The four states with regulated real-money poker
Real-money online poker requires a state gambling license. Four states currently issue them: New Jersey (since 2013), Nevada (2013), Pennsylvania (2019), and Michigan (2021).
| State | Live since | Operators | Shared liquidity |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | Nov 2013 | WSOP.com, BetMGM, PokerStars NJ, partypoker | NJ + NV + MI |
| Nevada | Apr 2013 | WSOP.com | NJ + NV + MI |
| Michigan | Jan 2021 | WSOP.com, BetMGM, PokerStars MI | NJ + NV + MI |
| Pennsylvania | Nov 2019 | WSOP.com PA, BetMGM PA, PokerStars PA | Ring-fenced (no shared pool) |
Shared liquidity matters
The MSIGA (Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement) allows NJ, NV, and MI to share their player pools. That's why WSOP.com can run $215 daily freerolls,the combined pool justifies the guarantees. Pennsylvania has not joined the MSIGA as of June 2026, so PA players are in a separate pool with smaller traffic.
Sweepstakes poker,most other states
Sweeps poker operates under federal sweepstakes law, not state gambling regulation. That means a sweeps room can typically operate in any state that hasn't passed explicit legislation banning the model.
States where sweeps poker is legal (as of June 2026):
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and DC.
Sweeps restricted or banned
- Washington state: Online gambling laws are strict,most sweeps operators do not serve Washington residents.
- Idaho: Sweeps explicitly restricted by state interpretation.
- Michigan: Some sweeps operators have voluntarily withdrawn after MGCB regulatory pressure.
- Nevada: Most sweeps operators withdraw rather than risk gambling-license complications.
- Kentucky, Illinois, Maryland: Operator-by-operator restrictions, check the specific room.
What about offshore real-money sites?
Sites like ACR Poker operate under offshore licensing (Curaçao, in ACR's case) and serve US players in a legal grey area. The federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 prohibits banks from processing gambling transactions, but the law was written to target operators, not players.
In practice:
- No US player has ever been prosecuted for playing on an offshore poker site
- Some US banks decline gambling-MCC transactions,crypto is the common workaround
- Offshore operators have no US legal recourse,if there's a dispute, you have no court
- Tax obligations on winnings are still your responsibility, regardless of the operator's jurisdiction
Which sites work in your state?
Quick lookup,find your state and we'll point you to the right starting room:
| If you live in... | Best real-money | Best sweeps |
|---|---|---|
| NJ | WSOP.com or PokerStars NJ | Global Poker |
| NV | WSOP.com | Most sweeps don't operate |
| MI | WSOP.com or BetMGM | Limited sweeps coverage |
| PA | WSOP.com PA or BetMGM PA | Global Poker, ClubWPT Gold |
| CA, TX, FL, NY, anywhere else | Offshore (ACR Poker) or skip | Global Poker, ClubWPT Gold |
| WA | None legal | None,strictest sweeps state |
What's coming in 2026-2027
Active state legislation worth watching:
- New York: Online poker bill in committee for the fourth year. Sponsors say 2027 is realistic.
- Illinois: Online casino bill includes poker, currently stalled in the General Assembly.
- California: Tribal gaming compact disputes make federal-level online poker authorization unlikely until 2028 at earliest.
- Connecticut: Already has online casino,poker amendment proposed for 2027 session.
Outside of those, the next state to legalize is more likely than not to be one without an established commercial casino industry, where the political math is simpler.
What this means for you
If you're in NJ, NV, MI, or PA,you have full regulated options. WSOP.com is our top pick for the WSOP brand integration and shared liquidity (in NJ/NV/MI).
If you're anywhere else,sweeps is your legal path. Global Poker for the broadest tournament schedule, ClubWPT Gold for the WPT branding, or Stake.us for the crypto cashout speed.