Unbiased Reviews Of 18+ Poker Sites
Poker is extremely popular worldwide, and especially in the United States. However, most local brick-and-mortar venues limit participation to those aged 21 and older, which leaves adult poker fans from 18-20 without too many options. Fortunately, the Internet solves that problem, and there are several excellent 18+ poker sites out there for American gamblers.
For the best online poker site reviews, you don’t have to go it alone. Whether you’re the small blind or the big blind, you’ll never be in a bind when it comes to choosing the most reputable offshore poker brand for players aged 18 and up. Here, we’ve put the top poker providers through their paces, so you can see just which online card room provides the most bang for your buck.
Note: If you’re under 18 years old, you cannot yet sign up and play at the poker services recommended here. While these sites do offer free poker games and free video poker, you must be at least eighteen to join and play. For players under 18, we recommend sticking to free poker apps and similar gaming products.
Best US Online Poker Sites For Players 18 And Up In 2024
Is Online Poker Legal?
In most states, yes, online poker is legal and safe. While Washington bars all forms of online gambling, residents there have never faced legal action for pulling up a seat at the virtual table and playing real-money poker. Still, we advise following all state and local laws.
For residents of all other US states, online poker is freely accessible over the Internet at offshore betting sites and online casinos. Offshore poker sites are never geo-fenced, and they accept players at just 18 years of age. (However, if your state has poker age laws on the books, it is recommended that you adhere to these).
Federally, there are no gambling laws in the USA that bar online poker participation at the individual level, though the UIGEA and Interstate Wire Act have the combined effect of limiting where players can find domestic action. These laws have no bearing on offshore play, and any of the 18+ poker sites listed here will provide a safe, secure gambling experience.
How We Review The Best Online Poker Sites For 18+ Players
When we join a poker site (and we’re members at dozens of them – some good, some not so good), we look for lots of different features. However, there are a few criteria that separate a decent or middling site form a top-rated online poker platform. In order to get our money – and yours! – a truly great poker destination should offer all the following:
- Licensing and regulation – If a site isn’t licensed or doesn’t operate under a licensed parent company, we won’t suggest them. All the online poker outlets we play at and recommend have proper licensing and governmental oversight in place. When you play with these brands, you can expect total peace of mind.
- Safety and security – We only recommend the most secure poker sites for players 18 and up. These operators all carry legitimate licensing and are regularly audited for fair play. The best sites will always display their certificates of compliance, and you never have to worry about being cheated by any of these established, reputable services. The top poker sites also employ the latest in SSL and TLS encryption standards, and they never sell your personal data to third parties.
- Support for 18+ players – With cash tables and 18-year-old poker tournaments, these sites offer the full gamut of card-room action for everyone aged eighteen and up. As long as your state hasn’t set 21 as the minimum age to play poker, you’re ready to ante up!
- Multiplatform compatibility – One of the main selling points for online poker is convenience, and today, that means multiplatform compatibility. Whether you use a Mac, PC, Chromebook, Linux machine, or any other computer platform with a modern browser, all our recommended sites will work flawlessly.
- Mobile support – In addition to the above, the best 18+ poker sites wouldn’t be worth a dime without robust mobile support. All the top providers offer online “web apps” that are optimized for iPhone, Android, iPad, and other modern mobile devices. All you need is a smartphone or tablet and an Internet connection, and you can play poker anytime, anywhere. Offshore books are never geo-fenced!
- Banking options – It is important that the best real money poker sites offer a number of ways to get that money into your account. Most providers have a dozen or more banking options on hand, including credit/debit/gift cards, bank wires, money orders, person-to-person services, cashier’s checks, cryptocurrency, and more. Some sites even offer Zelle-to-BTC walkthroughs, making it easier than ever to top off your bankroll.
- Bitcoin support – The top banking option for online poker is, without a doubt, Bitcoin (or other cryptocurrencies or altcoins like Litecoin, Ethereum, DASH, and Bitcoin Cash, where accepted). Crypto is the only way to get guaranteed speedy deposits every time, and no other banking method supports same-day poker payouts.
- Bonus offers – One of the ways that the top US poker sites differentiate themselves is in their featured bonuses and promotions. You can join multiple sites and get multiple poker bonuses for doing so, but always keep the terms and conditions in mind before accepting these. Bonuses can pad your bankroll, but they aren’t the right choice for every 18+ player.
- Extra features – Not all the best US poker sites have the same services on hand (outside of poker itself, that is). Some will have tons of free poker games, free video poker games, hundreds of slots, and a host of paid and free table games (like blackjack, baccarat, roulette, etc.). Others will also feature full international sportsbooks and racebooks.
Why You Can Trust Our Poker Site Reviews
Not every online poker advocate out there actually advocates for the right things, like operator fairness, integrity, and reliability. But we love this game, and it’s been a big part of our personal lives for decades. We’ve played at just about every poker site on the ‘web, and we’ve experienced the full gamut of services, perks, and pitfalls they offer. As such, we want the best operators to thrive because they provide the best social platforms for the community we love. We’re all in on bringing poker to as many players as possible!
To that point, we recognize that the types of players out there are as varied as the poker games themselves, and no site is going to be perfect for everyone. Our poker site reviews highlight the unique features of the most trusted 18+ poker sites, as well as their pros and cons.
Remember, every site has flaws, so if you come across a poker website review that’s claiming to be a royal flush, you should probably royally flush it. Our recommended poker services are always the real deal.
Poker FAQs
Unless you live in a handful of states (DE, NJ, NV, PA, MI, WV), you won’t be able to find domestically licensed real-money poker tourneys or cash tables online. If your state has casinos in operation, you may find poker tournaments there, but these will almost always be limited to players aged 21 and up. For 18-plus players, online offshore gambling sites and poker rooms are the way to go, and all of them offer daily and weekly poker tournaments year-round.