How to start playing online again?

I used to play on Full Tilt until it got shut down and haven't played online since. I've always preferred live games, but I'd like to be able to play online occasionally. I've been reading up on this forum and it seems like a lot of these sites can be shady. Even on Full Tilt I never trusted it enough to wager big money because I am paranoid about the payouts and dealing. So is there any preferred site for a player who just wants to mess around with small buy in tables? I'd really appreciate any help getting started again.

I like the Merge sites.

Carbon, Black Chip, and Hero.

I have been playing on Carbon for a few weeks now, does anyone know exactly what the law is for online poker? Is it legal to play in the US and could the government block the site and freeze my account?

Savedme2 said:

I have been playing on Carbon for a few weeks now, does anyone know exactly what the law is for online poker? Is it legal to play in the US and could the government block the site and freeze my account?

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Depends on the state you live in... Some states, such as Nevada, it is neither legal nor illegal... However under federal law it is illegal...

moemtg said:

Depends on the state you live in... Some states, such as Nevada, it is neither legal nor illegal... However under federal law it is illegal...

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From what I have heard though, there are a couple states trying to regulate online poker. I don't understand how these sites still accept US players if it is technically not legal

For US players, I guess the most trustable site is Carbon poker, but just don't leave much money there and you will be safe.

Thanks. So Carbon is a safe bet for small buy ins and not getting my money stolen? Why just don't leave much money there though? Do they only rip people off for big amounts? I live in MD, do they rip off US players because you cant complain to the govt here because it was illegal in the first place?

I deposited $25 to play micro stakes and have not had any problems but I have not tried to withdraw any money. I have not heard of Carbon ripping anyone off. Also, your first deposit is the one you can get a bonus on so the more you deposit, the more you can get on your bonus

I would deposit small amounts or play freerolls on US friendly sites, hope you all can play again on Stars (or maybe FT ) again !

I have been playing on Broadway Tables for about 3 years. Quick cashouts and a lot of player liquidity on the Revolution network.

I suggest Bovada as a usa player. I Played pstars before black friday and stopped for about a year or so....and recently started playing again at Bovada started playing mid may...free withdraw methods real easy deposit methods...withdraws take I would say on average 6weeks from what I've been hearing and thats how long it took to get my first withdrawl from them. The check they sent was deilvered to my door by fedex and clearedquickly it's drawn off of a canadian bank account. I heard 6 weeks is about the best you can exspect as a usa player from any site. I find the play very soft and good pretty constant action at micro and low levels.

@OP, I was in the same boat as you. I played only on pokerstars prior to BF, though so I was fortunate and got all my money back. After BF I sat-out of online poker for about nine months or so. I finally came back around the beginning of the year, and after a little research I decided to go with Carbon.

They are one of the bigger/better Merge skins and I've not regretted my decision since. Having said that, I wouldn't keep a lot of money on any site right now if you are a US player. The risk is just too great that the government will step in and force them to either shut down, or stop accepting US players. If that happens will you actually ever get your money? Who knows? In theory "yes", but look what happened the first time; PS players got their money, FT players got screwed. So, who really knows.

moemtg said:

Depends on the state you live in... Some states, such as Nevada, it is neither legal nor illegal... However under federal law it is illegal...

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I'm not sure this is entirely accurate, at least under my interpretation of where things stand right now. Some state are actively discouraging online play, others are non-committal, but in any case I'm not aware of any federal law that makes it illegal under the current interpretation.

Up until now it has not been the actual act of playing poker or the player that has been targeted, it has been poker sites and the banks that handle their deposits/payouts that have been the targets up 'til this point. Pretty much a case of "play as much as you want, good luck ever getting your money". That's why it takes so long to actually get a pay-out and why they always come from obscure places/companies/banks.

moemtg said:

Depends on the state you live in... Some states, such as Nevada, it is neither legal nor illegal... However under federal law it is illegal...

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Untrue !

There are no Federal Laws making playing poker online illegal. A few states have such laws, but playing poker for money online, is legal in the U.S.

However. There are Federal Laws covering the movement of money to and from online poker sites, and other so called gambling sites (bridge players for money have similar issues). These laws are fuzzy at best, and confounding at worst and have not been tested.

You, as a player, don't have much to worry about.

Suggest you treat all online poker money as entertainment. You will not be making a living of online poker in the U.S. these days (unless you are Debi O'Neil ).

Getting your money off of any site serving the U/S. these days is at least frustrating.

There is still a lot of money to be made for US players playing solely online. Still opportunities for professional US players. You might have to look a little harder to find those opportunities but they exist.