Legal Poker For Wisconsin Residents
While the game of poker may be even more popular than it has been at any point to date in the United States, the state of Wisconsin does not appear to be any closer to overturning legislation restricting and regulating the game within state boundaries.
Wisconsin is one of the few states in the union which continues to define poker as a game of chance, and therefore unlawful. While penalties for being caught as a mere player remain light within the state, there is hefty prosecution for those who would attempt to make poker games available for others, and the state of Wisconsin does not offer licenses for poker rooms.
The only exception to this rule is a couple casinos within Wisconsin set up and maintained by Native American tribes on reservations.
Wisconsin Poker Laws & Statutes
While federal law governing the entire United States attacks gambling by only going after those who would facilitate or make it available for other citizens, the state of Wisconsin actually takes federal law one step further by outlawing the actual act of placing a bet.
According to state legislation, a Wisconsin resident is guilty of gambling if they make any sort of bet, or indeed even enter a place where they may make a bet with the intent to do so. According to the Law, this is a class B misdemeanor, and carries with it a moderate legal fine.
However, it’s worth noting that when it comes strictly to charges of “gambling,” no otherwise honest Wisconsin resident has ever been convicted or prosecuted for merely participating in a game of poker. It’s only when one enters the territory considered “Commercial Gambling” that the issue becomes larger.
Is it Legal to Play Online Poker in Wisconsin?
Like many states who have not addressed gambling legislation in a very long time, the state of Wisconsin has no actual laws written out about online poker.
However, given the legal status of poker in general, it’s not hard to deduce what some legal issues may be. Hosting one’s own online poker network is surely a terrible idea. It leaves a Wisconsin residents wide open to that class I felony charge in a very public fashion. When it comes to merely playing online poker, one who lives in Wisconsin finds themselves back in that realm of “gambling” as defined above. While this act is technically against the law, the fact that no Wisconsin resident has ever been brought up on charges of gambling still stands.
Can I Get into Trouble for Playing Online Poker Wisconsin?
For Wisconsin residents, online poker is the safest option out of any other means to play poker within the state. Although in order to function as legal businesses legal online poker rooms must operate outside of the United States, they are still held to rigorous standards from both the laws of their own native countries and the standards of the gaming commissions that authorize them. In addition, these poker sites have been open to catering for Wisconsin residents since they each opened their doors, in most cases, over ten years ago.
These sites are the most secure, customer friendly and finely tuned products available on the market, and they will go to great lengths to satisfy all of their customers. These poker sites can’t come highly recommended enough, and for many Wisconsin residents, they are the only real option.
Legal Poker Sites That Accept Wisconsin Players
While many citizens from Wisconsin show an interest in playing poker, not all possess the knowledge to turn their interest into a reality. By visiting any of the good legal poker sites for Wisconsin residents listed below, they should be able to make a deposit and begin playing within hours of reading this page.
Bovada Poker - Most Trusted Online Poker Room For Wisconsin
When Wisconsin residents are looking for the very best in online poker service, there is no reason to start the search with an inferior product. For most, the hunt for a superb legal poker site begins and ends with Bovada. After more than 20 years of service to US citizens, most Wisconsin residents have found a comfortable home in the Bovada network for all their online poker needs, whether they enjoy high stakes tournaments, a couple low-risk hands for mere minutes at a time or anything in between, an account with Bovada means plugging in a playing poker within minutes.
Perhaps the best feature that Bovada's poker room offers is their opportunity to make online poker not only a lot of fun, but potentially more profitable. Upon doing the research, thousands of players from Wisconsin have found that no other online poker room goes through the trouble Bovada does to help their players educate and improve themselves if they so desire. Through excellent tools like a rabbit cam and a saved archive of every hand a player has been dealt coupled with statistical analysis, players are able to pick apart their own games and see where improvement may be needed. Wisconsin residents should consider a Bovada account an exercise not only in entertainment, but in self-improvement.
BetOnline Poker - All Wisconsin Players 18+ Welcome Here
For Wisconsin residents seeking a sleeker, upstart alternative in their pursuit of the perfect legal online poker room, a visit to BetOnline may be in order. This legal poker site for Wisconsin residents boasts some of the sleekest and fastest running software available on the market. Even with slower internet connection speeds, you’ll be able to enjoy a gorgeous and intuitive page layout that will have you at one of the hundreds of available tables in a matter of mere seconds based on your playing preferences.
In order to show off just how eager BetOnline is to seat new users at one of their tables, consider their new player sign up bonus. When a new account is created and initial funds are deposited, the online poker room at BetOnline will not only make those funds available for playing, but the account will be instantly eligible to receive 200% of those funds back in the form of bonus money to be used anywhere in the poker room. This is an unparalleled deal in the online poker industry, and one that any Wisconsin resident should leap to take advantage of as soon as possible.
| Legal Wisconsin Poker Sites | Welcome Bonus | What To Play | Site Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Poker Play / Sign Up | $1,000 FREE - 100% Match | Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo - Stud Hi/Lo |  |
| BetOnline Poker Play / Sign Up | Maximum $1K: 200% Rate | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo | |
| SportsBetting Play / Sign Up | 200% Match / $1,000 Max | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo | |
| 5Dimes Poker Play / Sign Up | Vary Weekly - Check Website | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo |  |
Does Wisconsin Have Legal Land-Based Poker?
Despite the legal status of poker within the state, there are a couple of poker rooms run by Native American tribes that are open to the public. Players can participate in poker tournaments for buy-ins as low as $30 or as high as $300, depending on what stakes they would like to play for.
Still, this is assuming that one can make it to these far-away poker rooms in time for the start of the tournament, and that they do not wish to have any control in the style of poker they play. The options for land based poker in Wisconsin may be limited, by for players who desperately need the thrill of playing poker in person, they can work in a pinch – after all, they have to.
Legal Land-Based Poker Rooms For Wisconsin Players
A Wisconsin resident can be guilty of “commercial gambling” by setting up or establishing their own poker game for profit. This is not to say that merely having some friends over for a game of poker makes a player guilty of a Class I Felony, the difference is in whether or not the player collects a profit.
If someone from Wisconsin hosts a poker game in which they charge admission for the privilege to play or even collect a “rake” (a percentage of each pot given to the house as profit) from the game, they enter the territory of commercial gambling. By simply avoiding these actions when it comes to poker, Wisconsin residents may avoid serious Felony charges and indeed, most likely, legal attention all together.
Future of Poker/Online Poker in Wisconsin
Unfortunately for many prospective poker players in the state, the future of poker is looking dimmer and not brighter. Following the case of a murder in relation to a gambling dispute, Wisconsin has shut down the Madison poker room and is seeking further legislation to remove poker from tribal casinos.
It appears that for now and perhaps even further into the future that if any Wisconsin residents are passionate about playing poker on a regular basis, an account with a legal online poker room will be a necessity.
