Can I Play on PokerStars From California?
PokerStars forbids those from California from playing for real money on their website. Alternatives include Americas Cardroom, available to play for real money in all 50 states. Regular online tournaments are making every day players millionaires. Americas Cardoom offers a welcome bonus up to $2000.
The world's largest real money online poker site, PokerStars, opted to exit the U.S. market back in 2011 after it was caught up in a well-publicized investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.
PokerStars had attempted to join forces with California casinos and some of the Tribes to offer its poker platform, however, there was resistance from other Tribal casinos in the state.
The great news is that you can still play online poker for real money at Americas Cardroom. They offer top tournaments and innovative games that include Blitz satellites where you win up to $2650 tickets with buy-ins that start at just 11 cents. They also offer bounty tournaments, but with a twist. Take down a player and you’ll get 50% of their bounty, with the other half now on your head.
Licensed cardrooms in California can offer card games in which players vie against each other (rather than against the house), and this includes poker. As of 2011, there were 93 licensed cardrooms in the state None of these poker rooms offer online poker sites. Access to online poker is still only available to California residents courtesy of internationally-licensed online poker rooms.
Americas Cardroom is one of the few sites that has long served the U.S. market and is currently offering a $5 million Mini Online Super Series with small buy-ins and huge wins. Americas Cardroom tends to rank among the top 5 largest online poker sites in the world. It also offers a sportsbook and online casino.
- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com