With the highest population per State, many may be surprised to discover that California has so far not passed any direct regulation regarding online poker. Now, you may fall into the trap of believing that as no legislation has been passed that this would make it difficult, and even illegal, to play online poker, but the good news is that this isn’t the case as we will now show.

The History of Poker in California

Poker, in general, goes back to the times of the Wild West in some form, so it’s not exactly like it only arrived at the time of the internet. In fact, even though poker is viewed as having been developed in New Orleans in the early 1800s, it was California that became the hub of poker-playing activity by the time we get to around 1850. However, by 1879, legislation was passed that outlawed various types of gambling, but with one exception.

That omission was draw poker, even though other forms were banned, and then in 1891 new laws were passed that focused primarily on card games. Once again, draw poker was left out of the list, even while games such as five-card stud poker were clearly included. As other games were progressively banned, it meant draw poker really took hold in California, as it simply had no competition.

While it may sound strange that draw poker was left out, it actually came down to one simple reason: the perception that it was a game based on skill, not luck.

Withdraw poker, lawmakers believed it wasn’t so much as gambling, but that success was determined by skill and science rather than the draw of a card. For them, that made a huge difference and was the reason why it was left out of various laws that were passed in an attempt to curtail gambling.

The History of Online Poker in California

As you know, online poker is a huge business and even though it’s not illegal to play it in the State of California, it hasn’t always been an easy ride. Back in 2011, a number of poker sites were closed down due to the actions of several politicians who sought to close down this form of entertainment.

The interpretation of the Wire Act from 1960, which couldn’t have been adequate enough to deal with online payments due to the time of its creation, led to those sites being shut down. However, upon review, the decision was reversed. Now, you will be hard-pressed to find online poker websites that block players from California.

But here is something important: lawmakers in the State cannot come together to pass fully formed legislation to make it easier to see that online poker is legal. At the same time, the fact that they cannot come together is because of self-preservation. The online poker market in California is vast, but then what does that mean for you, the customer?

What it means is that you have no need to stress. You can easily sit at home and indulge in online poker. However, you need to know where to go, and that is where we can help.

Where to Go for Online Poker

There are clearly a huge number of online poker websites that welcome people from California to choose from, but we feel that there is more security surrounding certain, more well-known sites than those that are smaller and with less traffic. Of course, a number of the websites that we are about to mention have been in the industry for some time, so they have built up a reputation for being reliable and safe.

Sportsbetting Poker

This website is one of the biggest of its kind, and they offer high blinds compared to others. They offer a 100% bonus with your first deposit. while also including weekly leaderboards, various poker versions, and a jackpot that has broken through the $1 million barriers before.

America’s Cardroom

This website has been around for a long time, and if you are interested in tournament play, then this is certainly one website you may wish to visit. They host 6-figure prize games every single week, but it is busy so be aware that you will need to be at your best.

5 Dimes

Even though this may not be a familiar name, as it’s one of the smaller poker websites focused on California, it does offer a wide range of formats, daily tournaments, and ultra-low rates. In other words, we see this as being highly accessible to players of all different skill levels and bankrolls.

There are numerous other websites players can check out, including the likes of Intertops or Ignition, as well as those primarily focused on other countries. However, all we suggest is to double-check the fine print for each website before creating your account. After all, you want to be sure that everything is indeed above board with the website and not just its ties to California.

Indulging in online poker is easy when residing in California. While it may not have the same legislation behind it as several other states, it’s also not illegal to play. We recommend checking out various online poker websites to see the array of games, welcome bonuses, and prizes that they have to offer to anybody willing to try their hand.

Poker has come through a lot of ups and downs throughout history, so it’s hardly going to allow the dragging out of legislation to stop it in its tracks. In California, you don’t even need to use a VPN or anything else to play, so good luck!