Poker In Missouri

1. Legality Of Poker In Missouri
2. Online Poker Legal In Missouri
3. Video Poker In Missouri
4. Poker In Missouri Bars

1. While most offshore poker companies still accept players from Missouri, these cases have resulted in a few providers withdrawing their services from the state. The history of gambling in Missouri. Missouri was transferred to the United States as a result of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. At that time, there were very few people living in the wilderness with very little gambling activity.
2. Missouri Poker Laws and Regulated Gaming. Missouri laws do not specify if online poker is legal in Missouri or illegal. Horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering on international or interstate horse.
3. One of those great options at the disposal of a Missouri resident is BetOnline Poker. This poker room is one of the highest rated in the industry, and welcomes players from the state to sign up with them and create an account. BetOnline is legal for Missouri players, provided that they meet the minimum gambling age requirements.
4. Current Missouri Gambling Laws. Casino gambling has a bit of a foothold in Missouri, but in general, the state doesn't appear to have a particularly favorable outlook on gambling. That means that.

It’s fair to say that poker is struggling a little bit in Missouri. The state was dealt a major blow when the River City Casino poker room shut its doors in April of 2016. This sent shockwaves through the poker community as this was considered one of the best places to play and was featured prominently in the Heartland Poker Tour.

At any time of day, on any day of the year, it’s a good bet that poker is being played in Missouri. You could be looking at a high-stakes game at one of the state’s casinos, or perhaps a more casual affair conducted among friends.

Most of the hands of poker played in Missouri, however, probably take place online – an area that we’re going to cover extensively in our Guide to Missouri and Online Poker.

One of the most common questions we receive is: “Can I play poker online if I live in Missouri?“. The answer is yes. Missouri does not have any laws that state it is illegal to play online poker. There are still a number of poker sites that accept players from Missouri.

Is Online Poker Legal in Missouri?

Can I play poker legally in Missouri? Is it legal to participate in real-money games of poker over the Internet? These are common questions we get from readers, and our answer is always the same: While we can provide you with some basic facts about the law, questions about the legality of something not specifically addressed by law – like online poker – can only be answered by a lawyer.

We know that state law can be a complex and convoluted thing, so we’ve assembled some of the critical parts into an easy-to-read list that should give you the broad strokes of gambling law in Missouri.

What counts as gambling in Missouri? An activity has to be unlicensed by the state and must require a person to stake or risk

“something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence” (Section 572.010(4).

Participating in such activity is a misdemeanor in Missouri.

The one exception: Social gambling (no house, in private, occurring among people with a genuine social relationship) is permitted and not required to be licensed (Section 572.010(8)).

Legality Of Poker In Missouri

Missouri has one quirk of law that should be of special interest to poker players. If you are a “professional player” – defined as someone who has earned a minimum of 20% of their yearly income in any of the last 5 years (Section 572.010(9)), you face a much stiffer charge for illegal gambling – it’s a class D felony.

Profiting from the operation of illegal gambling activity – a concept defined quite broadly by Missouri – can range from a misdemeanor to a felony depending on the size of the operation and whether or not it involves bookmaking or a lottery (Section 572.030-040).

“Possession of a gambling device” (Section 572.070) is defined in a similarly broad fashion and could easily include the cards and chips used in a card game, and perhaps even the software and computer involved in an online game of poker.

The above represents only our summary of what we consider to be the key points of Missouri law as it pertains to online poker. For the complete text of the Missouri statutes, visit the webpage for the Missouri Secretary of State .

Will Missouri Regulate Online Poker?

We doubt that Missouri will lead the way when it comes to online poker regulation, but a few factors give us confidence that the state would follow along if a broader, national trend of regulation took place. The first factor is the presence of several major casino corporations in the state, a force that will be keen to push online poker regulation for competitive reasons. The second is the state’s general willingness to embark on gambling expansion. The third is the condition of the state budget (poor) and the need to rectify that situation (pressing). Put it all together and you get a reasonable case that Missouri won’t buck a nationwide push to bring regulated online poker to American players.

Missouri: Poker, Gaming and Gambling

Missouri’s relationship with gambling mirrors that of its more conservative neighbors. While the state certainly had its fair share of unregulated gambling during the 1800s and early 1900s, it took quite some time for Missouri to embrace those elements and craft them into a regulated gambling industry. For example, Missouri was relatively late to introduce a lottery, selling their first tickets in 1986 – over 20 years after New Hampshire kicked off the legal lotto revival in the US.

Overview of Regulated Gambling Options in Missouri

The state lottery remains in operation today, and is one of a diverse menu of regulated gambling activities in Missouri. The riverboat casino is the dominant form, with a double-digit tally of the gaming vessels spread across the state’s waterways. Tribes are also a presence in Missouri’s gambling industry, which suffers only from a lack of racetracks and pari-mutuel wagering.

Overview of Missouri-Regulated Online Gambling

As of the writing of this article, the state of Missouri does not directly regulate any form of online gambling, including online poker. The state’s fondness for gambling indicates that regulated online poker could come to the state at some point, but we don’t see a clear path to state-backed online gambling in the status quo.

All Poker and Gambling Laws by State

• Legislative efforts are underway in Illinois and Missouri to expand gambling. Both initiatives seek to expand the number of places which can host slot machines with new “video gambling” laws. The issues being debated are different in each of the neighboring states, but both issues call for more gambling at

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• Russian casino cheats engineered a software program which made American slot machines go haywire in June 2014, according to a report released this week by Wired. The software caused several slot machines in the Lumiere Casino in St. Louis to produce a “negative hold” over two days in early June

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• Jeremy Klausner, the lead attorney for Borgata, filed a critical response to a previous legal filing by playing-card manufacturer Gemaco, which is involved in the Borgata-Phil Ivey lawsuit. Previously, the Kansas City-based Gemaco filed a motion for a summary judgment in the case. The litigation stems from a lawsuit Borgata

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Missouri Poker & Gambling Research Sources

AGA Missouri Overview . Resource from the American Gaming Association that provides a snapshot of the gambling industry in the state of Missouri. Access quick facts about the revenue, regulation and scope of regulated gambling within Missouri’s borders.

Online Poker Legal In Missouri

Missouri Gaming Commission. Self-exclusion, financial statements, licensee information and a host of other facts, forms and resources at the home page for the agency primarily responsible for gambling regulation.

Missouri Gaming Association. Trade group representing the majority of licensed operators in Missouri. Litany of articles, papers and other information related to Missouri’s regulated gambling industry.

Missouri’s Place in Poker History

Certainly not thought of as a poker epicenter, Missouri surprises many when they learn of the state’s varied connections to some of poker’s biggest stories. Two World Series of Poker champions have ties to Missouri; Greg Raymer attended college there, and 2006 winner Jamie Gold was born in the state.

Gold isn’t the only poker notable to come out of Missouri. One of the original stars of poker, Mike Caro, is a native of Joplin. Noted for his books and videos, Caro is also credited with crafting the first AI-based poker opponent, which he debuted at the 1984 WSOP.

Sources & Citations For This Article on Missouri Online Poker

The state of Missouri is not necessarily known for its permissive attitudes toward gambling—but that hardly means legal Missouri poker opportunities are non-existent. On the contrary, those who live in the state and wish to play cards can do so, so long as they know where and how to do it. For example, Missouri does not condone acts of gambling, yet poker games played in Missouri riverboat casinos are perfectly legal, and indeed, they are licensed and regulated by the state. There are also opportunities to play poker in private homes and in online poker rooms; if these forms of gambling are not expressly approved by the state government, they are still safe options for Missouri poker fanatics.

This page was designed as an educational resource, meant to provide Missouri gamers with some insights into the poker opportunities that are open to them. The page will first weigh some of the realities of Missouri’s gambling laws, especially those that relate to poker. We will then consider some of the specific avenues for playing live, land-based poker in Missouri. From there, we will conclude with some remarks about online poker in the state of Missouri.

Missouri Poker Laws & Statutes

Of course, travelling to a riverboat casino is not always convenient for Missouri gamers, which is why so many wish to know more about online poker opportunities. Is online poker legal in Missouri? The answer, strictly speaking, is no; the state does not overtly approve of online poker. With that said, Missouri poker lovers can play in online poker rooms totally unafraid of legal consequences.

That’s an important distinction to make—the difference between state-sanctioned gambling, and gambling that is safe and secure. Missouri’s law books do not offer any concessions for online poker, yet neither do Missouri authorities penalize those who play in online poker rooms. We will discuss the intricacies of these laws in the next section of the page.

Is it Legal to Play Online Poker in Missouri?

We will first consider the legality of live, land-based poker games in Missouri. Once more, these games are not legal, with the obvious exception of casino play. It may not be known as a gamer-friendly state, but Missouri does a few licensed and regulated riverboat casinos where poker enthusiasts can play without fear of legal woes.

Can I Get into Trouble for Playing Online Poker Missouri?

The obvious question that Missouri poker fans will want to ask is that of whether they will get into any kind of trouble for frequenting online poker rooms. The answer is no, they will not. Once more, the important thing to note is the big gulf that lies between full legality, and safety.

You see, Missouri’s poker laws do not penalize those who play in online poker sites. There are laws in place, both on the state and federal levels, which punish those who own and operate online poker sites. Those who simply wish to play are on solid legal footing, however. And by seeking out reputable and above-board poker sites, Missouri gamblers can avoid even the hint of legal trouble.

Legal Poker Sites That Accept Missouri Players

With several casinos scattered across the state, Missouri residents can begin to believe their only options for playing poker lie in making a long drive to a musty poker room where they must abide by a seemingly arbitrary set of rules in order to play some cards and earn a couple buck. Fortunately, that is not the case. Thousands of Missouri residents have already come to know the pleasures of playing in legal online poker rooms, and below is a listing of some of the best available.

Bovada Poker - Most Trusted Online Poker Room For Missouri

Missouri residents are often seeking the perfect marriage between value and quality, and for those residents, Bovada provides a shining beacon that other legal poker sites can only hope to strive towards. After over 20 years of service to US citizens, more and more Missouri residents are finding the great variety of poker games available through Bovada to be freeing compared to their restrictive, land based poker rooms. Whether a user wants to play mainly for recreation with a $2 buy in to a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, an intense game of five card stud for $100 a hand or anything in between, Bovada hosts it all.

Video Poker In Missouri

The most assuring thing about an account with Bovada is the confidence they exude in their product. They’re so confident in fact that they are willing to let new users practically walk off with free money just for using their poker room. When new players sign up and make their first deposit, as long as their account is active enough, they may earn 100% of their deposit back in bonus money. Win or lose, new players are eligible for this deal, it’s a sweet enough incentive to have anyone from Missouri itching to visit the Bovada poker room as soon as possible.

BetOnline Poker - All Missouri Players 18+ Welcome Here

For those living in Missouri seeking out a long standing name in the legal online poker community that is synonymous with legitimacy and great service, BetOnline's poker room could be the home they’re looking for. This legal poker site has long been a host to some of the most diverse and comprehensive poker games available, catering simultaneously to the seasoned poker veterans and newcomers to the game through the great variety offered in their poker tables.

Perhaps the best quality about BetOnline is their cashier, which makes it easier to deposit and withdraw money than any legal poker site on the internet. This online poker room for Missouri residents not only offers the most deposit and withdrawal options compared to any of their competition, but the fees are the absolute lowest in the business. After they register for an account at BetOnline poker, users need not spend too much time worrying about their accounts, and they can just focus on making online poker fun and profitable.

Does Missouri Have Legal Land-Based Poker?

The next question is this: Where can Missouri residents turn for opportunities to play poker? There are a few land-based options, of course, in particular the several riverboat casinos in the state. Whether you wish to travel to these casinos in order to gamble is a matter of personal preference, of course, and may depend on where in Missouri you live. With that said, these casinos are really the only options for live, casino-style play in the state of Missouri.

Beyond that, there are plenty of places to play online. Indeed, online poker rooms are not hard to come by, and many of them are both inviting and reputable. In fact, most online poker rooms will prove more than happy to welcome Missouri gamers. Missouri gamers, in turn, can play without any worries about legal trouble.

Legal Land-Based Poker Rooms For Missouri Players

We will first consider the legality of live, land-based poker games in Missouri. Once more, these games are not legal, with the obvious exception of casino play. It may not be known as a gamer-friendly state, but Missouri does a few licensed and regulated riverboat casinos where poker enthusiasts can play without fear of legal woes.

Future of Poker/Online Poker in Missouri

Where are Missouri’s poker laws headed? That’s a compelling question, but not one with an easy answer. Again, Missouri is not exactly known as the most gamer-friendly state in the country, so it is unlikely that the state will fully legalize all forms of poker by tomorrow. With that said, more and more states are growing laxer and laxer about gaming, and about online gaming in particular—which makes the widespread acceptance of online poker seem almost inevitable.

Poker In Missouri Bars

For now, Missouri natives can feel comfortable and safe playing in online poker rooms, without needing to worry about legal consequences. Beyond that, there are some casinos in the state that Missouri’s lawmakers fully support. Gamers in Missouri will want to note that, at this point, these are the only real options for safe Missouri poker playing.