USA vs. UK Poker Laws

The rate at which the gambling industry has developed in different countries of the world is nothing short of extraordinary progress. With a massive turnover in global earnings from this industry, there is no doubt that the gambling market has now become a source for big cash.

With all of these changes and a thrilling lucrative atmosphere, the global gambling world has vastly come to be an attractive place of interest to many. From these bunch of people interested in having businesses and trading within this market space, there are a lot of business operators with the plan to wreak havoc in different ways.

These intentions and potential hazards have been displayed in several cases over the years, therefore, necessitating the presence of a body of regulations to monitor the activities of every stakeholder in the industry and set measures to heavily punish erring parties.

In this article, we will only focus on the laws that have been made to regulate a favourite and prominent card game; Poker! In different countries where this card game is legalized, some laws have been set in place to govern the activities carried out while playing this lovely game of poker. Here, we will check out the laws that have been set to control poker gaming in two major countries; which are the United Kingdom and the United States.

American Poker Laws

Various questions disturb your mind when you want to play poker in the United States. Can I play poker online? Is playing poker at home legal? If I mention the word poker, will I not have the FBI at my door to arrest me? We have taken our time to run through some of the poker laws in the US and the states that allow you to play the game. If you don’t have time, just check the CasinoGap article, where you can find USA casinos accepting Brits and Americans.

Regulations

First off, know that the laws are changed from time to time. Hence, it is only advisable for you to just discern how the law operates in the US, and then keep yourself abreast of how things go in the state. Following the permission of the federal government, each state decides how its laws will be and how they will be enforced. So, each state has a unique set of regulations and ways of enforcing them.

British Poker Laws

From the number of countries that have witnessed the impressive surge of gambling as a whole, including poker games, the United Kingdom has been a big name on the list. The expansion of the poker gaming market in the United Kingdom is an indisputable achievement for all to see. This is coupled with the fact that this sovereign nation‎ has assigned specific and effective betting laws and regulations to the game. Due to this, this delightful gaming activity has evolved into one of the most desirable games around there.

Now, with the surge in online gaming, online poker gaming has similarly turned fully legal in the UK with several regulations connected to the game. What then are the laws set in place to regulate both online and offline poker gaming in the United Kingdom?

Regulations

Online poker gaming became legal in the United Kingdom in 2005. But, online poker rooms must seek to license from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and follow the specified regulations before they can operate.

Aside from this, there is an updated betting tax law that must be adhered to by every gambling operator including poker gambling operators. Whether they are offshore or onshore, they are to pay a tax fee of 15%. The rules do not set any limit on the number of stakes or prizes that can be used when the poker game is played at home (private gaming).

So also, poker players are to be enlisted in the Gamstop self-exclusion scheme in a bid to protect them. However, it is sad to discover that some poker sites without the Gamstop provision offer poker gaming to poker lovers even when they are being self-excluded.

Finally, understand that the rules that apply to UKGC poker rooms depend on the venue you play the game as you can play poker in both online and offline casinos, at work, at home, in a pin, for charity, in a club, and online or offline tournaments.

Customer Protection

There are stringent security measures on the ground like the highly reputable SSL encryption security system to bolster the security of poker casino platforms and ensure that players are sure of their safety while they are at it. There are likewise measures in place to ensure that customers can lodge complaints in cases where they are displeased by the services of these gambling operators.