Our staff constructed this webpage to inform Arizona residents of several legal means to play poker for real money that are available across the Grand Canyon State. Although online poker grew a bad reputation following “Black Friday” when several major poker sites shut down and took their players money with them, legal online poker rooms that accept Arizona residents are actually one of the best and most popular means of playing today. Those interested in learning about legally playing poker for money in the comfort of home should read on as we go through the laws and our most favorite venues for playing online poker.
The most important thing to understand about poker laws in the United States in general and Arizona in particular is that they are not geared towards players. Neither the state nor the federal government has an interest in punishing otherwise honest citizens who play a game of poker, rather, policy attacks those who facilitate poker for a profit. This means that if a resident has an interest in online poker, just so long as they only participate in it and do not operate their own poker website, they will be safe from prosecution.
There is no doubt that this is good news for poker fans in Arizona, but there is another question to ask. What good does it do poker fans if it’s legal for them to play if no one may legally operate a game? This is where the best Arizona poker sites come into play. Although facilitating online poker is a criminal act, since these Arizona poker sites do so from offshore locations far away from state and federal jurisdiction, they may operate legally so long as they do so within the confines of their native country’s laws.
This means that Arizona residents may legally play poker with legal businesses, and that simplifies life a great deal.
Read More: Is It Legal To Gamble Online In Arizona?
While the prospect of gambling with an offshore business may make some Arizona residents nervous, there is no cause for alarm. There are two major advantages to using these legal Arizona online poker rooms to play over illicit, US based operations. First, since they are indeed legal, there are no concerns over a law enforcement agency shutting them down, hence repeating “Black Friday.” Second, as legit businesses, they have access to top of the line software to protect both your identity and your money, making these some of the safest websites anywhere on the internet.
It’s strange to say it, but after ten years in the industry, BetOnline just may be shaking its reputation as the newcomer in the industry. It’s about time, too. After operating with as high a level of service and attention to the quality of their product that this legal poker site has shown, they were due for some adulation. Whether you’re focusing on the customer testimonial page that goes on for miles or the fact that BetOnline earned the endorsement as an official partner of the World Series of Poker, they surely have the look of an outfit that has finally "arrived."
Of course, they are used to players doubting them. That’s why they continue to entice them with one of the best sign-up offers in the world. When you sign up for poker at BetOnline, you will qualify 200% of your deposit returned right back to you in cash. You will rack up this bonus in increments as you play more games whether you win or lose. This not only helps alleviate the pain from some poker growing pains, but if you happen to hit the ground running, helps grow your bankroll even more.
Thanks to the large tribal presence in Arizona, there are many federally sanctioned, land based casinos, and most of them have poker rooms. In a state as large as Arizona, even their great number of brick and mortar poker rooms may feel a little too scattered, but it’s still better than nothing. To tell the truth, their remote locations and proximity to hotels probably make for a better weekend getaway than a regular poker hobby, but residents should be happy to have so many high quality legal gambling options in Arizona.
For those who prefer to play poker more regularly for only an hour or so rather than driving that long just to play a couple hands, legal online poker rooms are always open for Arizona residents.
There is a catch to the goodwill the law seems to afford the game of poker, a resident must be at least 21 to play. Although it’s legal to play poker anywhere in the state, players who attempt to do so underage could find themselves subject to steep legal penalties and even jail time if they are over 18. The best advice a seasoned veteran can give an underage poker player is to hold off playing for money until they turn 21.
Now that we have established that the laws are easy to work with, Arizona residents should have no excuse to break the law to play the game they love. Moreover, residents interested in becoming players should harbor no reservations about diving into the game headfirst. Poker has provided many players with both entertainment and profit, and it looks like that trend should continue for a very long time.