Whether you play poker online for fun or for real cash, there are certain safety precautions that you should take. For example, make sure to sign up with a secure site. Many online poker sites will require personal information such as date of birth, social security number, and full name. Moreover, you should never create more than one account. This is illegal and could land you in trouble with the site.
While there are many advantages of online poker, it is still subject to numerous legal issues. In many states, gambling on the internet is illegal. However, many countries have legalized it, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Caribbean. In the United States, an effort to legalize online poker was defeated in the State Senate of North Dakota in March 2005. The DOJ has argued that online gambling is illegal, but legal experts have disputed this statement.
Other states are moving towards legalizing online poker. California, Nevada, and Delaware have already opened up online poker websites. And Pennsylvania is in the process of legalizing online poker. Once it is legal, the Keystone State will likely be joining the combined player pools. However, there is no definite timeline for this. If you are a poker player in these states, you may want to consider opening an account with a website in a different state.
A recent scandal has thrown online poker into the spotlight. FullTilt Poker and other leading online poker operators were accused of money laundering and violating gambling laws. As a result, the companies that escaped the indictment grew in size and market share.