Online Poker legalities?

[WheelsVT]

Since the poker talk has started up again, and i've found myself hooked at partypoker (thanks to my brothers), i feel compelled to ask for your thoughts/knowledge on what is/is not legal.

Is online poker governed in the same manner as "real" gambling by state laws (and where can I find details)?

What if you are playing with play money, does that exempt you from the laws? (They sell casino games in walmart. Is this different?)

what if you win your way into money from a play money tourney, can you play with that? For example, if someone goes all the way like MoneyMaker from a freeroll to a satelite to a wsop seat.

-Wheels

[cartman]

If you are playing for fun, no cash involved, that isn't a problem at all anywhere in the US.

Playing for money is different on a state by state basis. In many states card rooms are legal, even when casino games are not. What makes Internet gaming even more interesting is that there hasn't been (to my knowledge) a ruling as to whether the laws of the location of the server or the player take precedent.

[Huckleberry]

...what if you win your way into money from a play money tourney, can you play with that? For example, if someone goes all the way like MoneyMaker from a freeroll to a satelite to a wsop seat.

-Wheels

I don't think that would be against the law. If all you ever did was play a freeroll and your prize for winning was entry into a tournament that paid the top finishers real money, you never put up anything of value at risk.

At least in Texas, that would be fine. Businesses around here frequently have poker tournaments with no entry fee that result in real winnings. That is basically what the above quote is dealing with, just in two steps instead of one.

[QuikSand]

I agree... but would simply note that Moneymaker paid $40 for his WSOP satellite entry last year.

[WheelsVT]

Right. winning a freeroll would be a few steps away from the buy-in satelite that moneymaker went in on, but it is possible to make it from the freeroll... wouldn't that be a tale for the ages. ...dreaming...