18+ Legal Online Poker In Alabama
Welcome to our all-inclusive guide to 18+ online poker in Alabama, which will provide guidance for those interested in going all-in with a pair of hearts in the Heart of Dixie. The state does not allow for physical brick-and-mortar poker rooms to exist, and the Class II facilities located on Native American lands do not offer poker games of any type.
That’s why our guide for 18 and up Alabama poker players is so crucial. The legalities of playing poker for real money in the state can be difficult to wade through, and this guide will help poker players make the best decision possible in regards to safe, reliable 18 and up poker sites, and which methods of play are within the boundaries of state and federal gaming laws.
We’ll also share what types of bonuses are available, and discuss the most preferred mobile poker options. We’ll provide the minimum age requirements to play at any poker table or poker tournament, be it online or off. And hopefully, we’ll give you the edge you need to win. Because like the Crimson Tide, a straight flush is hard to beat..
Best Alabama Online Poker Sites That Accept Players 18 And Up In 2023
Is it Legal to Play Poker in Alabama at 18?
The Yellowhammer State has yet to legislate regulated gambling, therefore there are no Alabama poker laws in place that prevent players in the state from enjoying a few rounds of cards. However, there are laws against commercial and tribal venues running poker rooms, which means that you're unlikely to find a place to play, even though poker is technically legal. This is a catch-22, which seems a lot more appropriate for blackjack than poker, but the situation is a loser in either case. Fortunately, there's a very good solution, which is explained in detail below.
Is Online Poker Legal In Alabama?
Alabama is one of the many states that have yet to govern gaming regulations within its territory. Since there are no poker laws on the books that regulate gaming in AL, there is nothing preventing anyone from playing poker online for real money while located inside of the state.
You might have heard of the Federal Wire Act (1961) or the UIGEA (2006), but neither of these laws prevents AL residents from playing at online poker rooms located offshore. These laws are about interstate gambling and banking regulations, and neither one affects individual poker players, regardless of where they choose to ante up.
Until Alabama decides to regulate in-state gaming, there will be no domestic online poker sites that gamblers can visit. Even if that occurs in the future, legal gambling ages will likely be set at 21 years old, leaving 18+ players outside to cook in the Alabama heat. The Yellowhammer State may not be on board with domestic gambling yet, but they are among states allowing 18+ online poker from offshore businesses, and luckily, our most trusted offshore poker rooms all accept 18 and up gamblers and offer a variety of poker games for real money, 24 hours a day.
Types of Poker Games for AL Players Who are 18 and Over
With no official card rooms in the state, online poker games offer AL players a nice variety of options that include multiple versions of the following games (the menu varies from site to site):
- Texas Holdem
- Omaha
- Seven Card Stud
- Caribbean Stud
- RAZZ
- HORSE
- and more..
In addition to cash games, you'll also find tournament action around the clock and the option to play multiple hands at multiple tables simultaneously and speed poker that allows even more hands player per hour.
Online Poker Bonuses for Alabama Residents
The best online poker sites offer cash bonuses that are based on a percentage of your initial deposit into your bankroll and they gladly share these promotions with players in Alabama. Poker bonuses are disbursed incrementally as you earn rewards points. You earn points each time you logon and play, so the more you play, the more you earn which results in more bonus money being released into your account.
The exact terms will vary from site to site, but the bonus funds are typically released in increments between $5 and $10 at a time. There are no rollover requirements that must be met. Other promotions that are available to AL players include bad beat bonuses, freerolls, and a host of special promos that can occur daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the current offerings available at any specific poker room.
Alabama Mobile Poker Apps
The top options for Alabama poker players to gamble on the go are the web apps provided by our trusted offshore poker sites. There’s no download required, nor do you ever need to update anything. These web apps operate through all major mobile web browsers such as Safari and Chrome, and they adjust to the screen size of any mobile device, providing all the performance that you’d expect from a top-rated Android or iPhone poker app.
Live Poker Options For AL Players
There are no legal poker rooms for 18-year-old players located in the state of Alabama, and playing at an unsanctioned facility within the state is strictly against the law. The closest brick-and-mortar casinos offering live poker are located in Biloxi, MS, but who wants to make that drive just to play a few hands?
That’s why the closest AL poker room is actually in your pocket or purse because online is where the action is. And though these sites don’t offer live dealer poker, you do get to compete against other real players in real-time. Best of all, unlike live poker, online poker offers players the opportunity to play at multiple tables at once. This is called multi-tabling, and it’s a perk you won’t find at any live poker room.
Alabama Poker FAQs
While we cannot speak for every poker site, our recommended 18+ poker sites are all operating legally within the industry and are all certified by independent authorities tasked with overseeing compliance certification and fair gaming practices. They also utilize industry-leading software solutions that include advanced security protocols such as sophisticated data encryption, firewall, antivrus and anti-fraud protection, and a technical team to monitor security protocols around the clock. These poker sites are very safe for AL players.
Each of the sites you see on this page is either individually licensed or is owned and operated by a parent company holding licensing credentials in multiple jurisdictions. If Alabama ever decides to legalize state-regulated online poker, then the state's designated governing body will issue licensing for any domestic poker sites authorized to operate within the state.
Online poker brings some nice advantages to the table that are inherent with the nature of online gambling. A few of them include:
- Convenience - you can play from any device that has an internet connection, including mobile phones, tablets, and computers.
- Multiple Hands - online poker allows you to play multiple hands simultaneously
- Speed Play - speed play options allow you to play many more hands per hour than you ever could at a brick and mortar card room
- Tournament Action - tournaments take place at most online poker sites 24/7
- Gambling Age - our featured online poker sites accept players who are 18 and up
- Qualifiers for Major Events - our featured online poker sites offer qualifiers for major live events such as the WSOP.
Yes, you can play at our top-rated offshore sites using Bitcoin (BTC) as a method of deposit. In fact, Bitcoin is the preferred method of currency at most online poker sites, with the highest level of bonuses attached to using it. Since Bitcoin is unregulated by any nation, there are no laws against using it at offshore poker rooms, and anyone of any age can own BTC. Most of these poker operators also accept other cryptocurrency deposits, including Litecoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, and more.
House poker games in Alabama are legal so long as they are played among friends and acquaintances in a private setting and no house entity retains a percentage of the pot totals. Home poker games can provide a safe, legal poker alternative to traveling to a gambling friendly region. Still, we advise against advertising these legal meetups on Facebook or other social media outlets, as privacy is the name of the game. Social gambling is safe, but social media gambling, not so much.
No, it is not safe to participate in underground poker in AL. We do not recommend wagering in unsanctioned facilities of any type, and doing so places you at risk of losing your money unfairly or possibly exposing you to fines and/or jail time. Online poker in Alabama is the only safe bet for regional gamblers and doesn’t expose players to any unnecessary risk.
Kind of. You can play video poker for free at most of the sites listed here if you navigate to their casino platform, which will help you learn the ropes before you enter the poker room proper. Video poker is technically a casino gambling product distinct from online poker, but playing these kinds of free poker games is useful for developing a winning strategy and getting some experience under your belt.
The nearest location offering real money poker tournaments for folks located in Alabama is Biloxi, Mississippi. They have a row of casinos and hotels located along the Gulf shoreline that host poker tournaments and other table games.
If travel is not an option for you, then the best alternative is to play online poker tournaments at a trusted offshore poker site, such as the ones listed on this page. Several tournaments are held daily, and they are open to 18+ gamblers located within Alabama and beyond. Entering an online poker tournament for real money is as easy as navigating your browser to one of our trusted legal US poker sites. Roll tide on that river card, baby!