Legal Online Poker For Minnesota Residents
|
|
Home to more than a few poker pros and lots of state-regulated gambling, it should be no surprise that Minnesota is not on the list of states with harsh penalties for online poker players. In 2009, and every year since, some member of the state government has tried to force Minnesota-based Internet Service Providers to block access to a long list of online poker sites. The problem with their argument now is the legal precedent they used to try to force the shutdown.
What does this mean for people who want to play online poker in Minnesota? Check out our poker room recommendations for the best places to spend your poker money. The poker sites below all accept Minnesota residents and they are all among the most trusted online gambling sites available to U.S. players.
Legal Online Poker Sites For Minnesota Residents
We recommend three online poker rooms for Minnesota residents: Intertops, BetOnline, and Bovada. All three of these online poker sites are legal for citizens of Minnesota, and all three provide alternative payment methods to keep your deposits and withdrawals in compliance with the UIGEA.
The online poker rooms at Bovada are the clear choice for many users across the United States and residents of Minnesota are no exception in taking advantage of this stellar online poker site. Nestled just over the border in Canada, Bovada has been providing online poker specifically for the American player with top-notch customer service, smooth interface gameplay and reliable and safe payouts to its customers. This online poker room is not shy in getting the game started either. New members are astounded to find up to an extra $1000 in their accounts after their initial deposit through a 100% Welcome Bonus which is second to none. This gives players a fantastic opportunity to rake in huge winnings knowing that they have free chances at huge pots. Locals of the Land of 10,000 Lakes will be happy to know that they can be playing free hands of their favorite games within minutes.
Players from Minnesota may search far and wide before they ever find a poker site as high quality as BetOnline. They have been serving up some of the best card playing experiences on the internet and users can expect a beautifully designed site with action-packed poker rooms stacked with chips. The cards are in the user’s favor whether playing directly off the site, downloading the BetOnline software or playing on the go from a mobile device. This online poker room gets a player comfortably seated at the table right away with a 200% Sign-Up Bonus which can be as high as $1000 in free chips for the betting with a simple email using the promotional code ‘POKERNEW’. With over $250K is weekly guaranteed tournaments, daily free rolls and a revolving list of ongoing special events, it is no wonder why folks in Minnesota are signing up in droves.
SportsBetting is one of those online poker rooms which has been sitting nestled on the back page of the internet with some of the best poker players in America taking advantage of their services. With hundreds of different tables accomodate a variety of players, this online poker remains a popular destination for the more bold and experienced players. Members keep coming back for their generous features and perks, most beloved of which is the ability to withdraw winnings once a month completely free of charge. The best of the best know that when they are playing with SportsBetting's online poker room, their winnings are safe and unaltered with the highest payouts possible in the business. Becoming a member at SportsBetting is a winning hand in itself and only takes moments.
Minnesota officials have most often cited the Federal Wire Act of 1961 in their attempts to block online poker to Minnesota citizens. The Wire Act is a 60s-era bill that was meant to slow down or stop illegal sports gambling. Since the Department of Justice recently clarified, in December of 2011, that the Wire Act regulates sports bets only, anti-gambling and anti-online poker legislators in Minnesota are going to have to scramble to find another precedent to back up their claims that online poker players in Minnesota are violating some federal law. That means the momentum right now is on the side of online poker players.
While Minnesota has not joined the ranks of states like New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in pursuing state-regulated online poker, there are no current attempts in the state to shut down access to online poker games inside state borders. That means that online poker is now as legal in Minnesota as it always has been. As long as Minnesota online poker players do business with legit poker sites and don't violate the UIGEA by making bank transactions with online poker cashiers, their game is totally above board.
Is Land Based Poker Legal in Minnesota?
Poker has grown from a simple game, to a hobby, to a full on craze that has gripped the entire United States in a fever to where citizens of the country just keep screaming for more. Of course, residents of Minnesota are no exception to this, and many have questions as to their rights when it comes to playing poker by the hand or by the tournament.
Fortunately, laws in Minnesota as they relate to land based poker within state borders are fairly lax and at the very most stringent, easy to work around. Poker is not fully legalized, but there are many ways a player in Minnesota may legally play. First off, there are several state sanctioned facilities throughout Minnesota that have all the proper permits and licenses required to host legal poker tournaments.
Secondly, Minnesota is one of the only states in which the legislature appears to have gone out of their way to ensure that residents of their state have every right to play a private poker game among friends. Amidst all the legal-ese stipulating that it is illegal to play poker outside of lawfully established businesses, Minnesota has ensured through clear language that games held in private, among social friends are not held up to this law.
The one distinction a Minnesota resident must be careful to make is that they are not hosting poker games for profit. Even if a resident hold a game in their own home amongst friends, as long as they do not collect a “rake” or percentage of each pot as profit or charge admission to the game, they will be perfectly within their legal rights.
However, an infraction of this policy can lead to a Minnesota resident being brought up on felony charges. One must be very careful and know the exact extent of the law and their rights when organizing a poker game in their own home.
Where to Play Live Dealer Poker in Minnesota
Aside from playing amongst friends for what will most likely be lower stakes, (many Minnesota residents have reported lost friends over high stakes poker) there are a couple options left for serious poker players in Minnesota who crave the chance to earn serious profits by playing poker.
There are several casinos and poker rooms that stand alone and are attached to dog tracks throughout the state. All of these poker rooms host no limit hold ‘em tournaments with buy-ins that vary anywhere from $35 for players who wish to play more for recreation than for profit all the way up to tournaments that cost up to $250 just for a seat at the table and a shot at the prize.
One sure bet an avid poker fan in Minnesota can make is that these games are likely to feature players of a higher caliber that will be eager to test the mettle of any newcomers who take a seat at the table.
Despite little variety in games and far away casinos, Minnesota can offer some pleasant means to play poker in person. However, players may be left yearning for a more customizable experience that some of these casinos may not be able to offer.
The author of this article is not a lawyer and does not consider the above to be legal advice. If you have questions about online poker and Minnesota law, contact a legal professional. We also suggest that you check out your state websites as well as other sites about legal online poker in the United States.
