The Supreme Court repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, making it possible for states to legalise sports betting. This means, in recent years, it has become a little less complicated in America when it comes to legal betting.
In Arizona, on the other hand, what you’re allowed to do and where can prove to be rather more complex. If you want to play online poker in AZ, there are a few things you need to understand, while watching out for the changing landscape ahead.
Is playing online poker in AZ legal or not?
Those living in Arizona and wishing to play poker online won’t run into any restrictions on play. Regardless of what type of online poker room they enter on whatever device.
All American-based online poker sites, regardless of where they are registered, can accept players from Arizona. This means if you’re registered with an address in Arizona, there will be no problem.
If you are travelling through Arizona, it may not be possible to use a foreign account. Nor may it be possible to play without an adequate U.S. address.
The crux of it then is that, while there are still hurdles to jump in regards to sports betting and the like, online poker IS legal in the state of Arizona, for now.
Familiarising yourself with regulations in AZ
It appears that as of now Arizona has no plans to regulate online poker. This means that any site you enter from Arizona will be allowed. However, it will be regulated by a different territory, i.e. whatever state the gambling company is registered in initially.
It’s pertinent to keep in mind while making your bets and playing your game in AZ freely, you’ll still be held to the account. Instead of by Arizona legislation, it will be the rules enforced by whatever state has regulated the online poker site in the first place.
Exceptions to gambling laws
The definition of this is that skill, rather than chance, is the deciding factor when announcing something as “gambling”. As long as the game you’re playing complies with the licensing requirements set out by the authorities within the state you are playing, you’ll be fine.
In terms of online poker specifically, Arizona’s legislators do not consider online poker to need any legislation at all. The lack of legislation is primarily due to opposition by Native American tribes who provide brick and mortar casinos in the state.
If you are travelling through Arizona, there are a number of real casinos you can go to in order to play poker.
Arizona’s key links with the online poker boom
In recent years, Arizona has become a real poker breeding ground. The burgeoning interest in the game has easily transcended the limits of the tables in real, land-based casinos.
An increasing number of online poker companies offer real money games on their sites. This has lead to a heavy increase in people signing up to play. In fact, online poker is now one of the most popular pastimes around.
Gambling laws were originally brought about to target illicit activities of people operating illegal gambling sites. On the other hand, players wishing to play online poker face almost no barriers. Regardless of whether the site is licensed or not.
Check it is licensed
We always encourage players to only ever play for money at a legitimate, licensed online poker site. Especially as, like all laws, Arizona’s gambling legislation is pretty vague and could catch you out.
Despite many poker players, telling us that this is a game of skill and not chance, AZ law does deem this to fall under the ‘gambling’ definition.
With that in mind, you can play online poker legally in Arizona. However, it’s always better to ensure you’re doing so on a site registered in a state or territory in which it is fully legal and licensed to operate.
