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Online Poker New Hampshire - real money play is legal in 2023!

New Hampshire Internet Poker

Can I play online poker in New Hampshire? The answer is yes!

Is it legal to play online poker in New Hampshire? The answer to this is also yes!


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Many New Hampshirites are less than satisfied with the sparse landscape for live card games within the state, and so they're turning to online poker in New Hampshire for the real money gaming they crave. Numbers gathered by researchers a few years ago in fact show that the rate at which citizens of NH partake of online poker is more than double the national average. Maybe it has something to do with the cold winters and lack of major metropolises.

Whatever the case, when you play at a New Hampshire online poker room, you won't have to worry about getting dressed or leaving the house, and the range of stakes available is much wider than what you could find in one of the few NH charitable poker rooms. It's possible to head out to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, but on the whole, playing through your internet connection is much more convenient and practical.

There are those who believe that online poker in New Hampshire is illegal, but nobody has ever been charged or arrested for any crime as a result of participating in this hobby. At the federal level, there are no laws criminalizing the game either. Some of the confusion stems from the fact that the wording of the Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act could be interpreted as targeting online poker, but in 2011, the Department of Justice issued a memorandum that clarified that the Wire Act only applies to betting on sports, not poker or other forms of internet gaming. This is the interpretation of the Wire Act that is currently followed by law enforcement.

If you're a newcomer to the world of online poker, and you live in the Granite State, then this guide is for you. We've compiled a lot of info regarding the best sites that are out there along with the laws that apply to the game, the history of gambling in the state, live poker venues, and more. Keep reading to have all your questions about online poker in New Hampshire answered.

What Online Poker Sites Can I Play in New Hampshire?

All of the virtual poker rooms that serve New Hampshire residents aren't created equal. Some of them have long histories of keeping their customers happy, but others have more checkered pasts. To prevent you (and your money) from falling into the clutches of disreputable operators, we've gone to the trouble of evaluating all of these sites and have presented the most trustworthy ones below. No matter which of them you decide to do business with, you'll benefit from competent customer service, fair shuffling and dealing algorithms, and the no-nonsense payment of your winnings.

1

IGNITION

BONUS:
150% up to $1,500
★★★★
4.5 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE POKER SITE WITH THE MOST TRAFFIC

NETWORK:
PAIWANGLUO
EXTRAS
CASINO
MORE INFO
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As far as the number of games and players, Ignition is the largest site available to New Hampshire residents. Cash tables run from $0.02/$0.05 up through $10/$20. You can delight in NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, and PL Omaha hi-lo gameplay in normal ring games and also partake in fast-fold Zone Poker and lottery-style Jackpot Sit & Gos. There's also a full complement of standard SNGs, up to the $200 level, and tourneys with buy-ins both low and high. Recurring series, like the Golden Spade Poker Open, routinely pay out millions of dollars. Ignition has anonymous tables, so no one can see your screenname.

Ignition has ensured that its software is compatible with Macs and PCs, through download applications, as well as mobile devices through a web interface. When you make your account, you can get a 150% up to $1,500 poker bonus with a Bitcoin deposit or 100% up to $1,000 with a credit card.

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2

SB POKER

BONUS:
100% up to $1,000
★★★★
4.4 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BAD BEAT JACKPOT

NETWORK:
CHICO
EXTRAS
CASINO, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
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Sportsbetting.ag has ring game poker up to the $10/$20 level. NLHE is, of course, the most popular variant, but PLO, PLO/8, and 6+ Hold'em are spread also. SB Poker has one of the few Bad Beat Jackpots still accessible by Americans, and it has been known to exceed $1 million on occasion. Fast-fold Boost Poker, sit-n-gos, lottery Windfall games, and tournaments complete the poker lineup, and you can win free money in the various weekly leaderboards that are present.

SB.ag Poker comes with client software for Windows and Mac OS, and it's possible to play from smartphones and tablets too. A 100% up to $1,000 poker welcome bonus can be yours, and there are additional bonuses for the attached casino and sportsbook too.

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3

BETONLINE

BONUS:
100% up to $1,000
★★★★
4.3 / 5

BEST NH POKER SITE FOR MOBILE SOFTWARE

NETWORK:
CHICO
EXTRAS
CASINO, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
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BetOnline is a member of the Chico Poker Network, which also houses SB Poker. Therefore, the games and promotions on offer are largely the same at both sites. BetOnline is known for its mobile poker software as the graphics are quite clear, the full bevy of games is available, and it operates seamlessly and smoothly.

BetOnline offers a mobile app for Android and iOS devices, as well as a downloadable desktop client for Windows and Mac systems. You can also play via the instant play software on any other device you may have. Head over to BetOnline and you'll receive a poker bonus worth 100% of your first deposit up to a maximum of $1,000. Be sure to check out the casino and sportsbook as well to receive additional bonuses and deposit offers.

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4

BOVADA

BONUS:
100% up to $500
★★★★
4.2 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE POKER SITE FOR SPORTS & CASINO

NETWORK:
PAIWANGLUO
EXTRAS
CASINO, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

Bovada is part of the same network as Ignition, and so it has all the same poker games and tables. However, if you're a sports fan, you might prefer Bovada because it also contains a highly rated sportsbook. Whether you like to bet on football, baseball, basketball, soccer, or some other form of athletics, Bovada has you covered. It even offers bets on horse races at hundreds of tracks around the world.

Bovada allows you to play from Windows PC, Macs, iOS, and Android devices. Upon making your first deposit, you'll get a poker bonus of 100% up to $500. The corresponding sports + casino bonuses are worth thousands of dollars.

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5

AMERICAS CARDROOM

BONUS:
100% up to $2,000
★★★★
4.1 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE POKER SITE WITH FREE BANKROLL OFFER

NETWORK:
WINNING
FREE
$10
MORE INFO
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Americas Cardroom is perhaps the most noteworthy USA online poker site if you're keen on tournaments. Not only does its “Sunday Major” guarantee $200,000, but there are also regular tournament series with eight figures in prizes up for grabs. Of particular note is the recurring Venom event, which is a tournament that pays out $8+ million to the winners. Of course, there are also ring games, lottery SNGs, standard sit-and-goes, and fast-fold Blitz Poker to sample.

ACR works fine on Windows and Mac machines, and there’s also a mobile app although it’s missing many of the games. Use our ACR no deposit bonus code PRB10FREE for $10 free. Then, deposit and receive a 100% up to $2,000 bonus.

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6

COIN POKER

BONUS:
100% up to $700
★★★★
4.0 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE POKER SITE FOR CRYPTO LOVERS

NETWORK:
STANDALONE
EXTRAS
33% RAKEBACK
MORE INFO
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CoinPoker is a crypto-only online poker room, and it boasts the largest player pool of any crypto poker site. Poker play is denominated utilizing Tether (USDT), although you will be able to deposit and withdraw via a few other cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin. Weekly leaderboards for both cash game and SNG players are also present to help increase your bankroll.

CoinPoker is compatible with numerous devices including PCs, Macs, Androids, and iOS systems. Three initial bonuses are available here including a 100% bonus worth up to $700, a 100% bonus worth up to $300, and a 100% bonus worth up to $100. You can claim 33% rakeback if you keep a balance in CHP, CoinPoker's unique crypto token.

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7

EVERYGAME

BONUS:
200% up to $1,000
★★★
3.9 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE POKER SITE FOR RAKEBACK

NETWORK:
HORIZON
EXTRAS
CASINOS, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
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The smallest site on our list of internet poker rooms for New Hampshirites, Everygame makes up for its small size in other ways. All users who sign up through our links qualify for 36% lifetime rakeback. You will also be able to gain extra money from the weekly rake races, frequent tournament overlays, and loyalty tiers rewards program.

Everygame Poker was designed for Windows machines, but there's an Instant Play version on the website for use with Macs, Linux boxes, and smart mobile devices. The Everygame welcome offer is a 200% up to $1,000 poker bonus and 25 free slot spins.

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8

SWCPOKER

BONUS:
NONE
★★★
3.6 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE SITE FOR RARE POKER VARIANTS

NETWORK:
STANDALONE
EXTRAS
FREEROLLS
MORE INFO
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SwCPoker is a crypto-only online poker site that uses Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash for all poker play, as well as deposits and withdrawals. The gameplay on offer is varied indeed featuring usual formats, like NL Hold'em and PL Omaha, but also a number of somewhat obscure variants of poker, including HORSE, 2 – 7 Triple Draw Lowball, and Open Face Chinese. Micro-stakes tables pay zero in rake and a variety of regularly scheduled freerolls can help add some extra cash to your balance.

SwCPoker runs seamlessly on any PC, Mac, Android, or iOS device. Although SwC lacks an initial deposit bonus, users can get up to 50% rakeback on an ongoing basis depending on their play.

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9

NITROBETTING

BONUS:
100% up to 25 mBTC
★★★
3.4 / 5

BEST NH ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BITCOINERS

NETWORK:
STANDALONE
EXTRAS
CASINO, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

Nitrobetting is a Bitcoin-only poker site that offers a variety of poker games in addition to a casino and sportsbook. There are no other cryptos or cashier methods in use, creating a solid and streamlined poker experience. Some of the available formats on offer here include NL Hold'em, Crazy Hold'em, 6+ Hold'em, and PL Omaha. Freerolls serve to reward grinders on a daily basis.

Nitrobetting's poker client works with nearly every modern device including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. You can get a poker welcome bonus worth 100% of your first deposit up to 25mBTC. Visit the attached sportsbook and casino to receive additional deposit bonuses.

VISIT NITROBETTING NOW
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ALTERNATIVE POKER SITES


How to Choose the Best New Hampshire Poker Site For Your Style of Play

All of the above sites have their own particular selling points, and they all have their drawbacks too. This makes it impossible for us to direct you toward the best site because this is largely a decision that you'll have to make for yourself after evaluating your preferences and habits. While we cannot inform you of the room that's right for you, we can give you a list of factors to think about as you ponder your options.

✦ If you always want to have plenty of games to jump into, then you'll appreciate the player volume at Ignition, Americas Cardroom, and Bovada.


✦ If you'd like to take advantage of a massive bonus deal, then there's a 200% offer up to $1,000 at Everygame and 150% up to $1,500 for you at Ignition as long as you deposit via Bitcoin.


✦ If you're looking to bet on sports and casino games in addition to poker, then BetOnline, Bovada, SB Poker, Nitrobetting, and Everygame might be the places to be.


✦ If you want to play from a Mac or mobile system, then Ignition, CoinPoker, SB Poker, Bovada, and BetOnline have the software to make this possible.


✦ If you wish to play anonymous poker utilizing crypto, then CoinPoker, SwCPoker, or Nitrobetting may serve your needs.


✦ If you seek regular rewards as you put in the time at the tables, then the Elite Benefits at ACR, the Loyalty Levels at Everygame, and the Nitro Rewards program at Nitrobetting are worthy of your attention.


✦ If you'd like an excellent rakeback setup, then Everygame's 36% RB offer or CoinPoker's 33% RB offer might fit the bill for you.


✦ If you want to play alot of hands quickly, then fast-fold cash games are available at SB Poker, Ignition, BetOnline, Bovada, and ACR.

How Do I Receive Payouts and Withdrawals?

Currency Bills

Hopefully, you'll accumulate a significant amount of cash on your online poker quest. You'll have no problem cashing it out because all of our recommended sites are ready to send you a check for the sum of your withdrawal. At some of them, additional methods are available, like debit cards and bank wires. The best payment processor to use is probably Bitcoin because it lets you avoid some of the delays that come with certain other cashout options, and the fees involved are very small. All of the rooms we deal with support Bitcoin, and you can read our step-by-step guide to Bitcoin for online poker if you haven't yet familiarized yourself with this digital crypto-currency.

Alternatives to Registering Your Poker Account in New Hampshire

New Hampshire and Nearby States

Folks who may be lucky enough to have another address in a nearby state, be it a business address, vacation property, second apartment, family home, etc, may have other online poker options available. Here is a list of the states that border New Hampshire and Professional Rakeback's review on each of them: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. If you're interested in some other state or the country as a whole, then it might be a good idea to look through our guide to online poker for U.S. players.

There's a lot of ignorance in New Hampshire regarding online poker. You can help spread knowledge about this fascinating game by sharing this page with any of your family or friends whom you think might be curious about this topic.

Facts About New Hampshire's Poker Industry

The sections below aim to provide detailed and accurate information regarding the legality of online poker, current live gambling venues, potential state regulation, and the history involving gambling throughout the state of New Hampshire.

The Legality of Playing Poker Online in New Hampshire

Legal Book

Anyone looking for clear guidance on whether or not online poker is legal in New Hampshire will undoubtedly be disappointed by the nature of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes. You see, they don't really specifically tackle the subject of real money online gaming at all, likely because most of them were drafted before the internet even existed. The laws that relate to gambling in the Granite State are listed under Title LXII - Criminal Code, Chapter 647 - Gambling Offenses. There are only two laws in this chapter, one dealing with lotteries and another covering other types of gambling. Let's look at the some of the text of 647:2, more specifically the definitions contained in the section:

(d) "Gambling'' means to risk something of value upon a future contingent event not under one's control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that something of value will be received in the event of a certain outcome. For the purposes of this subparagraph, the phrase "something of value'' shall include a sweepstakes ticket or other item obtained in conjunction with the purchase of goods or services that entitles the holder to a share or chance in a sweepstakes where, but for the opportunity to enter the sweepstakes, the value of purchased goods or services is insufficient to justify the purchase or the inducement to purchase the goods or services is the opportunity to play on a gambling machine.

A hasty reading of this passage may incline one to think that poker is included as a type of gambling. However, there are a couple of phrases that tend to indicate otherwise. “A future contingent event” makes it seem like only betting on future happenings, like in sports-betting, is prohibited. However, the awarding of pots in poker games takes place at showdown or when all opponents fold, both of which occur after any given bet is made, so this could be considered a future event for the purposes of this law. Also, if the intent behind the legislation was to ban unlicensed casino games among other gambling endeavors, which seems likely, then the wagers placed on roulette, craps, and similar games would have to fall under its provisions, and any interpretation of “future contingent event” that includes these casino table games would certainly apply to poker as well. A more solid argument could be made that the words “not under one's control or influence” aren't applicable to poker because a player certainly does have some control over the outcome. The problem is that it's not clear whether the event must be completely under one's control or what degree of control is necessary to satisfy this test. The usual verbiage that we encounter in state laws against gambling, like “material element,” “luck or skill,” and “predominantly,” are absent from 647:2. There's thus plenty of space to argue the question in either direction, and there haven’t been any recent New Hampshire court decisions that have attempted to make a determination on this matter as it relates to poker.

Let's return back to the text of the law to see what the penalties are for gambling:

I. A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if such person knowingly and unlawfully:
(a) Permits gambling in any place under the person's control.
(b) Gambles, or loans money or any thing of value for the purpose of aiding another to gamble.
(c) Possesses a gambling machine.

An individual playing poker over the internet might be held to violate (b) above depending, again, on whether or not poker is a gambling game in New Hampshire. According to NH law, any crime that's designated a misdemeanor without specifying the class is a class B misdemeanor, and so this is how gambling is treated. The punishment for a class B misdemeanor is a fine of up to $1,200. There is no possibility of jail time.

It's pretty good to know that it's impossible for anyone to go to jail in New Hampshire for playing card games. Even the monetary fine is seldom or never levied. There's an exception to the law for social home games that was added in July 2017, but even before this amendment passed, anecdotal reports suggested that the police in New Hampshire almost never busted up home games. This was probably a consequence of the “Live Free or Die” culture of the state – if you mind your own business and don't make a nuisance of yourself, nobody is going to come barging through your front door with guns drawn. When we contemplate the officials' laxity in leaving live home poker games alone, even when they were technically illegal, and attempt to gauge the probability of the gambling laws being used to prosecute online players, we conclude that there's almost no risk of this happening. History tends to bear this out because there has never been an arrest or conviction for playing online poker anywhere in New Hampshire. You're perfectly at your liberty to enjoy internet poker without getting into legal trouble.

The laws are a bit stricter for those operating gambling enterprises illicitly within the state. They could be charged with class B felonies, which incur a term of incarceration between 3½ and 7 years along with a fine of up to $4,000 for an individual criminal. If the party found guilty is a corporation, then the fines can climb as high as $100,000. Also, anyone promoting gambling on a gambling machine will incur a fine of at least $5,000 for every day and for every separate gambling machine involved.

The offshore poker sites that serve Americans aren't deterred by these aspects of the NH law. They've undoubtedly been advised by their legal counsel that the prospects of actually being found in violation of the law are remote. Virtually none of the internet poker rooms that accept players from the United States fail to include New Hampshire in their service areas.

Live Gambling

Logo of Manchester Poker Room

Things at first appear grim for fans of live poker in New Hampshire because there aren't any commercial casinos. Because the state doesn't have any federally recognized Indian tribes, there are no tribal casinos either. While horse racing used to exist within NH borders, all racing activity has stopped, meaning you cannot now bet on instate races.

As far as legalized offline gaming goes, you're limited to the New Hampshire Lottery, pari-mutuel betting on out-of-state races, and charitable gambling. It is this last category that brings hope to the aspiring poker player.

You see, the laws are fairly liberal as to the charitable games allowed, and poker definitely fits into this category. There is a handful of poker rooms that are licensed to spread poker with a maximum buy-in of $150 and blinds of no more than $4.

The most prominent is probably the Filotimo Casino & Restaurant (formerly called the Manchester Poker Room). It has 30 tables with a variety of low-stakes poker games and tournaments several times a week. Promos, like high hands and progressive hand jackpots, are frequent. Filotimo also offers low-stakes casino table gaming and hosts a retail location of the DraftKings state-licensed sportsbook.

Other charitable games in New Hampshire include casino table games, pull tabs, and bingo.

Online Poker Regulation Possibilities

File Folder

There are a lot of contradictory elements to factor in when talking about the prospects for state-supervised internet poker in NH. On the one hand, the state was a trailblazer in the lottery field, starting its lottery as early as 1964. Moreover, it has been active in fighting against the Department of Justice for a liberal interpretation of the Wire Act: one that makes interstate online poker unquestionably legal.

On the other hand, this activism in support of certain types of gambling hasn't translated into other types of real money gaming popping up, and repeated attempts to permit land-based casinos in New Hampshire have failed. In addition, pari-mutuel race wagering has effectively all but disappeared from the gambling environment in the state.

There are, however, several promising signs for the future. The governor signed HB 580 into law on July 18, 2017 to establish a regulatory framework for daily fantasy sports. However, that same year, AN ACT allowing online gambling failed to make its way through the legislative process. Yet, the legislature proceeded with a sports betting licensure law, which passed and was signed by the governor in 2019.

Taking everything into consideration, we believe that New Hampshire could soon join the roster of states that boast legalized online gambling. Still, we could see attempts to make this a reality derailed or bypassed as has been the case for several bills in the past.

Gambling History of New Hampshire

Hourglass

New Hampshire was one of the original 13 colonies of the United States, and its gambling history dates back almost to its founding as a distinct political entity. Attempts to control this activity were no less ancient. In 1680, just a year after the original royal charter was granted, the General Laws and Liberties of New Hampshire were passed by the General Assembly. Among the provisions of this code was one prohibiting “Unlawful Gaming in Publique Houses” and another banning playing “at cards, dice, or any such unlawful games wherein there is Lottery, at any private house or elsewhere in the Province.” This legislation was evidently deemed inadequate, and so we find in 1721 a further “Act for the Preventing of Gaming in Publick Houses.“ It reads, in part, as follows:

Whereas it is very obvious that many persons often Resort to Publick Houses to Spend their Time in Gaming to the Great Scandall of Religion…Be it Enacted…That no Taverner, Inn-Keeper, Ale House keeper or Victualler, shall have or keep in or about their Houses, out Houses, yards, Back-sides, Gardens or Places to them belonging any Dice, Cardes, Nine-pins, Tables, Bowls, Shuffle board, Billiards or any other Implements used in Gaming…

Clearly, although poker had not yet been invented, there was plenty of real money being exchanged across the card tables in taverns and inns. This makes sense because they were often the only non-religious meeting places within small towns and villages. Their status as way stations along commonly traveled routes also meant that there was a fair bit of mingling between people who would otherwise have had no contact with each other, and so it's no surprise that they would take the opportunity to gamble a little bit regardless of the stern disapproval of the Puritan authorities.

Colonial Lottery for Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College Lottery Ticket, 1784

The other main form of gambling during the colonial era was lotteries, which were usually held to benefit local improvement projects. Hard money was scarce, taxes were unpopular, and modern financing tools, like bonds and loans, were mostly unavailable. The state and towns thus viewed lotteries as a type of voluntary tax, and participation was seen as a civic virtue. After the American Revolution, lotteries continued to used for funding public spending. For instance, Dartmouth College held a lottery in 1784 to build Dartmouth Hall although the available historical evidence suggests that it didn't raise as much money as was hoped. In the mid-19th century, however, lotteries began to get a bad reputation, and they were discontinued in New Hampshire.

There wasn't any legalized gambling in the Granite State for about a century until a bill was signed in 1933 to authorize pari-mutuel wagering on horse races, and Rockingham Park soon became the place to go for thrilling gambling action. In 1949, charities were allowed to host bingo and pull tab events. In 1964, New Hampshire became the first state in the union to institute a modern lottery, and it is still going strong today. Greyhound racing was added to the pari-mutuel menu in 1971, and Seabrook Greyhound Park opened up shortly thereafter. In 1977, the charitable gaming rules were amended to allow casino table games, including poker. In 2009, greyhound racing was banned, and horse racing soon ended as well due to economic difficulties. A couple of racetracks still exist, but they only offer simulcast wagering on out-of-state races along with charitable gaming.

Under the original rules for charitable poker, no bet could exceed $4, making only low-stakes, fixed-limit games really feasible. However, in 2015 the charitable gaming regulations were amended to specifically exempt poker from this limit. Today, the size of a blind or ante still cannot be more than $4, but bets are limited only to the amount of money a player has in front of him or her. In these table stakes games, the players are restricted to buying in for a max of $150. The original $4 threshold remains in place for other casino games, like blackjack and roulette.

New Hampshire dipped its toe into regulated i-gaming with the passage of HB580, concerning Daily Fantasy Sports, in 2017. State leaders in Concord followed this up by licensing legal sports betting with HB480 in 2019.

Near the beginning of 2019, the Department of Justice changed its opinion on the Wire Act, holding that it prohibited all forms of interstate wagering. The New Hampshire Lottery filed suit about a month later, claiming that this would negatively impact sales of lottery tickets over the internet.

In June 2019, a U.S. district judge ruled in favor of New Hampshire. Although the DoJ appealed the decision, the First Circuit Court of Appeals shut down the government's arguments in January 2021. This means that the Wire Act does not apply to any types of gaming other than sports betting. This is now the law of the land across the United States, not just in New Hampshire.

In an effort to summarize the history of gambling and poker throughout the state of New Hampshire, our team has compiled a detailed timeline covering every major gambling-related event to occur in the state. The complete timeline can be found below.

New Hampshire timeline of gambling history

Famous Poker Players From New Hampshire

Shooting Star

New Hampshire is a small state located out of the way of the major live poker hubs in the country, and perhaps this explains why so few of its residents have gone on to achieve fame in the game. Though they no longer call The Granite State home, poker siblings Howard Lederer and Annie Duke (both born in Concord) are probably the most noteworthy players to hail from the state.

Howard LedererHoward Lederer

Howard Lederer, born in 1964, began playing chess in underground New York City clubs as a young man, and it was here that he first was introduced to serious poker. In 1987, he started participating in World Series of Poker events in Las Vegas, and in 1993, Howard decided to make the gambling Mecca his home.

Over the years, Lederer has amassed $6.5 million in live tournament cashes. Among his accomplishments on the felt were two WSOP bracelets: The first in the 2000 $5,000 LO8 event and the second a year later in the $5,000 NL 2-7 Lowball tournament.

Howard Lederer's good name in poker has been tarnished, however, by his close association with Full Tilt Poker, which turned out to be a Ponzi scheme that defaulted on millions of dollars owed to players. It's perhaps because of this public opprobrium that Howard has not competed seriously on the live tournament circuit since 2011.

Annie DukeAnnie Duke

Annie Duke, a year younger than her brother Howard, was also born in Concord. She played cards from an early age, but only took up the game in earnest after being encouraged to do so by her brother. After moving to Billings, Montana with her new husband in 1992, she played poker there for a year before taking her game to Las Vegas in 1994. Picking up several tens of thousands of dollars in winnings at the WSOP that year, she opted to become a pro player.

Annie soon established herself as one of the top female poker players of all time. She has collected $4.2 million in live tournament earnings with her best cash of $2,000,000 coming in the 2004 WSOP Tournament of Champions, which she won. This special invitational tourney doesn't count as an official bracelet event, but Duke did pick up a piece of gold hardware with her victory in the 2004 $2,000 LO8 event.

Much like her brother, Annie Duke's reputation suffered a hit because of her association with a shady online poker site, in her case UltimateBet, which was the playground of super-using cheaters.

Other Types of Online Gambling

Besides just poker, many other types of gambling are offered on the internet. Slot machines, table games, and sports betting are available at numerous sites online. Our team has reviewed the options and evaluated the best online casinos and sportsbooks available to players in New Hampshire. Below, you can find our top casino and sportsbook recommendations. We only recommend sites that we have personally used.

Online Casinos

The situation for terrestrial casino gaming in New Hampshire is pretty grim. There are no commercial or tribal casinos within state borders, and the charitable table games with their maximum bet of just $4 are likely to leave any serious casino gamer underwhelmed. Fortunately, there are a number of offshore casinos that are happy to welcome New Hampshire citizens, and we think that the three best of them are:

1. Ignition Casino - 100% up to $1,000 Bonus (150% up to $1,500 With Bitcoin)
2. Bovada Casino - $3,750 in BTC Casino Welcome Bonuses (125% up to $1,250 x3)
3. Sportsbetting Casino - 100% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus 3x ($3,000 Total)

There are some reliable additional choices for anyone looking for the most trusted online casinos for USA players in our dedicated list.

Online Sportsbooks

New Hampshire sports betting is real and active, but there's only a single licensed operator in the state: DraftKings. If you wish to pick from a broader palette of sportsbooks, then you have recourse to the many offshore bookmakers that serve The Granite State. We have evaluated them and identified three solid options:

1. Bovada Sports - Sports Bonus of 50% up to $250 (75% to $750 With Bitcoin)

2. Sportsbetting.ag - 50% up to $1,000 Bonus (100% Match With BTC)
3. Everygame Sports - Bonuses for Sports and Multiple Casinos!

There are other internet sportsbooks clamoring for your action. Find out more about them on this page devoted to the highest-rated online bookmakers for Americans.

Summary of Online Poker in New Hampshire

You're not restricted by the very limited B&M poker scene in NH because New Hampshire online poker is alive and well. The law won't go after you for participating in online card games held over the internet. Select a good site for online poker in New Hampshire, and you can begin playing today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Online Poker in New Hampshire is a broad topic with a lot of fine details, so it's understandable if you still have a few questions. You can look below in our FAQ, which very well might contain the answers you seek.

No, there's no framework for state-regulated online poker in New Hampshire. The state has recently established a licensed online gambling industry, but this confined to betting on sports, daily fantasy sports, and the lottery. However, there are plenty of offshore internet poker rooms available in New Hampshire.

Yes, there have been a few halfhearted attempts to make online poker explicitly legal in the State of New Hampshire. In 2010, the governor made vague statements indicating his support for regulated online gaming to raise revenue. However, nothing ever came of this. Then in 2017, a bill started moving through the legislature that would exempt online gambling from the N.H. anti-gambling statutes. This bill did not come up for a vote before it died though.

Yes, there are effectively no punishments for engaging in N.H. online poker gameplay. The gambling laws on the books are vague, and it's not clear if they apply to poker anyway, but regardless, they have never been used to go after online poker players.

Yes, there's nothing in state law preventing PokerStars from accepting New Hampshirites as customers. But the only games available are denominated in play money chips.

This is because PokerStars voluntarily withdrew from the real money American market in 2011 in order to settle the Black Friday indictments against it. It has since returned in several states, like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, but only because it has received the explicit approval of officials in those states. Unless and until New Hampshire begins to license internet poker sites within its borders, PokerStars won't open up its real money games to users from this state.

Yes, Ignition's operations in New Hampshire are in accord with well-established international treaties. The parent company of Ignition is based in Hong Kong, and so it is the laws of this jurisdiction that the organization is bound to follow, not those of the United States.

Yes, according to the laws of Panama where BetOnline is licensed, it's not doing anything wrong by accepting customers in the United States, including New Hampshire. The U.S. federal government's recurring attempts to bar access to offshore gaming firms have already been declared to be against World Trade Organization rules multiple times. Because the United States is a signatory to WTO treaties, it's not living up to its international obligations by trying to prohibit these companies from transacting with its citizens.

Global Poker says that its unique sweepstakes model makes it legal in New Hampshire and all other states in the Union besides Washington. However, this line of reasoning has not yet been tested in court although similar internet sweepstakes have been found to be illegal in the past. We have our doubts about the future of Global Poker as an ongoing concern, which you can read about in our thorough Global Poker review.

New Hampshire has established a minimum age of 18 to be able to participate in daily fantasy sports, sports betting, the New Hampshire Lottery, and charitable gaming, including poker. A higher age of 21 applies to making pari-mutuel wagers.

Online, it's the lower age, 18, that applies. It would be virtually impossible for real money online gaming corporations to ensure compliance with minimum gambling age laws in the thousands of jurisdictions that their customers come from, so most of them have set 18 as the minimum regardless of where their users are located.

If you are under 18, you should resist the urge to lie on the signup form in order to be able to create a poker account online. While it might work in the short run, you will encounter difficulties when attempting to prove your identity. If you're unable to show that you're above the 18 minimum age for online poker, then the site could terminate your account and seize your balance.

No, there are serious risks involved in operating an unlicensed gambling enterprise in New Hampshire. Unlike ordinary players, whose real money gaming is largely ignored by the authorities, the managers and owners of underground gaming shops face prosecution.

In June 2014, Manchester police sprang into action after undercover investigations into illicit gambling parlors that lasted more than a year. In raids on three separate establishments, they confiscated video poker machines and arrested seven. Unless you wish to be detained by law enforcement and perhaps have your property seized, we advise you to keep clear of getting involved in the illegal gambling scene.

Credit cards work at virtually every online poker site for New Hampshire, but they may not be the best way to make your deposit. Credit card transactions for online gaming are often declined, and depending on the room you're depositing to, there might be fees added on top of your deposit amount.

For the best results, we've found that Bitcoin (BTC) is generally the way to go. This crypto-currency has low fees, fast transactions, and independence from the often meddlesome banking sector. Bitcoin is accepted at every poker provider we recommend for New Hampshirites. If you don't know much about Bitcoin but would like to learn more, then read this Bitcoin and online poker walkthrough.

There are a few “altcoins” that have been gaining prominence too although they're nowhere near as popular as BTC. To find out more about them and how to use them for online gaming, check out these pages: Bitcoin Cash gambling guide, Ethereum and internet gaming.

Yes, almost every poker room online has some kind of mobile solution for its customers. This may take the form of dedicated apps for particular mobile operating systems, or all modern devices might be supported through a web app that runs in your browser.

Some sites only list a limited number of games and formats in their mobile lobbies. Even at those that attempt to replicate the full desktop experience with their interfaces for smart devices, the smaller display size means that there's almost guaranteed to be some decrease in functionality. We prefer to play on our desktop PCs most of the time and only play poker on our smartphones and tablets when away from home.

Yes, Mac poker client software has become more prevalent in the industry within the past decade. Even at those rooms that lack Mac download software, there's usually a browser-based platform that works fine on Apple computer hardware.

Even those poker software packages that only work on Windows may be usable on your Mac through emulation software. We have heard of people successfully running Windows poker executables through CrossOver and Parallels.

Browse over to the Mac poker page for additional info on this subject.

Yes and no. There are no state income taxes, and a special 10% tax on gambling wins was eliminated in 2011. Therefore, you don't owe anything to New Hampshire itself due to your income from online poker.

However, the Internal Revenue Service still expects you to declare and pay taxes on any income derived from online gaming. None of the offshore brands that we represent will send you any tax documents, so it's on you to figure out how much your tax liability is. If you wish to minimize your tax obligations, then we counsel you to consult with a qualified income tax preparation specialist or a tax attorney.

Yes, New Hampshire passed a law, HB164, in 2017 specifically to make private poker games legal. The usual caveats about the house not making any profit and no cheating taking place apply. Further stipulations limit the number of players to 10 or fewer, and the game cannot be advertised to the public.

New Hampshire Hold'em is a casino table game, spread in many charitable New Hampshire cardrooms, that uses poker hand rankings to determine the payouts. Players in this game neither try to beat a dealer nor compete against each other. Rather, the results are based upon the strength of a player's final hand.

First, the player posts an ante of $2 or $4 (his or her choice). Then two hole cards are dealt. Assuming an individual likes these initial cards, he or she can opt to make an additional bet equal to one, two, or three ante bets. Otherwise, the player can fold.

If the player chooses to continue with the hand, a community card is dealt. This process of folding/betting one/betting two/betting three occurs two more times, so that by the end of the hand, three community cards are showing.

At this point, the player's final five-card hand is evaluated, and the results are determined according to the payoff table. There are variations in the payouts depending on the venue, but the following seems to be the standard pay schedule:

  • Pair of 77 through TT: Push
  • Pair of JJ through AA: 1-1
  • Two Pair: 2-1
  • Three of a Kind: 3-1
  • Straight: 4-1
  • Flush: 6-1
  • Full House: 8-1
  • Four of a Kind: 30-1
  • Straight Flush: 80-1
  • Royal Flush: 250-1

 


We strive to maintain this information and update it frequently with our research. However, we are not immune to making mistakes or omitting information that you, dear reader, may find of use. If you have any further questions not addressed in this guide or have noted any discrepancies or inaccuracies we urge you to contact us with your questions and concerns so that we may swiftly address them!