Over the last 10 to 20 years, the citizens of Arizona have become more open to casino gambling — especially poker. Thanks to technology, that interest has increased even more. Now bettors can access their favorite games on online poker sites conveniently. For those interested, we’ve very good list of poker sites in Arizona available at Top 10 Poker Sites.
However, the recent adjustment of the Wire Act in the United States has transferred all control and legalization of the gambling industry to States executives. It is also not a secret that most states in the US haven’t legalized poker gambling yet.
But where does Arizona stand? What’s the legal status of online poker for real money in Arizona? Is it permitted or prohibited? We’ve discussed everything you must know about playing online poker within the State of Arizona in the sections below.
The History of Betting in Arizona
The state was sparsely populated when Arizona was still within Mexico and the Spanish Empire. This went on until 1848, until the Mexico-American war, when the state joined the US.
In the start, the minerals in Arizona were used in a good way. The state had gold, silver, and copper. But due to the electrification of the United States, the demand for copper grew, as copper was used as a wire to transmit the electrical current.
New towns — such as Tombstone in 1877, needed to serve the copper miners. In 1878, the Oriental Saloon was established, resulting in a more active environment. The saloon incorporated live piano music, carpeting, and games like poker, faro, and craps for gamers. This beat all other betting houses in Tombstone and Arizona.
In 1907, the good tidings for Tombstone and casino gaming were ended when Arizona’s legislature banned gambling. The state entered as the 48th state to join the Union in 1912. However, Arizona didn’t have many underground speakeasies or gambling activities, in contrast to other states in the US.
Then, in 1949, the state legalized pari-mutuel gambling alongside the Arizona Racing Commission (RAC). Individuals could now bet on greyhounds and horses — though greyhound racing was prohibited in 2016. Furthermore, the Arizona lottery opened in 1980.
The ’80s also had many native tribes establishing local gaming casinos, but the government didn’t legislate that until 1992. This allowed the existing native casinos to run without worrying about being interrupted and put out of business.
The Arrival of Poker
Poker came into the pictures in the ’90s, as some natives began providing poker gambling services. However, the game wasn’t included in the pact between the natives and the state government. After struggling back and forth for years, the government and locals came to terms concerning poker in 2003, where the pact exclusively mentioned poker.
The legislation initially put poker under strict gambling limits, but these restrictions have eased over time. The most recent upgrade on the restriction was in 2021, which initially didn’t permit bettors to make wagers of $500 and above.
Then, following the legalization of the HB2772 bill, it brought a new kind of gambling into play. The bill offered online sportsbooks and land-based brick-and-mortar casino licenses to run. In September 2021, the foremost sportsbooks opened.
Is it Legal to Play Online Poker in Arizona?
While the regulatory framework of online gambling in Arizona is a bit murky, playing internet poker in the state is legal so long as you’re betting on a licensed platform. However, some sources believe that due to the successful native casino community in Arizona, online poker sites are facing issues within the state.
Regardless, this doesn’t stop bettors from accessing poker from their favorite iGaming sites. More so, internet gambling platforms outside the state offer players from Arizona access to wagering their real money for profit.
Also, these poker rooms are obliged to communicate properly to all players if there’s any glitch in operation. Failure to deliver as expected will lead to serious trouble for the poker rooms involved.
That established, you must confirm that the poker room you want to patronize is licensed and regulated. This way, you’ll save yourself the stress of worrying if they’d deliver the right services and rule out the chance of getting scammed. Some of the top online casinos we suggest for playing poker in Arizona include:
- Wild Casino
- Bovada
- Las Atlantis.
Why Play Online Poker in Arizona?
As a poker player, modern innovations mean you are not restricted to playing in a specific geographic location since there are various overseas sites you can also access. So, you must be thinking; what are the benefits of playing online poker in Arizona? Here are a few:
- Access to bonuses.
- Allows extremely low deposits.
- Wide game varieties.
- A chance to win real money.
- A chance to contribute some revenues to the state.
Conclusion
The casino industry in AZ is amazingly prospering. As we’ve seen, it wasn’t all a smooth journey, but the Copper State has been able to sail through victoriously. Gamblers in Arizona can easily wager on online sportsbooks, casinos, or brick-and-mortar casinos.
