Playing online poker is not difficult, but it requires a little bit of preparation before you can get started. First, you must download the software from the poker website of your choice. This should take just a few minutes, and most websites are virus-free. Once you’ve done that, you should create an account. Make sure that you only have one account – multi-accounting is prohibited in online poker and can lead to a ban.

You will have to provide additional information to verify your identity. Oftentimes, you’ll be asked for a social security number, date of birth, and address. You can also be asked to provide a photo of your credit card. These documents will verify that you’re an adult and not a child. Then, you can start playing online poker for real money.

Currently, there are only five states that allow players to play online poker for real money. These states are Delaware, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Delaware and New Jersey both have online poker licenses, but they share their players with the WSOP and 888 poker rooms. This means that players from these three states are able to play in larger tournaments and cash games.

New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware have legalized online poker, and it is expected to join them in April 2018. Pennsylvania is moving towards legalizing online poker, and will likely follow suit when it becomes legal. However, there’s no set timeline for when online poker will be legal in Pennsylvania. That said, it’s a good sign that many states are considering regulating online poker.

The online poker industry is very competitive. The poker rooms make their money by collecting rakes, and enticing players to sign up with their websites. The more players they have, the more money they’ll make. Therefore, each poker room offers a variety of bonuses to attract new players. Bonus offers can range anywhere from twenty percent to 100 percent of a player’s deposit. However, players should carefully read the terms and conditions of each bonus.

Online poker is governed by different laws than brick-and-mortar poker. In the United States, the legality of online poker is a hotly debated topic. President Bush enacted the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, but online poker is legal in several other countries. Besides the US, online poker is legal in the United Kingdom and many Caribbean countries.

In the United States, there are four states that allow online poker. The laws for legalized online poker vary by state, but in most cases, players are not prosecuted for accessing offshore online poker sites. The federal government has banned online poker in many states, but this does not prevent them from accessing offshore online poker sites.