nice payday. Poker pros predict who will win the 2026 WSOP Main Event as Lucas Jumalon leads the final table into poker’s biggest showdown. And I’ve been receiving so many nice tweets and shout-outs from a lot of well-respected players; Matusow, Hellmuth, David Baker, Alex Livingston, the list goes on. I’m asking players their pick to win, and many of the older guys are rooting for you.

WSOP Circuit Sanremo

Season 3 of Galfond’s intense Beyond the Game poker training program brings some big improvements and more flexible membership options. From preflop chart apps to solvers and ICM calculators, discover the best poker tools in 2026 that you will need in your arsenal. The huge pot was a fitting exclamation mark to a wild stretch of play. Start-of-day leader Reoma Ogawa was ousted in seventh place when his roughly nine-big-blind three-bet shove was called by Molenaar’s ac,qs. It finally came 38 hands later with Yuya Arito falling to Chan after he jammed 5h,5d from the small blind and couldn’t hold up against Chan’s call from the big blind with ks,jh. Play was notably snug after the bubble burst, with the APT commentary team invoking Teddy KGB from Rounders as the entire table was ‘hanging around, hanging around’ for that first $6K pay jump.

888poker LIVE will return to Glasgow with a packed schedule, highlighted by a £250K Main Event and a full week of tournaments for both locals and visiting players. Rania Nasreddine is one of nine players still chasing the title in the WSOP $1,500 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em event, while Michel Molenaar leads the final table race and Daniel Negreanu remains in contention. Gamblers Connect covers the operators, tournament series, software providers, regulation and major moves shaping live and online poker. Show’s over in Arizona ClubWPT Gold has withdrawn from the Arizona online poker market, giving players just a few days to submit prize redemption requests. Well over one million online poker players have taken advantage of PokerListings’ exclusive sign-up deals and we’ve paid out several million dollars in freerolls over the past years.

Those are the kind of hands that are the reason I love the game and make poker what it is. Poker’s boom years played a vital role in making the game safer and more inviting to all. I’ve been sitting at public poker tables since the mid-1980s. The poker environment, the atmosphere in which we all played 25 or 35 years ago, was toxic. But you’re not sitting those games, and if you are, you already know all this.

Since PocketFives Live only covered the members of the online community, we also had a lot more latitude than other outlets. On my first day I remember the time for the first post was drawing near and I just sat at the computer afraid I would mess it up. Your first WSOP job was near the bottom of the poker-media ladder, but you treated it as an opportunity to prove you belonged. The behaviors I observed and wrote about certainly happened at the series, so I guess I didn’t get anything ‘wrong’ per se? However, if you are asking about my academic research, the paper I had written was about non-verbal communication among poker cohorts, so that really didn’t address the scope of the WSOP. Along the way, she found a place for herself in an industry that often had a very narrow idea of what a woman in poker media was supposed to look like and do.

Today, we continue that tradition with fresh daily updates, breaking news, tournament coverage, player stories, and expert insights that keep you connected to the fast-moving poker world. The two poker superstars each guaranteed $1 million from their own pockets if PokerStars and Full Tilt didn’t pay back players, and… Read more » From breaking down the best and worst poker hands, to strategies for playing tournaments, our team of experts will break down the best cases for you. In 2026, you’ll find even more events and useful information, with reports from best poker tournaments from around the world (including the WPT, EPT and WSOP), monthly freerolls and even better exclusive poker sign-up offers. Additionally, on April 1st, PokerStars Casino Progressive Jackpots will be removed, and any progressive contributions will be distributed back to participating players.

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SNGs start as soon as enough players register and usually have smaller fields. However, in order to win money (be profitable) in the long run, a decent understanding of the game is required. The best poker sites don’t just protect your money, they help you stay in control. Legitimate poker sites are licensed by trusted regulatory bodies that enforce strict standards for fairness, security, and responsible gaming. “Use your stack to target ICM pressure points—especially when you can cover players waiting to ladder up.” A double up early on or being an overwhelming chip-leader means little, given the total amount of chips in play and the time left in the tournament.

Backed by a respected casino brand and offering easy access to promotions and support, you can’t go wrong with Borgata Poker. The only site where you can win real WSOP bracelets online in the United States is WSOP Online. The WPT Global deposit bonus and free tournament tickets are generous, but the real appeal lies in its tournament ecosystem. PartyPoker is ideal if you want balanced action, steady rewards, and a friendly environment without predatory play.

There is no online or live poker in South Carolina and it seems unlikely that either will be making its way to the state any time soon. State lawmakers considered regulating online poker in 2013 but haven’t spoken about the issue and aren’t expected to break their silence any time soon. Despite imposing many rules on online gaming, Ohio lawmakers have yet to legalize online poker or approve any online poker laws. While online poker is not currently legal in North Dakota and the state has traditionally been resistant to gaming expansion, there was a lot of movement in 2021 to legalize online poker. Live poker was only allowed at tribal casinos until 2013, when commercial casinos were made legal and began offering poker games.

Many notable streamers, such as Lex Veldhuis, Parker Talbot and Benjamin Spragg, choose to play MTTs due to their appeal to their audience and stream-friendly action. MTT is a broad term that can encompass many different types of poker tournament in itself. If we’re taking the term literally, an MTT, or Multi-Table Tournament, is a tournament that runs across two or more tables simultaneously. The best poker site to play freerolls is PartyPoker. They’re perfect for beginners, bankroll builders and anyone looking to play without spending real money.

• We also update the bonuses so potential customers know which sites offer the best deals.
• Watch live poker on the PokerNews Twitch channel.
• Yes, at Somuchpoker, you can find rakeback offers for most online poker rooms.
• You could see that he was one of the few players who was willing to bluff off 35M.
• MGM National Harbor was the latest casino to open its doors in December 2016 and has the most table games in the state, whereas Live!

Minnesota does sport a modest casino and poker culture with 23 brick and mortar casinos, many of which accept patrons who are 18 and over, although some are for ages 21 and up. Since PokerStars led the way, many other operators entered the multi-state compact and began sharing player pools across states, the latest being the addition of BetRivers Poker in June 2025. On January 1, 2023, PokerStars became the first operator to link their Michigan player pool with another state. Most of Massachusetts’ gaming sphere might be new, but it’s showing rapid progression with its land-based casinos and sports betting. Maryland is another state that has expanded land-based gambling offerings with six casinos. The Bluegrass State has taken an even tougher stance against online gaming.

Meanwhile, some states have long embraced poker such as Nevada, New Jersey, and Louisiana. Find out more about the poker scene in each of those six states. Online poker is also legal in Connecticut, Maine and Rhode Island, but as of 2026 no operator has decided to launch there. Be sure to check out the schedules for upcoming events, and come back again soon for the latest updates and information! PokerNews is getting ready to report on the following events and festivals.

The day before we started the final table, we all saw the final table setup together and went through the practical stuff. There seemed to be a real camaraderie among the final nine despite what everyone was playing for. We went through some technical spots together where I definitely got some nice help with certain spots you could expect frequently at the final table. Did you work with any coaches at all to prepare for the final table? I was feeling good and confident going into the final table.

When we got down to heads-up, he had become handcuffed and in really bad shape because he had completely run out of time banks. Sometimes you have to get it in preflop. Sure, there are times when you get coolered, and you’ve got to put it in.

The 2026 Venetian DeepStack Championship at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas distributed $22,947,285 in prize money across 121 numbered events, running from May 21 through August 2, according to PokerNews. Poker player, vlogger, and influencer Doug Polk has announced that he is “stepping… Introduced by Northern Virginia Democrat Marcus Simon on Tuesday, HB161 would place online gambling under the regulatory authority of the Virginia Lottery Board. Last Friday, Gov. Bill Lee signed Senate Bill 2136 into law, banning online sweepstakes casinos… Read more »

For discussion on more general non-strategy poker topics, check out the General Poker forum. There are even threads that allow you to ask poker experts, such as Ryan Laplante, specific strategy questions. The Poker News forum threads help you keep up to date with the latest changes and updates in the poker world.

Thanks to its shared-liquidity network than spans multiple states, player pools for both cash games and tournaments are consistently large. So, we’ve given you the best poker sites for newbies, but what about the best sites for experienced players, MTT grinders or the value hunters looking for the top online bonuses? The poker rooms below represent our top recommendations for players taking their first steps into online poker. The software is stable and the loyalty program links with MGM Rewards, adding value for live casino players too. WPT Global gives players a direct route to the World Poker Tour, with online qualifiers feeding into major live events.

The way this actually manifests is that hundreds of bars across the state serve as sort of hybrid entertainment locations, offering live poker, video poker, video lottery, keno, and off-track betting. Montana adheres to its history as a wild West state when it comes to gambling law, holding a unique position as the only state allowing casino-style gambling outside of casinos. However, online gambling has struggled to establish any kind of foothold.

For the younger generations that might not know, Negreanu racked up well over $4M in tournament earnings. And then Negreanu took center stage – first providing listeners with a bit of his poker backstory before launching into a story about his first bracelet win back in 1998. We’ll have much more from the Main Event and the rest of the series, so keep your browsers locked on PokerOrg, the official media partner of the Asian Poker Tour. Plus, with low-cost satellites available, you can earn your way into events for a fraction of the already-inexpensive price. And with the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) looming on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to start honing your strategy – check out the schedule highlights below. From August 16 to 31, the MicroMillions schedule will provide 139 events and more than $2M in guaranteed prize pools.

There are no online poker rooms in Hawaii, one of the smallest states in the country by area and population. That includes slots, table games, lottery, and sports betting. That said, the Sunshine State has become a hotbed for tournament poker, with some of the biggest events ever taking place in this southern state.

This is one of the most undervalued situations in the game today. Almost everybody calls way too much out of the big blind and then does not play that spot very well. Get used to playing like you have ammunition. “It’s not like in physical sports, where you see someone dart across the field and maybe do something fantastic in a ballgame. It’s translating poker’s invisible psychology into a single-panel illustration.

I really started to fall in love with the game watching those videos and learning the intricacies of poker and how super deep the game is. It was when my dad used to run home games with his friends. This is what being present does for you, and it’s why I believe every player should prioritize getting into this state above all else. You might notice that none of the questions I had you ask were, “What is theoretically correct against a perfect player? I had this happen deep in an online tournament the other night.

Because it’s much easier to truly improve at the game than it used to be. It’s no secret that the quality of poker training has increased by orders of magnitude since the boom years. The old days of poker, pre-Moneymaker and before the TV cameras, were not pretty. But I do have a pretty good perspective on where poker is now, compared to the boom days. Try it the next time you’re unsure whether you should go for something because of what others might think.