Poker Games In Virginia

Just because there are no live poker rooms anywhere within the borders of Virginia doesn’t mean your dream of playing your favorite poker games has to hit the muck. Unbeknownst to many, the cards are flying, and the chips are rolling virtually, all thanks to the best Virginia poker sites!

If you’re searching for where to play online poker in Virginia, there’s no need to look any further. In this guide, we’re going to show you where to go, how to get started, and how to set yourself up for success. Thanks to the innovations of technology, you have a lot of sweet options to play poker online in Virginia!

The table games section features multiple versions of roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and table poker. The live dealer games include two versions each of live blackjack, live roulette, and live baccarat.The best online casino for real money online players from Virginia is Ignition Casino. Virginia’s state officials do not acknowledge poker as a game of skill, and no court seems overly anxious to reconsider real cash poker’s classification. In lieu of this, it appears that online poker and Internet poker games like Texas Hold’em, as well as other forms of iGaming legal real money Internet gambling, will not see the light of day in Virginia anytime soon.

How to Find the Best Virginia Online Poker Sites

• Trust the Experts
• Don’t Get Blinded by the Wrong Bonuses
• Test Drive the Product
• Find the Action You’re Looking For
• Double Check the Banking Options and Integrations

Trust the Experts

The #1 tip we have for finding the best real money poker sites in Virginia is to trust the people that know best. While we hate sounding like we’re tooting our own horns, we are confident in our abilities to properly review online gambling sites. Our team is comprised of the best in the business, and we excel at racking and stacking the different options you have to play poker online in Virginia.

Don’t Get Blinded by the Wrong Bonuses

Real money Virginia poker sites love to compete for your business. Okay, they might not love the fact that they have to compete, but that doesn’t mean these sites aren’t going to do whatever it takes to win your business. One of the most popular ways this occurs is by offering lucrative bonuses to players.

Do we have a problem with VA poker sites offering bonuses? Absolutely not! The only reason we bring this up is because you need to make sure that you don’t overlook red flags just to cash in on a big bonus. Sometimes, sketchy online poker sites offer huge bonuses to mask the fact they aren’t doing everything on the up and up. Additionally, the poker bonuses might be really hard to cash in on, which makes them close to worthless.

Let our team do the heavy lifting and find the online Virginia poker sites with bonuses that are worth your time.

Test Drive the Product

The ability to “try before you buy” is a feature that you don’t get with a lot of products. With real money online poker sites in Virginia, though, you do! Before you make a deposit and start playing for real money, try out the play money tables. Yes, even if you are a higher stakes player, this is a wise move. You can see if you like the software and enjoy the gameplay before committing to a site.

Don’t use it as an opportunity to see the skill level of the players because that’s pointless at play money. But you can use it to test the betting controls and the interface to see if it fits your style.

Find the Action You’re Looking For

If you’re a tournament poker player, what good are Virginia gambling sites with poker that only have great cash game action? Not that great. When you’re picking out the best Virginia online poker sites, take some time to see if the site offers the action you’re looking for. Here are some suggestions to look at during your research:

• Do they have tournaments, cash games, or both?
• Does the site offer action at the stake levels you want to play?
• Is there action available at the time of the day or the day of the week you want to play? (You may need to check this more than once.)
• Is the player pool large or small? Which of those two options do you prefer? (Larger is not always the better option.)

Double Check the Banking Options and Integrations

The last thing you need to check when deciding where to play poker online in Virginia for real money is the banking options. You’re looking for two things here. First, you’re looking to see if there are deposit and withdrawal options you are comfortable with. Second, you’re looking to make sure that the poker site has integrated the option properly (and securely).

While we can’t read minds and guess what payment option you are looking for, the Virginia online poker rooms we recommend do have a lot of popular options. Second, all of the options recommended here have integrated their payment processing options properly. So, as long as you stick to our trusted recommendations, you don’t have to do much more research here.

The Reasons Why Poker Is Becoming So Popular in Virginia

It’s hard to say why poker is booming so quickly in Virginia. Most likely, it’s a result of the continued growth that most of the nation has been experiencing for over a decade. As more and more real money Virginia poker sites begin offering quality service, it tends to bring in more players.

What’s even better, is that even if the excitement about poker slows down in VA, it doesn’t really matter. All of the top Virginia poker sites we recommend connect you with players in the state but also across the country. Additionally, some of the best online poker sites for Virginia residents go even further by connecting you with players all around the world.

Land-Based Poker Rooms in Virginia

Currently, there are no land-based poker rooms in the state of Virginia. Additionally, we are unaware of any plans to build anything anytime soon. The closest poker rooms are in West Virginia, the Baltimore area, or in western North Carolina.

How to Stay Safe Playing at Virginia Poker Sites

• Don’t Go It Alone
• Don’t Bury Your Head in the Sand
• Play Within Your Bankroll
• Keep Your Account Protected
• Ask When You Have Questions or Concerns

Don’t Go It Alone

No matter how safe you are, if you choose to play poker at a dishonest poker site, you can’t win. Let our team of industry experts and professional players help you avoid the crummy sites and stick with the winners. Through decades of experience, we know how to spot the winners and how to sniff out the losers.

Don’t Bury Your Head in the Sand

While gambling legislation across the country is not always clear, it does continue to trend in a positive direction. With that being said, you should keep your head up and ears open for any changes in legislation that affect your ability to play poker online in Virginia. You don’t need to bury your head in the legal books every day, but you do need to keep yourself aware of any important changes by checking the news periodically.

Play Within Your Bankroll

Proper bankroll management can keep you safe and greatly enhance the quality of your online poker experience. Additionally, it can be the key to becoming a consistent winner who doesn’t have to continually reload.

Figure out how much money you’re going to play with and stay within those limits. The best players in the world are the ones that can master bankroll management, especially when they’re winning big or on a bad run.

The best Virginia poker sites have games available at all stake levels with smaller jumps between levels. This affords players a lot more freedom when it comes to maximizing the flexibility of their bankroll. For example, when you play live poker, the lowest stakes you’ll find at most places is $1/$2. From there, the next level is usually $2/$5, which is a sizeable jump.

At the best real money poker sites in Virginia, you’ll have stakes as low as $0.01/$0.02. Additionally, you’ll see a $1.50/$3.00 and $2/$4 level, which allows for smaller jumps when you decide to move up.

Keep Your Account Protected

It’s really not hard to limit anyone else from gaining access to your online poker account, but it does require a little due diligence on your part. Here are some tips to keep your account protected:

• Use a strong password and change it regularly.
• Never let anyone else play on your account.
• Never log into Virginia poker sites from a shared computer or network.
• Monitor your login history. The best real money Virginia online poker sites offer a record of logins and locations tracked by IP for your convenience.

Ask When You Have Questions or Concerns

An informed consumer is a safe consumer. If something ever seems wrong or you don’t understand what’s going on, ask for help. All of the best Virginia poker sites listed in this guide have incredible customer service teams that are ready and willing to help you out. No matter what the issue or how silly you think the question is, it’s better to ask before the fact.

Virginia Poker Sites FAQ

How Many Different Virginia Poker Sites Are There?

There are hundreds of different Virginia online casinos with poker to choose from. The better question is how many of these options are reputable. The answer to that question is only a few. Thankfully, our team has worked hard to compile a list of those great options to help you in your search.

How Do I Pick Out the Best Virginia Poker Sites for Me?

Once you have identified the online Virginia poker sites you can trust, it all comes down to personal preferences. You can check out different options and compare them by the interface, games offered, stake levels available, bonuses, and any other competitive advantages each site might offer.

Can I Join More Than One Site? Should I?

Yes, you can! Whether you should join more than one VA poker room is completely up to you. Some people like to do it to get more action because you can play at multiple rooms at the same time. Other people might do it to take advantage of multiple bonuses or because one room has better cash action while another has better tournament action.

Can I Get Bonuses at the Top Virginia Poker Sites?

Many of the top poker sites in Virginia offer some great bonuses and VIP rewards. It’s important that you don’t sacrifice playing at a reputable site for a larger bonus, though. Many of the most popular types of bonuses you’ll get access to include things like welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, rakeback, free tournament tickets, and VIP loyalty rewards.

What Happens If I Don’t Like the VA Online Poker Site I Join?

You always have options! If you don’t like the Virginia poker sites you’ve joined, you are under no obligation to stick around. You can cash out your money and move to a new site. It’s that simple. As long as you’re at reputable sites (like the ones listed here), you should have no problems getting your money out and put onto a new option.

Conclusion on Playing Online Poker in Virginia

The only options you have for playing poker in VA are to drive to another state or check out the incredible convenience offered by the best real money online poker sites in Virginia. Within minutes, you can be in the action at micro stakes or playing for big money! No matter your preference, there’s action out there and a seat open with your name on it!

Virginia's gambling & poker laws provide a bit of leeway for poker players. On one hand they don't allow online poker. On the other hand, though, US poker sites still accept players from Virginia. You can host and participate in private home games, too. So things could be worse. We cover these topics and more in detail below.

Playing Poker Legally in Virginia

Free Poker Games Online

Is Online Poker Legal in Virginia?

No. Although Virginia doesn't have a statute like 'internet gambling,' or 'online poker,' I think they're current laws cover it pretty well.

§ 18.2-325. Definitions.

1. 'Illegal gambling' means the making, placing or receipt of any bet or wager in the Commonwealth of money or other thing of value, made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake or other consideration or thing of value, dependent upon the result of any game, contest or any other event the outcome of which is uncertain or a matter of chance, whether such game, contest or event occurs or is to occur inside or outside the limits of the Commonwealth.

It continues to say that:

For the purposes of this subdivision and notwithstanding any provision in this section to the contrary, the making, placing, or receipt of any bet or wager of money or other thing of value shall include the purchase of a product, Internet access, ...[..]...

I think that covers online poker as well as you could without specifically making a law for it.

Poker is also more likely to be considered a game of chance than a game of skill, evident by a judge's ruling from earlier in 2013.

After hearing testimony from math experts and world champion poker player Gregory Raymer, Portsmouth Circuit Judge Thomas S. Shadrick ruled that Virginia's anti-gambling statute does cover Texas Hold 'Em because 'the outcome of any one hand is uncertain,' making it a game of chance.

This case was regarding a person running a poker club. But I think the idea still applies here, too, that Texas holdem, and consequently any poker game, is going to be considered a game of chance in Virginia. Therefore it's illegal to play.

What About Home Poker Games?

Home or 'social' poker games are legal in Virginia. You just can't be an operator, which means not running a casino in your home. So you shouldn't take a rake, charge a house fee, and to be on the safe side, charge people for food. I would keep any money that is made to the game itself and you should be ok.

§ 18.2-334. Exception to article; private residences.

Free Card Games Poker

Nothing in this article shall be construed to make it illegal to participate in a game of chance conducted in a private residence, provided such private residence is not commonly used for such games of chance and there is no operator as defined in subsection 4 of § 18.2-325.

Do Casinos in Virginia Offer Poker?

There are no brick and mortar casinos in Virginia. Residents will have to travel to neighboring states such as West Virginia and Maryland if you want to play live poker and casino games.

Virginia Poker FAQs

We receive a lot of questions about Virginia poker laws. We thought it would be helpful to post the most common questions and our answers here for everyone to read.

Will online poker be regulated?

Not any time soon. Not only do they have a conservative as their Governor, they've not made any efforts one way or another to show that they're interested in regulating online gaming in their state.

Virginia Gambling Updates - Last Updated 6/2/2013

Whenever there are updates to Virginia's gambling laws or situations you'll find them here in this section.

Poker Games In Virginia State Parks

3-1-2013 - The Virginia State Supreme Court decides not to decide whether or not poker is a game of skill. The judge in the case, however, did say that Texas holdem falls under the current state laws (making it illegal).

Is there an online poker room that accepts players from Virginia?

Yes. Despite the laws, USA accepting poker sites still accept new sign-ups from Virginia residents. You can play at sites like Bovada, Sportsbetting Poker and Sportsbook.ag.

What other forms of regulated gambling is offered in Virginia?

Virginia allows bingo games, raffles, instant bingo and runs a state lottery and Pari-mutuel wagering.

Where can I go to learn more about Virginia's gambling laws?

• Virginia State Legislature - http://leg1.state.va.us/

Here are some interesting facts about poker, gambling and Virginia.

Poker Games In Virginia Counties

• If someone loses more than $5 in a 24-hour period while gambling illegally in Virginia, they can sue to cover their losses.
• Counties in Virginia are able to pass their own anti-gambling laws, so long as they don't conflict with the state laws. Penalties may not be great than 12 months of jail time or $2,500 in fines.
• If you earn a gross income of $2,000 or more in one day of gambling, you risk being charged with felony illegal gambling. That comes with a minimum of 1 year in prison.
• A funny thing about Virginia law (ok, maybe not funny 'ha ha') is that it allows any contest of speed or skill between men, animals, fowl or vehicles. The law notes that “participants may receive prizes or different percentages of a purse, stake or premium.”

Poker Games In Virginia Tech

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