• Real Money Texas Holdem. Texas Hold’em (aka Holdem, Texas Holdem) is one of the most popular card game in the world. It’s wide spread is caused by television shows and the development of online games. Each player receives two cards and on the table are dealt five community cards. You can play both as a “cash” and as a tournament game.
• Best Texas Holdem Poker Sites for 2019 If you’re looking to play online Texas Holdem for real money, then you’ve come to the right place. On top of listing the few remaining brands that cater to the US market, as well as all worldwide operators, this page contains a chronological overview of everything that has transpired since the Black Friday events in the United States.

1. Texas Holdem Poker Online Real Money
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3. Texas Holdem Poker Real Money Paypal
4. American Poker Sites Real Money

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Surprisingly enough, real money poker’s most famous variant brandishes the name of a state with very limited legal real cash poker gambling options. Yes, the Lone Star State may have given rise to Texas Hold’em poker and the iconic Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson poker betting pro, but it’s proven far from proactive with regards to gambling expansion, particularly in regards to online poker at Internet poker legislation.

To date, Texas features exactly one live real money poker room. Given TX’s sheer size and dense population, that’s not exactly saying much for their poker gambling residents. Making matters worse, Texas’ gambling statues are generally intolerant of unregulated poker gambling behavior. Which leads us to believe that Texas stands a below average chance of entering the iGaming real money lawful Internet poker market anytime soon.

But there is hope, as one of online poker’s biggest proponents and believer in all things Internet poker related hails from none other than Texas.

Lone Star state gamblers won’t have much trouble signing up for one of our online real money US poker site accounts.

Texas Rep. Joe Barton Leads Internet Poker Push

Quick Jump

• 5 The Facts

In July 2013, Rep. Joe Barton – a Republican from Texas – introduced HR 2666. Otherwise known as the Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2013^[1], the legal poker websites bill would effectively facilitate the growth of real cash online poker websites on a state-by-state basis sans Federal government intervention. The Internet poker gambling only act would also classify the American pastime of games like Texas Hold’em poker as a betting game of skill, as per the landmark United States v. DiCristina case.

Barton’s proposal calls for poker website gambling operators to abide by a strict set of regulations and guidelines, many of which are designed to protect player interests. For example, minors and players who choose to self-exclude themselves from legal real money poker betting would be prohibited from playing, as would those trying to log in from a state exempt from the proposed real cash Internet poker bill.

Although Barton’s previous poker website proposals have failed to gain momentum in Congress, it appears that the Internet Poker Freedom Act is garnering the attention of several influential figures in the Internet gambling world. The bill’s newfound respect is largely due to the efforts of long-time online poker websites advocate and Poker Player Alliance Executive Director John Pappas and American Gaming Association’s Geoff Freeman. Both were said to make compelling pro-iGaming Internet poker arguments at The State of Online Gaming hearing, which took place in December 2013 ^[2].

Latest Texas Poker News

Can Players From Texas Play Online Poker?

Overall, the vast majority of online poker websites that accept players from the United States are welcoming to those residing in the Lone Star State. That being said, some legit US-facing Internet poker websites offer better depositing bonuses and action then others. Which is why we’ve hand-selected the very best online poker real money Internet poker websites just for you. So save yourself the trouble of scouring the Internet in search of great sites to do your Internet poker gambling at: We’ve done the busy work so you don’t have to.

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Is Online Poker Legal In Texas?

Texas’ outdated gambling and betting statues criminalize the act of communicating gambling or poker betting information, which could indirectly apply to the Internet poker websites issue. However, the TX real cash poker law seems to apply only to poker gambling operators, and not players:

• A person commits an offense if, with the intent to further gambling, he knowingly communicates information as to bets, betting odds, or changes in betting odds or he knowingly provides, installs, or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of such information. Section 47.05

Furthermore, TX state’s statutes make no mention of online poker or Internet poker websites. But in order to grasp the full breadth of the real money gambling law, one must first understand how the state defines gambling. It begins with the meaning of bet, defined as:

• An agreement to win or lose something of value, including real cash, solely or partially by chance. Section 47.01(1)

Certainly, real money poker would be included under the scope of this broad definition, as anyone who’s been on the wrong side of a coin-flip in a Texas Hold’em poker game can attest.

The term bet is then wielded in the over-arching definition of gambling according to TX betting laws:

• A person commits an offense if he: (1) makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest; (2) makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate; or (3) plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, balls, or any other gambling device. Section 47.02

That’s a fairly all-encompassing definition of real money betting; far more comprehensive than most state’s poker gambling laws. It would certainly be difficult to find ways to circumvent the law, should you be caught for illicit poker gambling activity.

Texas does make notable exceptions for those participating in social gambling activities like casual home real money poker games, such that players who engage in gambling in a private place, do not receive economic benefit other than personal winnings and except for the advantage of skill or luck, the risks of losing and chances of winning were the same for all participants. In other words, playing real cash poker at a private home game in TX that doesn’t charge a house fee or take a rake seems to be an acceptable poker gambling practice.

The penalties for being caught gambling in Texas aren’t intuitively clear, only stating that an offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. We’re guessing that’s the worst penalty anyone can receive other than a Class D misdemeanor. As expected, Gambling Promotion, (or operating a poker gambling or real money betting facility) carries harsher penalties, up to but not including a Class A misdemeanor. Notably, participation in Texas’ underground poker gambling industry is not felony worthy.

That being said, Texas’ law enforcement authorities are somewhat aggressive in pursuing violators of legal poker gambling laws. In 2010 alone, over 600 gambling related arrests were made.

Of course, if you have further questions regarding the legality of online poker, it’s best to consult a legal professional who knows about lawful real money Internet poker. To equip yourself further, you can find Texas’ full gambling and poker betting statues via our “References” section ^[3].

The Facts

The History Of Gambling In Texas

1933

1933

Like many other states, this was the year where Pari-mutuel betting became legal at horse racing tracks.

1937

1937

Unfortunately, this only last four years as betting was banned again at racing tracks.

1971

1971

The Legislature exempted charities from the anti-lottery statute throughout the state.

1973

1973

This was reversed in 1973 by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

1982

1982

A poll on the Republican primary ballot found majority support for betting. This could be a big influence for the return of pari-mutuel betting in years to come.

1987

1987

Five years later this was the case as a referendum passed which allows for pari-mutuel betting to return to racetracks.

1988

1988

The casino cruise industry began to develop in the 1980’s and the first sign that the industry was growing and developing came in 1988. The first “Casino Cruise” launched which allows gambling in international waters after setting sail from the coast of Texas.

1992

1992

The Texas lottery launched in 1992 and also offers scratch-off and drawing games. Additionally, the Mega Millions and Powerball were included.

1996-2002

1996-2002

The Kickapoo casino opened in 1996, which offered bingo, poker, a variant of blackjack and slot-like electronic dispensers. Unfortunately, this was the only tribal casino to remain open as legal battles took place regarding other tribal groups and the Texas government. This saw the closure of a number of high stakes bingo halls and the decline of tribal casinos.

2011

2011

Local referendums required to allow bingo and passed in 226 of the state’s 254 counties. As of 2011, a total of $533 million was awarded in prizes throughout the organisations that were authorized to conduct bingo games.

2013

2013

Gambling regulation started to be pushed forward with a few new acts that were introduced. The main aim of these was to expand gambling in different areas e.g. allowing Video Lottery Terminals at racetracks.

Texas is perhaps more famous for the iconic poker betting figures and game formats that have originated from the state, than for its place in legal real money gambling history. Doc Holiday, Doyle Brunson and Benny Binion, among others: all at one point called the Lone Star State their home. And let’s not forget that poker’s most prestigious poker gambling championship, the WSOP Main Event, takes place over a game of Texas No-Limit Hold’em.

Texas’ gambling origins date back to the days when part of the state still belonged to Mexico. The natives introduced the early settlers to a variety of card games and real cash poker variants and over the years, gambling houses and other gambling institutions like legal real money poker rooms in TX became prevalent.

After the Civil War, gambling became an integral facet of the Old West, and Texas proved no exception. In fact, by the 1870s gambling and poker betting had spread so far out of control that law enforcement agencies were forced to crack down on it, but to little avail. In particular, Houston and Texas’ other major cities boasted real money poker gambling facilities well into the mid 1900s.

Eventually, the state’s conservative factions called for an end to illicit gambling and poker betting, resulting in the closure of most gambling houses by the 1970s. In the years that followed, several forms of real money gambling were reintroduced to the state, including pari-mutuel wagering in 1987 and a statewide lottery in 1991.

Native Americans are also permitted to operate gambling venues and lawful real cash poker facilities in Texas, although to date only one – the Kickapoos – have been successful in doing so. Their casino, Eagle Pass ^[4], is the only casino in the state, and even that resides on the Mexican border, far from any of Texas State’s major metropolises full of poker gambling enthusiasts.

Sadly, the state that gave birth to Texas Hold’em classifies real money poker in the same category as prostitution.

Regulated Gambling Options In Texas

Texas features far fewer regulated, legit real money poker and general gambling options than one would expect. The Texas Lottery offers ball drawing and scratch-off games, and is part of the multi-jurisdiction Mega Millions and Powerball drawings. Charitable gambling is also legal, albeit in limited forms. More specifically, bingo and raffles are legal while casino nights (including Texas Hold’em poker and other real money poker betting) are not.

Pari-mutuel wagering is overseen by the Texas Racing Commission, allowing residents of TX to wager on Class I horse and greyhound tracks in designated areas. The state also boasts one Indian Casino. Commercial gambling and real cash poker betting is strictly prohibited by law.

If you want to play Texas Hold’em legally at an online poker room in Texas, you are out of luck, but you can still enjoy that game and others at many online sites.

The Future Of Regulating Online Gambling In Texas

If anything, Texas’ powers-that-be are seeking to roll back gambling and poker betting expansion, not facilitate it. The state’s Republicans, with of course the exception of Joe Barton, are widely opposed to gambling and Internet poker and until power changes hands, we have no reason to believe that online poker websites, or any form of iGaming, will be introduced to Texas’ residents. Compounding matters, Texas’ residents tend towards conservatism, and are doing little to nothing to redirect government opinion on the issue of legal real money Internet poker gambling in TX.

Fun Fact

From 2001 to 2004, billionaire and long-time Dallas, Texas native Andy Beal, challenged the world’s finest real money poker players to a series of increasingly high-stakes fixed-limit poker games. Playing at limits as high as $50,000/$100,000, Beal enticed fear in his poker gambling opponents, who had to pool their money together to match Andy’s demands.

For a time, Andy fared well against The Corporation, which included real money poker betting pros Doyle Brunson, his son Todd, Jennifer Harman, Ted Forrest and Howard Lederer, among others. But in 2006, he ran into arguably the best real cash poker player to ever play the game, Phil Ivey, and would lose a total of $16.6 million in real money poker winnings over a three day stretch ^[5].

The Bottom Line

Despite Joe Barton, despite the origins of No-Limit Texas Hold’em and despite serving as the home to real money poker’s most legendary icon, Texas is widely regarded as one of the states least likely to regulate online poker and launch lawful real money poker gambling websites. Which is a shame really, as it currently inhabits over 8% of the United States population (26.5 million) – trailing only California in that regard.

Thus, not only could Texas sustain a thriving online poker community of Internet poker gambling fans, it could easily influence other states to get behind regulated online poker and legal real money Internet poker. But even the optimist in us has a hard time believing it will ever happen.

References

[1] ↑Rep. Joe Barton Introduces HR 2666 Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2013

[2] ↑Rep. Barton’s Online Poker Bill Gains Respect

[3] ↑Texas Gambling Laws – Texas Statues

[4] ↑Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino & Hotel

[5] ↑Phil Ivey vs. Andy Beal – Out $16.6 Million, Beal Heads Home

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Real money Texas Holdem exploded in popularity in the early years of the 21^st century, and it’s largely responsible for the overall increase in online gambling. This came about primarily because of the 2003 and 2004 World Series of Poker wins by Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, as both men had qualified for the tournament by playing in Internet satellite events.

Texas Holdem remains a mainstay of any virtual card room, with software giants such as Microgaming and Playtech turning out their own versions. Larger casinos commonly feature a mixture of casual players and pros, which presents customers with a rare opportunity to compete against their idols for cash.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the basics of playing Texas Holdem for real money. From finding a reliable online casino to keeping the IRS off your back, it’s been created with the intention of helping both novices and seasoned pros. By the time you’ve finished reading, you should be better prepared to enter the exciting world of virtual card playing.

Playing Texas Holdem for Real Money

The biggest difference between playing Texas Holdem for fun and real money is, of course, the presence of actual cash. You can find free versions of most any casino game online, and these are designed to teach you the basics without draining your wallet in the process. Since most of these are games of chance, though, the actual outcome isn’t much different (unless the designers of the free software have decided to grant the player a higher-than-usual winning percentage).

There is one bit of good news when transitioning from free to real money Texas Holdem, however. When you play the free version, the computer is usually going to make the best moves possible for your virtual opponents. This isn’t always the case with real-life opposition, though, as they may be distracted or just downright awful at the game of poker. Therefore, some players find that their overall success rate is better against live opposition.

The Basics of the Game

The objective of Texas Holdem is to create the best possible 5-card poker hand using a combination of your two hole cards and five community cards. The last player remaining in a hand wins all the money in the pot.

The game is played by a group of individuals seated around a table, and the current dealer is indicated by possession of the dealer button (which passes clockwise following each hand). To the immediate left of the dealer is the player responsible for posting the small blind. The player to their left is charged with posting the big blind before the start of a new hand, and it’s usually worth double the value of the small blind. These blinds are always required at the start of a hand, and some games may also stipulate that the other participants chip in an ante bet.

After the initial wagers have been made, the dealer gives each player two face-down cards (known as “hole cards”). From this point on, each dealer action is followed by a round of betting on behalf of the players.

The dealer next places three community cards face-up in the center of the table (known as “the flop”). After another round of betting, a fourth card is added (“the turn”). Finally, a fifth card is added (“the river”) after the players have once again had a chance to make their wagers.

During any betting round, the player can choose to continue or fold. In the case of the latter, the player forfeits all money that they’ve committed to the current hand.

There are cases when a player may win simply because everyone else has folded. In most scenarios, however, a hand comes down to two or more players (known as the “showdown”). These opponents engage in one last round of betting, at which point any of them may still choose to drop out by folding. If at least two participants remain, the players reveal their hole cards to determine which one has the superior five-card hand.

The winner collects the pot, as the hand is now complete. The dealer button rotates clockwise to the next player, which also changes the position of the small and big blinds. At this point, another hand begins. In tournament play, this usually continues until all players but one have been eliminated due to chip loss.

Finding a Safe Site

Choosing an online card room can sometimes be a tricky proposition, as there are a number of unethical sites currently in operation. Some might refuse to pay their customers on the grounds of some small technicality, while others prefer to delay payments for as long as possible (in the hopes that the player will give up and gamble away the money in the meantime).

In order to avoid these headaches, it’s best to do some research before choosing a site and opening an account. There are tons of online reviews to sift through to give you a good idea of which sites are truly trustworthy.

A number of watchdog sites also exist, and the best examples maintain a level of impartiality that gives their reviews and opinions additional weight. This is my preferred method of choice, and it’s one that I highly recommend to any serious gambler.

Most Popular Types of Texas Holdem

Once you’ve located a safe and reliable card room, you’ll have to decide which type of Texas Holdem you want to play. There are three types commonly found on almost all sites, and they include the following:

• Limit Holdem – This type of game has a fixed betting structure, which means each player is limited to the amount of money they can wager. It’s common for the fixed amount to double at some point in the game, and this amount is referred to as the “big bet.” If you see a Limit Holdem game listed as $30/$60, it means the following: each individual wager by the player in the early stages is limited to $30, while the amount later increases to $60 as the big bet takes effect.
• No Limit Holdem – This is the most popular version of the game, as players are unencumbered by any limitations on their wagers. On any given bet, they can wager up to their entire stack of virtual chips.
• Pot Limit Holdem – In this version of the game, players are generally prevented from raising more than the size of the total pot. This includes both previous wagers in the current betting round, as well as chips collected in prior rounds. The dealer is charged with keeping track of the overall size of the pot and informing the players of the sum upon request.

Getting the Proper Hardware/Software

In order to run a casino or card room at maximum efficiency, you’ll need to meet certain standards in regard to software and hardware. Fortunately, most decent computers already meet these standards, but it doesn’t hurt to look at a specific site’s requirements to make sure. After all, there’s nothing worse than trying to play poker with inferior graphics and occasional freezes during the action.

Legal Online Poker

In some parts of the world, Internet poker is perfectly legal. Other nations, however, either outright ban the practice or place severe limitations on the customer’s ability to transfer money to and from an offshore gaming establishment. Ultimately, it’s up to you to know which of these applies to your jurisdiction.

One simple tactic is to visit the poker room that you’re interested in signing up with. If your country is prohibited, there’s a chance that you may be barred from the site. This is a rather straightforward way to determine your eligibility, but it’s not foolproof.

If you can access the site, the next step is to read the terms and conditions page. Buried somewhere among all the legal terminology should be a list of states and countries that are prohibited. If your residence isn’t included, then you should be able to open an account without any problems.

Fortunately, most countries hold the poker room responsible instead of the player. This means that even if you somehow slip through the cracks, you shouldn’t have to worry about any legal repercussions.

Keep Your Gambling Under Control

Gambling addiction can creep up on anyone, so it’s always wise to be on the lookout for signs of a problem. If you find yourself constantly craving the excitement of poker or other casino games, and you can’t muster the willpower to stop playing, then you likely have a serious problem on your hands.

If this occurs, it’s important to seek help as soon as possible. A number of online resources are available to assist with such a situation, and most casinos allow users to voluntarily ban themselves (or limit the amount of money they can wager within a certain span of time).

The House Edge

The house edge is expressed as a percentage, and it indicates the overall advantage that a specific game has over the player. For example, in a game with a 2% house edge, the player could expect (on average) to win back $98 of every $100 they wagered. As you’ve probably realized, this edge is vital to the long-term profitability of the casino.

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Texas Holdem, however, has no house edge, as the players are competing against one another instead of the casino. On the negative side of things, this means it’s impossible to get a sense of your long-term ratio of wins to losses. On the positive side, however, it indicates that you control your own destiny, and you could theoretically win every hand you participate in (although I wouldn’t hold my breath).

Practice Makes Perfect

With most casino favorites, playing repeatedly only helps familiarize the customer with the rules. Since most options are games of chance, there’s no opportunity to actually grow as a player. That’s not the case with Texas Holdem, which is why continual play over thousands of hands can mean the difference between a contender and a pretender.

Of course, this can also require a large expenditure of cash on the part of the player. Even skilled gamblers are bound to suffer through a bad beat on occasion, which is why bankroll management is also a vital part of the process.

If you’re just starting out, you might want to try some free Texas Holdem software in order to learn the basics. A number of leading video game companies also make games that feature poker, and this is a safe way to learn the rules and experiment with different strategies before you graduate to real money play.

Since a lot of veteran online players often seek out rookies to compete against, an increasing numbers of Internet casinos offer special tables where only newcomers can participate. I suggest sticking with these tables for as long as you can, as it’s a great way to stay protected while getting the hang of things. You might even befriend some fellow novices along the way, which should provide the opportunity to help one another in your respective journeys to poker greatness.

How Poker Rooms Make a Profit

Since players are competing against one another instead of the house, online poker rooms have to look for another method in order to generate a profit. This is done by collecting the “rake,” which is a small percentage of each pot in cash games. In addition, the site may charge an entrance fee for tournaments, which can range from tiny to rather large.

Online Poker and Sign-Up Bonuses

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In order to attract customers, most casinos and virtual card rooms offer a sign-up bonus. This is presented as free money for opening an account and depositing money, but there are actually a few strings attached.

The most common bonuses include the following:

• Match Bonus – When you sign up, the casino matches your initial deposit up to a certain amount. This is the most common type of bonus, although the player is required to meet wagering requirements before the money can be withdrawn. In some cases, the money can only be withdrawn in increments.
• Instant Sign-Up Bonus – This is cash deposited straight into your account when you sign up. The amount is generally small (less than $10), and it can often be free of the usual rollover requirements. Since some players abuse these offers, they’re not available at all casinos.
• Refer-a-Friend Bonus – If you refer someone to a site, you’ll receive a bonus amount once the player has made a deposit and met certain wagering requirements.
• Reload Bonus – If the player is willing to deposit additional money into their account, they may have a chance to receive this type of matching bonus. Before the money can be withdrawn, however, the player has to meet the site’s wagering requirements.

In order to see how a matching bonus works for online poker, let’s look at an example. Let’s say the player deposits $500 in their account, and the bonus promises a matching amount up to $1,000. That’s $500 (initial deposit) + $500 (bonus), which results in a total of $1,000 in the player’s account.

While the above may sound simple, it gets more complicated once the player is ready to withdraw the bonus money. In order to cash out a bonus, the player has to meet guidelines known as “wagering requirements.” These are generally dictated by frequent player points, which are earned based on the amount of rake paid by the player.

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The more the player gambles, the more points they earn. The more points they earn, the closer they get to being able to withdraw their bonus.

While reputable poker rooms are willing to pay out the bonus, they want to make sure that you’ve lost at least that much in the process of meeting the requirements. This allows the card room to come out ahead in the long run, which is the purpose of their business in the first place.

Keeping Financial Records

In a perfect world, revenue received from gambling wouldn’t be subject to income tax. Actually, that’s the case in a few select countries (Australia, for example), but the rest of us still have to fork over a percentage to our government so they can build bombs and bridges.

When you gamble online, always make sure to keep a running total of the profits made for the year. If you fail to report $100 or less, the chances of a problem are low. When you make $1,000 or more, however, neglecting to report it could lead to everything from jail time to garnished wages.

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Conclusion

Real money Texas Holdem is the most popular online card game, and it also ranks as one of the top options for serious gamblers. The rules are easy to learn, but the required strategy is enough to make it a challenge for even longtime veterans.

Just remember to perform your due diligence before committing to a site, and always be sure to keep track of annual winnings in order to satisfy any sort of income tax requirements. Once you’ve got all the boring details out of the way, you’ll be able to pull up a virtual chair, relax, and enjoy a game that’s become a household name since the dawn of the new millennium.