The idea of online poker has some advantages over the usual kind. You don't have to drive to a casino. You can play in your underwear. You can smoke or breathe clean air, according to your pleasure. You don't have to tip the dealer; plus, the lower operating costs of online cardrooms may be passed on to players. You can sing along to your music without disturbing anyone. You have the ultimate poker face. You can't be mugged in the parking lot. And finally, online poker attracts players who have never been inside a real cardroom and thus may not be that sophisticated in their play.
Is online poker legal?
As of this writing, the issue is ambiguous in most U.S. states and at the U.S. federal level. Most of the cardroom sites are operated from the Caribbean or Central America. Existing laws tend to target illegal gambling operators rather than the players, but since the online operators are out of reach there is political pressure to modify this approach. In the U.S., several federal bills have been proposed that regulate or forbid online wagers. You're on your own until legal systems catch up with technology.
Is online poker safe?
The jury is also still out on this one. There are a number of risks when it comes to online poker. First is the ease of collusion among online poker players. The magnitude of this risk is a matter of ongoing debate, but it is possible for your opponents to communicate secretly or even be the same person. Second is the possibility that the cardroom will not honor a redemption request, that is, will stiff you when you ask for your money. However I have never expirianced this or heard of this happening to anyone. Third is the possibility that the technology is not secure, allowing others to compromise the game's or site's integrity. This could take any number of forms, from others knowing your cards, knowing what cards will be dealt next, changing what cards will be dealt next, or even impersonating you and withdrawing your money. Fourth is the possibility that an insider at the online poker cardroom will take advantage of existing security flaws or secretly create new ones to favor their accomplices during play. Fifth is the chance that a cardroom insider will compile records of your play and reveal them to your opponents for strategic or tactical analysis. Sixth is the chance that you will be found guilty of a crime in some jurisdiction, perhaps not even your own, simply for playing online poker. For example, if your internet traffic is routed through Virginia, as much of it is, are your internet activities subject to Virginia law? Seventh is the chance that opening an offshore account will bring other aspects of your life under the scrutiny of authorities, for example, by increasing the chances of an IRS tax audit.
You might notice that many of these risks exist in real cardrooms. It is likely that some risks will be greater in the online poker world and that some will be lesser. At least one of the online poker cardrooms takes the precaution of applying collusion detection algorithms to the database of hand histories. It may turn out that the cost of collusion will be lower in the online poker world. Also, in time, it is likely that some of the online poker cardrooms will seek audited validation of their software and processes by one of the major accounting firms. But for now, you have to judge for yourself whether you can accept the risks. Personaly I enjoy playing online poker.
You can find a list of what it belive is the best online poker rooms right here at poker-rules.com - I have tryed almost all the online cardrooms offering online poker.
