At one time, it was easy for US residents to play online poker. It wasn’t unusual for poker sites to have tens of thousands of US players online all the time. Obviously, things have changed since then – but not necessarily for the worse. Poker is still popular, and it will never die. This is especially true in America, where the game is practically a national pastime. Thousands of players still hit the virtual felt every day. They’ve just moved to new US online poker sites, adapting to shifts in the industry. So what exactly caused these shifts? Where do most US-based players call home now? And what does the future look like for internet poker in the USA? We’ll answer all these questions and more below. By the end of this article, we’ll better understand the new (and improved?) US online poker industry.

What Happened to US Online Poker?

One Friday in April 2011, the US Department of Justice (New York) indicted the founders of the two largest online poker sites for money laundering and wire fraud. The indictments significantly impaired the two sites’ ability to serve players, and soon after they shut down to US players entirely. The events of “Black Friday” sent a ripple of fear through the poker industry. Sites who evaded charges grew scared that the DOJ would hit them next, and shut down to Americans as a precaution. When all was said and done, a good number of US online poker sites pulled out of the American market. This all explains why the landscape of online poker looks so different now from just a short two years ago.

Are There Still Poker Rooms for US Players?

Yes, there are still plenty of US online poker sites. While black Friday seemed pretty doom-and-gloomy, the fact is that there are over 100 poker sties still serving American players. The great thing is that playing poker is not illegal by US Federal law. Unless your state has banned online poker (like Washington) you are free to play wherever you’d like. Online gambling legislation only affects gambling providers, not players. So if you’re itching to play, the remaining US online poker sites are safe and legitimate places to scratch the itch.

Are the Remaining US Poker Rooms Any Good?

The current US online poker market is like any other market – there’s some good and some bad. The trick is to separate the wheat from the chaff. This is easy to do thanks to the web. Player opinions are widely available and are accurate reflections of the state of the market. If you’re looking for US online poker site recommendations, I suggest scanning some poker site reviews. Pay attention to things like bonuses, player volume, and banking options.

Can US Poker Players Deposit and Withdraw Easily?

While US poker sites are plentiful, US payment options are not. Here’s why. The DOJ shutdown revolved around payment processing, not poker. Since it is illegal for banks to handle online gambling transactions, poker sites must use middlemen to take deposits and handle withdrawals. This makes being a middleman a risky business, and there aren’t many left post-black Friday. In the future, more payment options will certainly open up.

US players can try the following for deposits and withdrawals:

• VISA poker sites. Success rate varies from site-to-site. Don’t be surprised if your VISA transaction is declined at a US poker site.
• MasterCard poker sites. Same as VISA – success rates are spotty.
• Cash Transfer - This is just wiring money to a poker site using a service like Western Union or MoneyGram.
• eCheck poker sites - This is an instant transaction from your bank to the poker room. It's basically the same as writing a paper check, but done electronically.
• Bank Wire -If you’re depositing a large amount, most US poker sites will be happy to help you wire the funds direct from your bank account.

For depositing, I would try a credit card poker site first. It’s by far the easiest and fastest way to fund an account, as long as your card goes through. If a credit card deposit isn’t possible, then try a cash transfer. WU and MG locations are everywhere in the US; all you have to do is go to one and ship the funds to your poker site.

What’s In Store for US Online Poker?

It’s hard not to be optimistic about the future of US poker sites. We’ve already got a stable of great sites to play at, and more pop up every day. Service is improving by the hour, and by all indicators the industry is recovering well from the black Friday hit. Insider reports suggest that the Federal government is seriously considering regulating online poker, which would be a boon for American players. A regulated industry would open up hassle-free payment channels, ensure player security, and legitimize poker in the mainstream. Most speculate that once regulation happens, we’re in for a second-wave boom in online poker.