Can I (a US citizen) travel to Canada/Europe and Play on Pokerstars?

[buzzbuzz19]

I live and play in the US now but I have a friend studying abroad in Denmark that I am going to visit soon and realized that it will be during WCOOP. Is it possible/legal for me to set up and deposit money into an account and play while I'm there?

 

[mtl mile end]

pokerstars does not require proof of residence to set up an account. Your problem will be depositing and potentially much (much, much) more importantly withdrawing money from said account. That is the hurdle in this process. You must be able to create a viable account, accepted by PokerStars, in a country that you are only visiting.

Or, you can do something completely idiotic like use someone else's account and use transfers and other peoples' bank accounts to pull this off. Almost any method will work to get into the game. The problems will begin when you win something.

EDIT: by "viable account" above, I meant viable account in a Danish (or international) financial institution. Once you have said "viable account", you can then deposit and withdraw to/from your PS account.

 

[mclay]

I heard that yes. You can play wherever it is not prohibited by law, and it does not matter what country you are a citizen of. You just need to coordinate this with the support of the poker room where you want to play.

 

[buzzbuzz19]

You must be able to create a viable account, accepted by PokerStars, in a country that you are only visiting.

Yeah I'm not planning on using someone else's account or anything like that, but can I "create a viable account"?

 

[Bricxjo]

Sounds like it would be more trouble than it is worth.

 

[Kenzie 96]

Unless you don't care about your poker stars account in the future or any money you might win while visiting, contact support, tell them exactly what you would like to do & why, then abide by what they tell you. Can't imagine them saying anything other than no, we don't allow that, but hey, what do I know.
Am I correct in assuming neither your friend nor Denmark are of much interest to you?

 

[buzzbuzz19]

Unless you don't care about your Poker Stars account in the future or any money you might win while visiting, contact support, tell them exactly what you would like to do & why, then abide by what they tell you. Can't imagine them saying anything other than no, we don't allow that, but hey, what do I know.
Am I correct in assuming neither your friend nor Denmark are of much interest to you?

I already have a trip planned to visit my friend in Denmark I was just hopeful that I could also play some WCOOP events too, will definitely be reaching out to support though.

 

[fundiver199]

I live and play in the US now but I have a friend studying abroad in Denmark that I am going to visit soon and realized that it will be during WCOOP. Is it possible/legal for me to set up and deposit money into an account and play while I'm there?

No. Denmark is a regulated market, and when you log onto PokerStars from a danish IP adress, you are automatically redirected to PokerStars.dk. And while players on this site (license) are in fact playing in the international player pool, you can not open an account here, unless you are living in Denmark.

 

[mtl mile end]

Yeah I'm not planning on using someone else's account or anything like that, but can I "create a viable account"?

(see edit above)
By "viable account" above, I meant viable account in a Danish (or international) financial institution. Once you have said "viable account", you can then deposit and withdraw to/from your PS account.

 

[Poker Orifice]

I live and play in the US now but I have a friend studying abroad in Denmark that I am going to visit soon and realized that it will be during WCOOP. Is it possible/legal for me to set up and deposit money into an account and play while I'm there?

Yes!
Not only is it possible, it happens regularly and by many.

Many US players play from canada, mexico, Costa Rica, etc. etc. Some go to just play some of the series (WCOOP, SCOOP), others stay awhile... & some just go and play on the weekends.

fwiw, I've seen some HSMTT Russian whales playing from Hungary.

I'd suggest your best bet would be to speak with others who have done this and are doing it.
I believe it is relatively easy. >>> open a bank account in the country, provide proof of address.

 

[fundiver199]

Many US players play from Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, etc. etc. Some go to just play some of the series (WCOOP, SCOOP), others stay awhile... & some just go and play on the weekends.

Think its mostly possible in unregulated areas. As I wrote already, in Denmark specifically its not possible. And I would also guess, its no longer possible in Ontario, Canada, now that this has become a regulated market. But in the rest of Canada, Mexico or Costa Rica americans can likely still play without living there.

 

[Debi]

If your question is CAN you do it - the answer is yes but you will not be able to withdraw any funds unless you provide them with proof of residence and have a local means of deposit and withdrawal.

If your question is does PokerStars allow it - the answer is no, it is a clear violation of their T&C and if they catch you they will confiscate all of your funds.

 

[fundiver199]

If your question is CAN you do it - the answer is yes but you will not be able to withdraw any funds unless you provide them with proof of residence and have a local means of deposit and withdrawal.

If your question is does PokerStars allow it - the answer is no, it is a clear violation of their T&C and if they catch you they will confiscate all of your funds.

Are you sure about this Debi? PSs own sponsored pros have regularly played from places like Mexico during the big events. And in the Gordon Vayo vs. PokerStars case the dispute was him claiming, he was playing while in Canada, and not about his country of residence. There are also to this day many western country pros playing from Thailand, even though they are presumably only on some kind of long term visa and not formal residents of the country?

 

[Debi]

Are you sure about this Debi? PSs own sponsored pros have regularly played from places like Mexico during the big events. And in the Gordon Vayo vs. PokerStars case the dispute was him claiming, he was playing while in Canada, and not about his country of residence. There are also to this day many western country pros playing from Thailand, even though they are presumably only on some kind of long term visa and not formal residents of the country?

I am positive about it. Those pros maintain residences in those countries they play from. US players are definitely not permitted to play from countries they are visiting - this has come up many times and they have been very clear about it. You must reside in the country you are playing from and it has to be legal to play on that site from the country you reside in.

Otherwise I would be busy playing right now from Dublin.

 

[buzzbuzz19]

I talked to stars customer support and they said
"Only players who move permanently to Denmark will be able to open an account and play as in Denmark there are specific documents that you will be required to send in order to verify and validate your account."

It still may be possible if I were to have a place of residence/bank there but for a quick vacation it seems not possible (at least not without breaking ToS).

 

[skaterick]

very interesting

 

[fundiver199]

Those pros maintain residences in those countries they play from.

Makes sense, because then they are able to provide a utility bill as proff of adress , even though its only a secondary / vacation home and not their main residence.

It still may be possible if I were to have a place of residence/bank there but for a quick vacation it seems not possible (at least not without breaking ToS).

Exactly. Your friend can open an account in Denmark, since he is registrered as living there, even its presumably not going to be for the rest of his life. But you cant open an account just visiting as a tourist and staying in either his place or a hotel. If your friend is never going to play poker himself, he could open an account and let you play from it while there, but needless to say this is also against the TOS

 

[clussman]

This is an old post but... Pokerstars own support says you can play from countries you are visiting as long as it's allowed there. What they don't say is how to do this: https://www.pokerstars.com/help/articles/row-vis-leg-play-eu/

 

[rachelle2291]

This is an old post but... Pokerstars own support says you can play from countries you are visiting as long as it's allowed there. What they don't say is how to do this: https://www.pokerstars.com/help/articles/row-vis-leg-play-eu/

I think that might only apply if you are from a country where it is legal to play on pokerstars and are visiting a country where it is also legal to play

 

[Poker Orifice]

PokerStars does not require proof of residence to set up an account. Your problem will be depositing and potentially much (much, much) more importantly withdrawing money from said account. That is the hurdle in this process. You must be able to create a viable account, accepted by PokerStars, in a country that you are only visiting.

Or, you can do something completely idiotic like use someone else's account and use transfers and other peoples' bank accounts to pull this off. Almost any method will work to get into the game. The problems will begin when you win something.

EDIT: by "viable account" above, I meant viable account in a Danish (or international) financial institution. Once you have said "viable account", you can then deposit and withdraw to/from your PS account.

Lots of players travel & play while travelling. Lots of US citizens play from other countries (ie. Costa Rica, Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam, Canada)... some move around quite frequently while playing (ie. 2 weeks at each location)