Alabama Online Poker | Alabama Poker Rooms
With the US indictments against PokerStars, Full Tilt, and UB, Americans have reason to be concerned about the legality of poker in their state of residence. Some States, such as Nevada and New Jersey, are known for their casinos and gambling destinations. But what about a state such as Alabama? Is Alabama online poker illegal, or can residents play on US friendly poker sites without worry?
To start off, poker itself is not illegal in Alabama. In fact, history states that gambling was introduced to the US courtesy of river boat casinos, and these boats would have resided in the neighboring Mississippi river!
Alabama online poker and home games are illegal if you are attempting to make a profit off them. That is, if you charge fees or rake. This means that you cannot create an Alabama online poker site, nor can you charge people to play games in your home. The state's goal is to prevent organized crime from using gambling as a means to an end, not to prevent Alabama residents from having fun.
In the past the state has proposed laws to make Alabama online poker illegal, but the laws were never passed. Back in 2009, Alabama State Senator Hank Erwin moved to ban games of chance. However, poker is always a grey area because some court cases in the states have demonstrated that poker is actually a game of skill.
While it is illegal for banks to knowingly allow transactions to and from poker sites, it is not illegal for residents to play Alabama online poker. If you want to give Alabama online poker a try, just be sure to pick a reputable site that accepts American players.
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