Whether you are a resident in New York, just passing through or someone on vacation looking to enjoy some of NY’s many great attractions, poker can be a great source of entertainment.
In this guide, we take a look at the gambling regulations that are in place in New York, as well as other parts of the US. We also highlight the top locations for playing games of poker compare poker legislation in New York, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The current state of gambling in New York
At present gambling is not regulated in New York, but it is close by in New Jersey. New Jersey is the home of Atlantic City where there are many great casino venues for poker players to enjoy. So, if you are in New York and want to enjoy a game of poker, you won’t have to travel too far to make it happen.
Although there has been a bill put forward a number of times to regulate online poker in New York, is it yet to be finalized and lawmakers continue to work towards pushing the bill through. They’re generally interesting demand for poker and the availability and variety of online poker rooms in the US continues to grow.
There are some exceptions in New York state’s tight gambling legislation. Since 2016, four new casino venues have opened up to join the few tribal casinos that have been allowed to operate. However, within the New York City metro district, there is not yet a poker room market.
The unique case of tribal casinos
If you are interested in visiting a tribal casino with a poker room, there are a number of options in the surrounding areas. There is the Turning Stone in Verona, at Niagara Falls there is Seneca Niagara. Nearer to the Canadian border there is Akwesasne and Seneca Allegany. Both of these casinos accept Canadian currency on their gaming machines.
For those wishing to take a trip to New Jersey to see what poker options they have on offer, they will be pleased by the number of venues there are to choose from. For live poker, Atlantic City is really where it is at. There is the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, WSOP Poker Room at Bally’s, Tropicana Casino, and Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
You can also pop over to Pennsylvania to find some great poker tables, across the state there are at least 10 different poker rooms to choose from. A couple of hours from New York is Grantville, where you can find Hollywood Casino Penn National.
Philadelphia is also a short drive from New York. Over in Philly, there is the Rivers Casino. There is also the Wind Creek Casino close by in Bethlehem. Also, over at Mount Pocono, you can find the Mount Airy Casino, while in Wilkes-Barre there is Mohegan Sun Pocono.
The state-by-state differentiation in casino and poker regulations is the United States can be confusing to those in other countries. For example, casinos and poker rooms in the United Kingdom are legal and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
The UK has one of the most developed gambling regulatory frameworks in the world. Strict regulations are observed in order to protect casino game players from harm and ensure fairness within the industry. These rules apply to both online casino operators and those based in bricks and mortar casino venues.
So, how do New York poker regulations compare with those set in the United Kingdom?
In the UK, to operate a poker room, either online poker or on land, the business must have a license. They are also required to pay tax on what they earn.
In the US, poker players in the states that allow the game often need to be over the age of 21. However, in the UK the age for playing the game in person or online is 18 years of age. Also, operators are required to carry out some sort of age verification and ask for proof of identification. Many also describe the vibe in poker rooms and casinos as being a bit different in the UK compared to those around New York and other parts of the US.
In the UK, playing poker is a comparable more relaxed and subdued affair. Some venues may have some live entertainment or music, but in comparison to US casinos, their atmosphere is a lot calmer.
Meanwhile, in the US, these venues are generally much larger, more lively and there is often a much bigger selection of gaming machines and table games. These differences are mainly just down to cultural differences between the two countries. There is also much more space for sizable venues in the US.
So, while you may not be able to find poker easily within New York City itself, there are many great places close by to enjoy the game. Gambling legislation concerning betting, poker and other casino games is changing in the US all the time, so be sure to keep up with any news around new bills being passed for both online and land-based gaming.
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