Georgia Poker Club
A luxurious poker club in the 5 star hotel and casino Ambassadori, offers a wide choice of poker games. With a relaxing and friendly atmosphere, it is a perfect place to test your skills and enjoy playing the beautiful game of poker. The Ambassador Poker Club has 2. One of the youngest professional Poker players who is from Georgia is the very friendly Jeff Williams, he was only 19 when he picked up a huge cash prize of over $1million when playing in the European Poker Tour. He is a firm favourite of also playing online poker too! The information for online poker sites in Georgia is relatively straightforward and easy to understand.
All forms of gambling, with two minor exceptions, are prohibited in Georgia,
and the state certainly does punish those severely who test this. The only forms
of gambling allowed in Georgia are state endorsed lotteries and raffles for
charities.
This means you won’t find any live Texas holdem poker action in Georgia at
all, at least not with money involved, and of course this also extends to online
play. Not all hope is lost though, so read on if you want to hear some of our
thoughts in respect to how you can still play poker while living in the Peach
State.
Georgia Gambling
All casinos, sports betting, horse betting and any type of gambling where
money is wagered on an outcome is banned in Georgia. They certainly have the
same hard line stance as some other conservative states in the US.
Once again this simply results in lost tax revenue for the state as those who
wish to gamble will find other ways or head interstate, or even internationally,
to get their gaming fix. This is a real shame for the state as they seem to have
seen the light in relation to lottery which is now regulated and operated
resulting in hundreds and thousands of dollars for education infrastructure,
preschool tuition and college scholarships.
This is a direct reflection of the good that can come from running a
regulated industry, even with the negative social impacts that sometimes come
from increased gaming options in a localised area. The approach of allowing
those who wish to gamble to do so, while directing profit to important areas
such as education and health is a fantastic middle ground that usually satisfies
all parties.
Some states have found this middle ground though which is a good thing, but
given Georgia’s overall approach it doesn’t seem likely that this will be found
here anytime soon beyond the existing lottery games. Thankfully there are a lot
of easy options for you which we’ll go into more detail on below.
Texas Holdem Cruise
If you live near the east coast you can take a river cruise on the Emerald
Princess to get your gaming fill. This cruise ship heads out three miles from
the coastal city of Brunswick into international waters where state laws don’t
apply and gambling is legal.
Aboard this ship you can play slots, blackjack, video poker, blackjack,
craps, roulette, casino stud poker, bingo, triple time poker, and most important
Texas holdem poker. Mainly cash games are offered here across 6 tables and
you’ll find $2 / $2 no limit Texas holdem with a minimum buy in of $50 and a
maximum of $300.
Every so often they also run a tournament and your best bet is to call ahead
to check on this. The minimum age to gamble is 18 and if you want to drink
alcohol you’ll need to be 21. The ship sails on Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm
until 12am, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 4pm and 7pm to 1am, and on Sunday
from 1pm to 6pm. A ticket costs $10. These are winter hours with more trips
being run in the summer.
Atlanta Poker Club
If you want to play Texas holdem poker locally in and around Atlanta, you can
find some decent action through the Atlanta Poker Club. This club runs a series
of poker games at restaurants and bars around the greater Atlanta area.
All tournaments are free to enter with prizes being awarded in the form of
food and drink vouchers, trophies, memberships, and sometimes even cash. On top
of this, when you do well in a tournament you’re awarded points and are
competing against all players on the overall Atlanta Poker Club leader board.
From this you can win more prizes and gain entry into larger tournaments
where decent money is up for grabs. The important thing in relation to this club
is that no money changes hands. Bars and restaurants pay the club to run events,
while earning increased revenue from players who come to play poker and have
some drinks and food in their establishment at the same time. While this isn’t
real poker as you would find in a casino, it’s a good option if you’d like to
play Texas holdem poker legally and for fun in Atlanta.
Traveling out of State
Your final option in relation to playing poker in the state of Georgia is to
get in your car, or catch a plane, to another state. Obviously, your best bet
would be to drive south into Florida which has a huge Texas holdem poker scene
and a room that offers tournaments and cash games in pretty much every town.
Georgia Poker Club Poker
Just over the border to the south in Jacksonville you’ll find a huge number
of rooms including the massive BestBet which boasts over 70 tables and a huge
number of games at all stake levels. Jacksonville is just a 1 hour flight from
Atlanta, or a five hour drive, and if you live in the southern part of Georgia
it may only be a short drive. Creek Entertainment in Gretna is also a good
option, just outside of Tallahassee.
Online Holdem
If you want to play poker online in Georgia, you also won’t be able to do so
in a legal poker room. The state has no specific laws in relation to online
play, except in respect to operating an online gambling business. This means you
simply cannot play online poker in Georgia, unless you breach terms and
conditions of certain sites and enter the legal grey area in respect to state
law.
If you wish to play slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, or other games at
online casinos you can do so at several sites that allow US players. This once
again is a legal grey area as technically you probably shouldn’t be doing so.
It’s highly unlikely that the state would come down on you though as they try to
go after the suppliers as opposed to the players. Proceed with caution if you
attempt to play at online casinos out of Georgia and we certainly aren’t
recommending it.
If poker is your passion and you want to become a professional or
semi-professional player, then you should probably leave Georgia and relocate to
Florida or California. That is, unless you think you could tough it out and live
in Las Vegas. If so, then Vegas is the best place to be to find the softest
possible tables and have access to the best tournaments.
If you don’t want to leave Georgia and are established there then you’ll need
to travel to Florida or Mississippi, or take a cruise ship out into
international waters. That’s the only way you’ll be able to play poker regularly
enough to make decent money, ride out the variance in the game, and classify
yourself as semi-professional. That will take a lot of effort and you’ll spend a
lot of time travelling, so you really need to decide whether it’s worth it or
not.
Future Laws
Laws in Georgia are unlikely to change soon and we all now know that at the
federal level online poker won’t be making a comeback for a long time. As such,
it’s just not a viable option to wait it out and see what happens in the state.
Once again, the law is rife with hypocrisy in respect to allowing lottery and
not any other gambling, but that’s just life. We can only hope that poker builds
in popularity in the state and some of the conservative draconian laws and
lawmakers begin to see the light.
Usually money wins out at the end of the day and if the lawmakers and
politicians can see a significant amount of revenue being lost to neighbouring
states then we may see changes in the future. But probably not for a few
generations.
In the meantime, check out BestBet in Jacksonville; it really is one of the
better poker rooms in the United States.
Conclusion
Georgia Poker Club Tournament
Unless you want to take the chance to play Texas holdem online in an
unlicensed poker room, your only options in Georgia are to travel out of state
or take a gambling boat trip off the coast. If playing poker is important to you
let your local and state politicians know how you feel.
Poker is a game that has been enjoyed for generations. From groups of friends hitting up the local casino for a night out playing cards to casual games hosted in dining rooms across the country, countless individuals have enjoyed the many sides of poker since the card game was first invented. Since the advent of the Internet, it has become easier than ever to play your favorite poker games whenever you want, so long as you have a connection to the World Wide Web.
But it is true that the legality of some poker games is questionable. You see, every state has set up its own regulations regarding real money gambling. Poker is a favorite pastime for countless individuals, but it can become a legal issue if you play for money in certain instances. Throughout the following article we will take a closer look at the regulations that the state of Georgia, specifically, has put into place in order to help you make educated decisions about your poker activity.
Georgia Poker Laws & Statutes
Georgia is one of the most restrictive states in the country with regard to its gambling regulations. Because the state offers absolutely no regulated tribal or commercial gambling opportunities, the land-based poker games that are held within its borders are highly limited. In fact, the only land-based poker games that are allowed by the law are those conducted within club-based leagues. These leagues do not charge entry fees to the players who wish to engage in the game, so it is able to step around the legal issue that its activity presents by not requiring players to risk their money (with is, for all intents and purposes, one of the fundamental aspects of the definition of gambling). Despite this, players can still win cash prizes, allowing them to enjoy the full poker experience without having to lose their own cash.
The other side of the coin in terms of poker activity is Internet-based gambling. The legality of online poker games is a bit more complex, as there are no specific laws that speak to Internet-based activity with this regard.
Is it Legal to Play Online Poker in Georgia?
Previously, we discussed the fact that the law regarding Internet-based poker is a bit murky in this state—and this is a fact that has caused many officials and players to wonder just what is and is not permissible under the legal code with regard to online poker activity. Certainly, though, the state of Georgia itself has not made any moves to regulate online poker games or to offer a regulated form of Internet-based tournaments.
Despite this, countless players from Georgia engage in online poker games each and every day due to the fact that this activity is not specifically outlawed by the legal code. You see, the area of online gambling is relatively new, legally speaking. As such, most of the states—including Georgia—have not yet updated their regulations to reflect online activity. For this reason, many players feel comfortable turning to the World Wide Web to play poker instead of attending the aforementioned clubs, as they can do so on their own time and at their own convenience.
Georgia Poker Clubs
Can I Get into Trouble for Playing Online Poker Georgia?
Online poker activity is something that many players in Georgia are comfortable engaging in because they feel safe doing so. While it is true that law enforcement professionals in Georgia have worked to bust online gambling cafes, as they are called, it is also true that the level of your safety can be increased by simply choosing a trusted, reliable website on which to play the game. Websites that operate legally from other countries, such as Canada, are wonderful options because they allow you to join a community that is run in accordance with local laws.
If you are looking for a new way to play poker, online options are a great choice in Georgia. The state has not made any public announcements regarding efforts to limit Internet-based poker activity and, if you choose the right site, you can have a wonderful time engaging in your favorite games.
Legal Poker Sites That Accept Georgia Players
In a state with as limited gambling options as there are in Georgia, it’s all the more crucial that Georgia residents find legal and credible online poker rooms to fulfill all their poker needs. Luckily, the list below should provide just such a service for any Georgia residents hoping to try their luck at the poker tables.
Bovada Poker - Most Trusted Online Poker Room For Georgia
Legal poker sites accepting Georgia residents may be a broad category, but if a player is looking for the best, there is really only one. The Bovada online poker room stands head and shoulders above all others, and a big reason is their longevity. Bovada has been serving US citizens for over 20 years, and in that span of time they have learned the value of hanging on to a good customer, and they have learned that the only way to do that is through a long and solid track record of treating all their clients with respect, and most of all, respecting the money that the clients put in.
In an effort to show the utmost respect for their new customer’s money, the Bovada legal poker site goes so far as to give it all back. All new customers who open an account are fully eligible to receive 100% of their first deposit back. Through this promotion, Georgia poker players can earn up to $1000 in free money to use in the Bovada poker room simply by ensuring their account remains active and plays in poker games. How many businesses offer free money simply for using their product? Counting Bovada, there’s at least one.
BetOnline Poker - All Georgia Players 18+ Welcome Here
For Georgia residents who want to ensure that they have the lion’s share of the power when it comes to how they play poker, they would be well served to check in on one of the fastest growing legal online poker rooms in the world at BetOnline. Join the hundreds of thousands of US residents all across the country who are learning one simple fact: when you play poker at BetOnline, the player is king by a wide margin.
Using this legal poker site, players have the power to enter any sort of tournament they like. Whether it’s a small stakes recreational tournament with a $2 entry fee or a high stakes, all day tournament for a huge payout or anything in between, BetOnline has it covered. Upon creating an account, check with BetOnline poker weekly for the most comprehensive list of tournaments available, even offering specials around events like Valentine’s Day or even Thanksgiving. With BetOnline, there is truly poker for all seasons.
Legal Georgia 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 Georgia Have Legal Land-Based Poker?
As we have mentioned, the only legal poker options that are open to players in the state of Georgia, on a land-based basis, are those offered by clubs. Club-hosted poker tournaments are common across the state and they have found a loophole in the law by not requiring players to put up an entry fee to participate. While the restricted number of land-based opportunities can prove exceptionally inconvenient to players who are looking to engage in a tournament but don't have a local club, individuals who can take advantage of this unique poker experience actually enjoy it because they are able to play the game without having to risk their own money.
Legal Land-Based Poker Rooms For Georgia Players
In terms of land-based poker options, Georgia players are limited to clubs that offer tournaments. As we have mentioned, these clubs actually don't charge an entry fee for players, as this is how they are able to get around the state's gambling laws and operate in accordance with its regulations.
Regarding online options, it is important that you pick a high quality, stable, and trusted website when choosing where to play poker. Seeking recommendations from trusted sources, including experienced players, is a great way to narrow down your options and, ultimately, choose a website that will allow you to have the best experience possible.
Future of Poker/Online Poker in Georgia
Georgia Poker Club
Currently, the future of poker in this state is unknown. While officials have made efforts to stop online gambling cafes, they have not made any public actions that would indicate that they are trying to limit online poker activity. If you are looking to participate in a poker tournament, the land-based clubs in this state are a fantastic option; however, if you want an Internet-based experience that allows you to play the games you want when you want, it is important to turn only to trusted websites.