About Us

US Poker exists to give American players a straight answer to a genuinely complicated question: which real money poker sites are worth your time and your bankroll? This page explains who we are, how we work, and what you should expect from every review and ranking on this site.

What This Site Is and Who It Is For

We are an independent comparison and review site focused exclusively on online poker for players in the United States. The US market is unlike any other — it is regulated state by state, payment options vary by operator, and the range of licensed and offshore sites available to American players shifts regularly. A recommendation that is accurate for a player in New Jersey may not apply to someone in Texas, and a site that suits a recreational player grinding $0.25/$0.50 cash games is rarely the right choice for a tournament specialist with a five-figure bankroll.

Our content is written for all three kinds of player we see visiting this site: casual players who want a trustworthy room with easy deposits and soft games; experienced grinders who are comparing rake structures, rakeback deals, and traffic at their stakes; and switchers or bonus-hunters researching a specific angle — a crypto-friendly room, a new welcome offer, or an alternative after a site withdrew from their state. We assume you already know how to play poker. We focus on helping you decide where to play.

How We Research and Rank Poker Sites

Every site that appears on our ranked lists has been reviewed against the same set of criteria. We do not accept payment to improve a site's position. Commercial relationships — where they exist — are disclosed on every page, and they decide nothing about where a site is placed.

The factors we assess for each operator include:

• Licensing and player protection — We verify whether a site holds a recognised licence (MGA, UKGC, Curaçao or a US state authority) and whether player funds are held separately from operating capital. Unverified licensing claims are never repeated as fact.
• Game selection and traffic — We look at the cash game formats available (No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, mixed games), the tournament schedule and guarantee levels, Sit & Go and lottery-style Spin & Go options, and whether the player pool is large enough to find a game at your preferred stake at reasonable hours.
• Software and mobile experience — We assess the desktop client and the iOS and Android apps for stability, lobby navigation, hand history access, and whether HUD and tracking software are supported or blocked via anonymous tables.
• Bonuses and their real value — Welcome offers are reviewed alongside their material conditions: playthrough requirements, clearing methods, time limits and eligibility. A large headline number is not the same as a valuable bonus; we explain the difference.
• Deposits, withdrawals and timing — We document the payment methods each site accepts for US players — cards, ACH, PayPal, PayNearMe, operator prepaid cards and crypto — along with stated withdrawal speeds and any fees that apply. We do not test deposits personally; we verify published terms and cross-reference reported player experience.
• Rake structure and effective rakeback — For grinders, the cost of playing matters as much as the bonus. We review the rake charged across game types and stake levels, and we assess the loyalty and rewards programme to estimate effective rakeback where that data is available.
• Customer support and responsible gambling tools — We check what support channels exist and whether operators provide deposit limits, session reminders, self-exclusion links and access to state-level problem gambling resources.

Sites are assigned an editorial rating on a scale that reflects their overall standing across all of these areas. Ratings are editorial assessments — they are never customer review scores and are never for sale.

The Sites We Currently Cover

Our ranked list reflects the operators we consider the strongest options for US players at the time of our most recent review. The sites we cover — Coinpoker, Americas Card Room, Stake, Ignition, Bovada, BC Poker, Black Chip Poker, BetOnline, Ya Poker and Jack Poker — were selected because they are accessible to players across a wide range of US states, offer a meaningful combination of game variety and player traffic, and met our baseline standards for licensing transparency and fund security. No site is on this list because it paid to be here.

Each site's headline offer is reported alongside the conditions that matter: minimum deposit, playthrough requirements, and any eligibility restrictions we were able to verify. Offers change; we update our pages regularly, but always confirm current terms directly with the operator before depositing.

Our Editorial Standards

We hold ourselves to a short list of non-negotiable rules:

• We never invent facts — no fabricated traffic numbers, no made-up ratings, no unverified licence claims.
• We never present poker as a way to make money or solve financial problems. It carries real risk of loss, and nothing on this site should suggest otherwise.
• We never write for players under 21. The minimum age for regulated online poker in most US states is 21 (a small number of states use 18); all of our content treats 21 as the default threshold.
• We do not use urgency tactics or pressure language. No countdown timers, no "last chance" framing, no manufactured scarcity.
• Every recommendation carries at least one honest limitation. A site that ranks first on our list still has weaknesses worth knowing about before you sign up.

Commercial Relationships and Affiliate Disclosure

Some of the operators listed on this site pay us a commission if a reader signs up through our links. This is standard practice for comparison sites and is required to be disclosed under FTC endorsement guidelines — so we say it plainly here and on every page where commercial links appear. Commission does not buy a higher ranking, a more positive write-up, or the omission of a drawback. Our editorial process runs independently of our commercial arrangements, and we will remove or demote a site that no longer meets our standards regardless of whether a commercial relationship is in place.

Responsible Gambling

Poker is a game of skill with a real element of chance, and it costs money to play. We take responsible gambling seriously, and we ask that you do too.

If you are concerned about your own gambling or someone else's, free and confidential support is available 24 hours a day through the National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). Most US states also operate their own self-exclusion programs — your state gaming authority's website will have details on how to enroll.

You can find more guidance on setting limits, recognising warning signs and accessing support on our responsible gambling page.

Get in Touch

If you have a question about a review, a factual correction, or general feedback, we want to hear it. Accurate, current information is the only thing that makes this site useful, and reader input helps us keep it that way.

You can reach us through our contact page. We read every message, though response times vary with volume.

For the legal detail on how this site operates, see our terms and conditions.

This site is intended for readers aged 21 and over. Online poker for real money is not legal in all US states — it is your responsibility to confirm that participation is permitted where you are located before registering with any operator. Nothing on this site constitutes legal or financial advice.