3/24/2022»»Thursday

Online Poker In Arizona

3/24/2022
Online Poker In Arizona Average ratng: 3,8/5 8571 reviews

It really isn’t a surprise the Arizona online poker has become exceptionally popular in the Grand Canyon State. The state of Arizona is home to some of the best poker rooms in the world. The gambling laws in AZ are some of the most liberal in the country, being heavily influenced by the success of Las Vegas in their neighboring state of Nevada. There are live poker rooms that are located all over the state but are mostly located centrally around the Phoenix and Tucson area. For Arizonians that live in the north of the state near Flagstaff there are less options unless you cross state lines and go to Las Vegas.

If you live in this beautiful state and are looking for Arizona online poker options, then this is the guide you are looking for. The first bits of information that you will need to know when gathering information on internet poker sites are the details of legality and regulation. After you’re confident that you can establish the legality of particular website, you’ll want to look at their game selection, promos and bonuses, specialty tournaments and software availability to ensure that they are the right fit for you. In this guide, we will offer information on all of that so that you walk away considerably informed concerning USA online poker.

The poker laws of Arizona do not specifically address online poker as a legal or illegal form of gambling. Some of Arizona’s gambling laws fall under Title 5, which is categorized for. Yes, it is illegal to pay online poker in Arizona under the broad interpretation of the word 'gambling' in the state. While no criminal statutes specifically mention either the internet or online gaming, the state has.

Are Online Poker Sites Legal In Arizona?

Currently there are only a few states that have chosen to regulate online poker businesses on the state level. Those are the only states where online poker businesses can operate within the US. Those states also limit the usage of those sites to players who are physically located in one of those states. Thus, if you live in Arizona but you want to use a site that’s based out of New Jersey, you won’t be able to register unless you are physically located in the state of New Jersey. While there are no state regulated gambling sites in operation yet, there are plenty of legally sanctioned offshore destinations offering Arizona online gambling options.

Arizona

The legal option for the rest of us is to use properly licensed offshore poker sites that don’t cross over the US federal gambling regulations. There are several of these sites that exist on the internet that specifically target the American market and it is perfectly legal for you to use them, granted that they are properly regulated within their own jurisdictions. If they are not, international financial regulations will halt any financial transactions and you may be in violation of some federal laws. The bottom line; the website you are using must be located outside of the US, and have legal licensing and appropriate regulation. This concept also applies to Arizona online casinos and Arizona online sportsbooks.

Legally Licensed Online Poker Sites Accepting Arizona Players

This is a list that includes all our favorite online poker sites. They have each been through rigorous analysis by our team of online gambling specialists to have the proper licensing, regulation and to comply with all US federal and state laws. We take it upon ourselves personally to use these sites for long periods of time and to test the functionality of each of the components of the sites so that we can provide for you a detailed review of the gaming selection and the legality that comprises the site.

Site NameBonusRatingTypeUSAVisit Site
$500PokerVisit Site
$1000PokerVisit Site

Other Arizona Gambling Pages

Online Poker In Arizona

What Games Can I Play At Arizona Online Poker Rooms?

There are several types of USA online poker games that you can find available on these legal offshore sites. Americana, Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 32 card draw and even 7 or 5 card stud poker are all offered at most poker rooms. You will have access to some of the more exotic poker games at several asites that include HORSE, Caribbean Stud Poker and others. Along with these games comes the options for high, medium, and low stakes along with week-long events and tournaments for you to enjoy.

Over the course of time that the online poker industry has flourished, the need to switch from the classic instant play versions of the game to a more stable downloadable client has arisen. These clients take the pressure off your bandwidth and internet connection by housing the programs graphics and major command functions locally on your hard drive. This leaves your internet connection free to focus on the financial information and the game details to communicate with the game server without being bogged down with all that other information.

Can I Play For Free At Online Poker Sites?

Playing poker for free online is a little more complicated than playing online casino games for free. This is because the poker games involve a table full of real live players, not a machine. Some online poker sites have gone the extra mile and incorporated a free play mode in their actual live games. To use this function, simply select ‘play money’ when logging in or selecting the game you are going to play. For poker rooms that don’t offer a free play option, the best way to play for free is to enter the poker room’s Freeroll Tournaments. These tournaments do not charge an entrance fee and usually offer prizes and/or a jackpot to the winners. Another way to play for free is through ‘no deposit bonuses’. When you find this kind of promotion, you will be given a bonus without being required to make a deposit. If you successfully meet the associated wagering requirements, then you are usually able to keep any winnings associated with the bonus.

Are There Online Poker Bonuses For AZ Players?

The promotions that are available to residents of Arizona are vast in the online poker arena. The specific packages differ from site to site and function as one of the main points of differentiation between the top-dogs. Poker bonuses are typically offered as a match deposit bonus, which means that the poker room will agree to match a specific percentage of your initial or reload deposit up to a designated maximum amount. For example, you may see an offer that reads something like this: Get a bonus worth a 200% match up to $1000. In this bonus, the poker room is agreeing to match 200% of your bonus up to a maximum of $1000. That is more than doubling your initial deposit. As you can see, the promotions packages really define the type of gamblers that those particular websites will incentivize.

Can I Play Real Money Poker Games From My Mobile Phone?

We are pleased to inform you that you can indeed enjoy real money poker gaming from your mobile phone or tablet. The technology involved requires the utilization of responsive technology and in some cases, OS specific designs. The poker brands we recommend are all driven by browser based, mobile optimized websites that utilize responsive technology to allow the site to be compatible with a variety of devices, operating systems and mobile networks. These web baed applications do not require downloads of any kind, and can be access in one step by placing the provided link onto your device’s home page. This means that Android, iOS, Windows and Blackberry devices are compatible with the poker application. In some cases, there are poker room brands that have also developed a downloadable app that is designed for a specific operating system. In this case a download is required, but the app has been designed to take up minimal space on your device, and provides interactive, live poker gaming in real time as you compete with other players.

What Are The Banking Options At Arizona Online Poker Sites?

As another one of the main functions in an online poker room, the cashier will offer several options for making deposits into your account and requesting payouts when you wish to collect your winnings. The most common and easily used method of financial transactions with online poker rooms is through the use of e-currencies like Bitcoin. The digital currency can trace its beginnings back to being offered in specials and promos for online gambling websites so it makes perfect sense that it travels so well between online gambling websites and financial institutions now.

You will also have several other options that range and vary from site to site. Most of the time you will be able to make direct deposits using the major credit cards like Visa and MasterCard, bank transfers, wire to wire transfers and some even offer the option to mail in a paper check. Withdrawal options are usually similar to the deposit options at any certain website. Make sure to pay attention to all the details when it comes to requesting payouts. They are often associated with various fees and processing times.

Arizona Views on Poker Gambling from The Beginning.

Arizona was once a frontier state where anything could happen at any moment. Throughout the years, the state’s attitude towards gambling started to shift towards the federal idea of gambling and in the middle of the 20th century, gambling was outlawed in all forms. Some years later the success of Las Vegas, Nevada, there neighbor to the west, started to turn some heads in legislation when they analyzed the tax revenue. Arizona decided to give way to some Indian tribes across the state in both games of skill and chance in order to turn a profit. Since then, Arizona has seen astronomical increases in tourism and gambling tax revenues. The state of AZ has started to lean heavily on the industry for state economy and has relaxed regulations in the years since to enjoy a wider range of gambling entertainment.

Brick & Mortar Poker Rooms in Arizona

Yes, but mainly in Native American casinos. With the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1986, Native Americans obtained the legal right to offer gambling on their reservations. It went into effect in 1993, but it took another decade for individual tribal compacts to be completed. Among the 21 tribes, there are a total of 25 casinos throughout the state, all with the option to offer everything from live poker and table games to slot machines and video poker, many even offering hotel and other accommodations.

Betting is allowed on horse and dog racing but only at the tracks, as no off-track wagering is permitted. There is a legal lottery, as well as bingo and charitable fundraisers using casino themes. Raffles are also legal, as is social gambling.

Legal poker may fall into the category of social gaming, but it is not specified.

Can I Play Online Poker in Arizona?

The poker laws of Arizona do not specifically address online poker as a legal or illegal form of gambling.

Is Online Poker Illegal In Arizona

Some of Arizona’s gambling laws fall under Title 5, which is categorized for “Amusements and Sports.” Bingo, racing, lottery, and Indian reservation gambling all fall under that section of the state statutes.

Gambling in general, on the other hand, is addressed in Title 13, the “Criminal Code” portion of the statute. Chapter 33 of that section goes into gambling, and the first section defines “amusement gambling” as “involving a device, game or contest which is played for entertainment” if all of the following conditions apply: Players actively participate in the game, the outcome is not in the control of any person other than the players, and prizes are not offered as “a lure to separate the player or players from their money.”

In addition, at least one of these must apply to be construed as gambling: Players do not benefit other than to replay, which is not exchangeable for value, no one other than players derive a profit from money paid by players in an athletic event, money paid to gamble is part of purchase price of product and no drawing is held to determine winners, or skill is the predominant factor in the game.

Poker

That final portion of the gambling definition is important to relay in full:

“Skill and not chance is clearly the predominant factor in the game and the odds of winning the game based upon chance cannot be altered, provided the game complies with any licensing or regulatory requirements by the jurisdiction in which it is operated, no benefit for a single win is given to the player or players other than a merchandise prize which has a wholesale fair market value of less than ten dollars or coupons which are redeemable only at the place of play and only for a merchandise prize which has a fair market value of less than ten dollars and, regardless of the number of wins, no aggregate of coupons may be redeemed for a merchandise prize with a wholesale fair market value of greater than five hundred fifty dollars.”

Legislators clearly wanted to separate games of skill and chance, though they chose a very confusingly wordy way to do it.

There are exclusions to the bill, however, in a section that details conduct that is “not unlawful”:

  • Amusement gambling
  • Social gambling
  • Regulated gambling

This is where the definition of social gambling comes in as “gambling that is not conducted as a business and that involves players who compete on equal terms with each other in a gamble if all of the following apply”: No player receives benefits other than winnings, no other person benefits from the gambling activity, no players are below 21 years old, and no player enjoys an advantage over another player via the game rules. Poker should apply under this statute, but it has never been tested in court.

Other key components of the statute include:

  • Promotion of gambling is a class 5 felony.
  • Simply benefiting from social or any type of gambling, if done knowingly, can be charged as a class 1 misdemeanor.
  • Accepting bets is also a class 1 misdemeanor.
  • Possessing a gambling device or records can be class 1 misdemeanors.

While some aspects of online poker can be included in various parts of the state statutes, there is no mention of online poker or online gambling specifically. This means the state does not regulate online poker, though its official stance on online gambling – a game of skill, no less – remains confusing.

With that said, there has never been any indication that Arizona authorities cared to prosecute online poker sites, much less the players on those sites.

Online

Disclaimer: This is not written by an attorney and is not or should not be construed as legal advice. Please consult an attorney for help interpreting these laws as they pertain to any given situation.

Latest Developments Regarding Online Poker in Arizona

Despite Arizona being a home to many poker players, as well as located near the card rooms of California and the gambling mecca of Las Vegas in Nevada, the poker industry has never focused much energy on pursuing legalized online poker for Arizona. If California legalized the games, there would be a better chance of seeing legislation in Arizona, but neither is likely as 2018 gets underway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Are there live poker rooms at Native American casinos?

Answer: Yes. Many casinos have notable poker rooms, some that offer big tournament series like the annual Arizona State Poker Championships. Players travel from many neighboring states to play.

Can You Play Online Poker In Arizona

Question: Have Arizona online players ever been harassed by law enforcement?

Answer: No. There are no recorded incidents of online poker players being singled out by any state officials for playing online poker or any type of internet gambling. Players are generally safe from this type of prosecution in the United States, as evidenced by the lack of any player charges on Black Friday.

Question: Would tribes consider launching online poker sites under their compacts?

Answer: Current Native American gambling compacts do not expressly permit online gambling sites, so compacts would have to be renegotiated with the state in order to pursue online gambling. There would have to be a concerted effort on the part of tribal leaders to lobby the state for this change, and most Native American tribes across America have been hesitant to transition any of their gambling opportunities to the online sphere thus far.

Online Poker Arizona Reddit

Fun Facts

Pokerstars Arizona

  • Abbreviation:AZ
  • Nickname: The Grand Canyon State
  • Capital: Phoenix
  • Largest city:Phoenix
  • Population: 6,931,071 (14th of 50 states)
  • Area: 113,990 square miles
  • Famous poker players:Jake Balsiger, Tom Schneider, David Baker, Ryan Hughes, Jim Bechtel, Kevin O’Donnell, Mike Wattel, Cate Hall