Legal Online Poker For Massachusetts Residents
If you are going to play legal online poker in Massachusetts, we can tell you that few sites stand above the rest. With so many different online poker rooms, few have received our recommendation. We have kept a very extensive set of requirements for choosing poker rooms, which is why you will not see that many on our list. If you are going to play online rather than in a live poker room, we can tell you there are only a few different options that are worth using. Massachusetts card players still have a solid set of options with our favorite sites.
LegalUSAPoker has dedicated this page to all those in the Bay State who are looking to play online poker for real money all while remaining under the rule of law. The factors that make a site truly great are far and few between at some sites but luckily, we have found a few destinations that are legal as well as impressive in their vast online poker rooms. Below, we will cover the basics to playing legal online poker in the Bay State.
Is Online Poker Legal In Massachusetts?
There are a few federal laws in place across the entire country that can affect playing online poker for money such as the Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). While these laws target the business of gambling and facilitating bets for profit, they do nothing to hinder a poker player from the simple act of placing a bet in a game of Texas Hold ‘Em or Omaha. These legislations intend to put a stop to organized crime, not to go after a Friday night poker game with friends.
The federal laws leave much space between the lines for each state to formulate its own gambling legislation and Massachusetts is one such place with its own unique rules. Luckily, for poker players, these local laws have very little to say when it comes to online poker. In fact, the Bay State has gone a century without adding any significant gambling laws to their constitution, which has left card players free to do as they wish.
While Massachusetts is very lax with their views on poker, there has yet to be licensed card room open in the state but the ability to do so exists. Poker players who live in the Bay State will have to travel out of state or log on to the web in order to play a hand for real money. As federal law prevents any online poker site from operating within the United States, a number of legal online poker rooms are still available. These sites are legal simply because of their location outside of U.S. regulation and anyone in Massachusetts is legally able to visit them.
Learn More: Is Online Poker Legal In The United States?
| Massachusetts Poker Rooms | U.S.A | USA Poker BONUS | Poker REVIEW | PLAY NOW |
| BetOnline Poker | Yes - 50 States | 25% Match To $1K Each |  |
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| SportsBetting Poker | Yes - 50 States | Up To 25% Each Deposit | |
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| 5Dimes Poker | Yes - 50 States | No Bonuses For Poker | |
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BetOnline Poker Room - Best Massachusetts Poker Site
BetOnline Poker - When we came to BetOnline's gambling site, we looked into their poker room above any other. BetOnline offers their users one of the most secure poker rooms online, and it has proven to be a solid choice due in part to their high level of customer commitment. BetOnline has tables for Hold 'em, Omaha and stud games, which means you will have access to all of the major variants of poker. Signing up to their site means you have access to tournaments and cash games of varying sizes, with everything from freerolls to $100,000 guaranteed tournaments.
If you go to make a deposit, you will have several credit/debit cards which include VISA + Bitcoin, and wire transfers at your disposal. Your first deposit is subject to a 25% match to $1,000, which is one of the bigger bonuses online. With this bonus you receive 10% up front, with the remaining 100% over time. Poker points can be accumulated and turned into cash, which effectively offers a built in version of rake back. No other poker room is quite as generous, making this one of the better locations for a pure VIP program.
Overall Thoughts About Legal Poker In Massachusetts
While the ability of the state to offer licensed poker rooms remains wide open, there have yet to be any brick and mortar facilities opened for players. Ground has broken on a couple of casinos that may feature live poker but for now, online poker is going to be the only direct route for a hand with real money.
Since both federal and state law allows for any player in the Bay State to wager in a hand of poker while only forbidding the business of gambling, players must search for venues that are legally operating. The act of facilitating bets on U.S. soil is illegal so there won’t be any sites locally to provide any action. Luckily, players are able to visit and legally play for real money on any site that is outside of U.S. jurisdiction. There are many reputable sites located in places such as Canada that provide excellent online poker rooms that are designed for American players. In fact, many of these businesses began as American companies only to move their operation after changing federal law. They continue to serve American players to this day without any hindrance.