Online Real Money Poker in Wisconsin - play safely @ these legit sites in 2023

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

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

Politically, Wisconsin has been a bit of a mess lately with a conservative governor but a more liberal base of citizens that he is the leader of. This dichotomy has caused some clashes and made a rather awkward situation for all of those involved. It is of little surprise that regulated real money online poker in Wisconsin has not been on the table yet, and that won’t change any time soon. Many might despair at this point because there are seemingly not a lot of options, but offshore sites have stepped in big time to fill the void left by the lack of a regulated gambling market. Considering the size of the state, these US-facing sites might actually be better options anyway than some ring-fenced site that the state could offer. Below is a list of the great Wisconsin online poker options available to you.

There are plenty of online poker operators that accept customers from Wisconsin, and it's important that you only sign up for those that are legitimate rather than those that are dishonest. We've done a lot of work to evaluate all the companies that are available with an eye toward reputability and integrity. Below are the results of our painstaking investigations. When you play at one of our recommended sites, you won't have to worry about the fairness of the games, the quality of the customer support, or the prompt payment of your cashouts. Select any one of these rooms, and you'll be assured of an excellent experience.

1

IGNITION

BONUS:

150% up to $1,500

★★★★★

4.5 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE POKER SITE WITH THE MOST TRAFFIC

NETWORK:

PAIWANGLUO

EXTRAS

CASINO

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The poker room at Ignition is the largest place for internet poker that's open to Americans. Ignition offers numerous cash game formats including NL Hold'em, PLO, and PLO/8 featuring blinds up to $10/$20. Fast-fold Zone Poker, sit-and-gos, lotto-style Jackpot SNGs, and multi-table tournaments are also present at Ignition. One popular tournament is a weekly event featuring a $150k prize pool. All poker play at Ignition is anonymous in an effort to protect recreational players.

Ignition Poker is available for download on any Windows or Mac device. Users who prefer to utilize other hardware like mobile devices and tablets can play on the instant-play web-based version of the poker software. Visit Ignition today and receive a 100% poker bonus on your first deposit up to $1,000. Crypto depositors receive an increased bonus of 150% up to $1,500. Check out the attached casino for additional promotions.

VISIT IGNITION POKER NOW

2

SB POKER

BONUS:

100% up to $1,000

★★★★★

4.4 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BAD BEAT JACKPOT

NETWORK:

CHICO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

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SB Poker represents the third largest poker destination online for U.S. players. SB Poker offers numerous cash games including NL Hold'em, LHE, PLO, and PLO/8. Also on offer is the largest Bad Beat Jackpot of its kind, growing as large as seven figures on occasion. Fast-fold Boost Poker, sit-and-gos, lotto-inspired Windfall Poker, and multi-table tournaments are also popular at SB Poker. Cash game and sit-and-go leaderboards can also boost your bankroll with regularity.

SB Poker is available to download on any Windows or Mac system. Mobile users who utilize iOS or Android devices can also access an excellent mobile application to play. Visit SB Poker today to receive a poker bonus equal to 100% of your first deposit up to $1,000. Visit the attached sportsbook and casino to receive additional valuable promotions.

VISIT SB POKER NOW

3

BETONLINE

BONUS:

100% up to $1,000

★★★★★

4.3 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE SITE FOR MOBILE POKER

NETWORK:

CHICO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

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BetOnline and SB Poker are both partners on the Chico Poker Network, so the poker tables and promotional offerings are largely the same. BOL is especially well-respected for its extensive gambling lineup including a sportsbook, racebook, and a wide array of casino games. You can also access the full roster of gaming options using any iOS or Android device.

You can download the BetOnline poker software on any Mac or PC system, and you can use the mobile apps or instant-play web-based software to play using virtually any modern device. You can benefit from a poker bonus worth 100% of your first deposit of up to $1,000, and you can claim up to $1,000 in the sportsbook, $3,000 for casino gaming, and additional reload bonuses moving forward.

VISIT BETONLINE NOW

4

BOVADA

BONUS:

100% up to $500

★★★★★

4.2 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE POKER SITE FOR SPORTS AND CASINO GAMING

NETWORK:

PAIWANGLUO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

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Bovada operates as a sister and partner to Ignition, so the poker tables and formats are identical at both sites. The major benefit to choosing to play at Bovada is that it offers a sportsbook and racebook, both of which are unavailable at Ignition. You can place wagers on all of your favorite sports like the NFL, NBA, MLB, and much more. If you enjoy betting on sports or horse races in addition to playing poker, then Bovada is an excellent choice.

The poker software here is available to download on any PC or Mac system, and you can use the browser-based client to play on any other modern computing device. You can take advantage of a poker welcome bonus equal to 100% of your initial deposit amount up to $500, which increases to $750 if you use crypto. The casino and sportsbook offer additional deposit bonuses that may be worth exploring.

VISIT BOVADA NOW

5

AMERICAS CARDROOM

BONUS:

100% up to $2,000

★★★★★

4.1 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE POKER SITE WITH FREE BANKROLL OFFER

NETWORK:

WINNING

FREE

$10

MORE INFO

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As befits its name, Americas Cardroom accepts action from players distributed across the United States, including Wisconsin. ACR is well recognized for offering a plethora of multi-table tournaments across all buy-in levels. ACR also offers recurring tournaments and special events like the VENOM, a special yearly tourney featuring a prize pool of $10 million in its most recent iteration. Of course, numerous cash games are also present along with plenty of SNGs and lottery-style Jackpot SNGs.

Americas Cardroom is available to download on any Windows or Mac device. There is also a limited mobile application, but unfortunately, many popular formats are absent. Visit Americas Cardroom today and use our exclusive bonus code PRB10FREE to receive a $10 bonus with no deposit required. Upon making your first deposit you will also get a 100% bonus worth up to $2,000.

VISIT AMERICAS CARDROOM NOW

6

COIN POKER

BONUS:

100% up to $700

★★★★★

4.0 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE POKER SITE FOR CRYPTO USERS

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

33% RAKEBACK

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There are plenty of crypto poker sites available on the internet, but CoinPoker has emerged as the largest site by player traffic. The tables and tournaments here are denominated only using USDT (Tether), but you can use a few additional cryptocurrencies to complete deposits or withdrawals. You can play popular favorites like NLHE and PLO as well as more niche variants like Open Face Chinese and 5 Card Omaha. Be sure to check out the recurring sit-and-go and cash game leaderboards to add extra crypto back into your bankroll.

CoinPoker offers four versions of its poker software: Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. Three deposit bonuses are offered here for new players including a 100% bonus worth up to $700, a 100% bonus worth up to $300, and another 100% bonus of up to $100. Another perk here is that all players can get 33% rakeback every week if they choose to keep a balance of CoinPoker's proprietary crypto, CHP.

VISIT COIN POKER NOW

7

EVERYGAME

BONUS:

200% up to $1,000

★★★★★

3.9 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE POKER SITE FOR RAKEBACK

NETWORK:

HORIZON

EXTRAS

CASINOS, SPORTSBOOK

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Everygame isn't quite as large as the other rooms discussed on this list, but the value in playing at Everygame lies in the excellent promotions and extras offered. 36% rakeback is offered as the standard and payments are issued daily. Other promotions include weekly rake races, reload bonuses, overlay tournaments, and a VIP program for the highest-volume grinders.

Everygame Poker is only available to download on Windows PCs. Users who wish to use other hardware can access the full poker room using an instant-play version of the software. You can receive a poker bonus equal to 200% of your first deposit up to $1,000. Explore the attached sportsbook and casinos for additional entertainment and promotional value!

VISIT EVERYGAME NOW

8

SWCPOKER

BONUS:

NONE

★★★★★

3.6 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE SITE FOR # OF POKER VARIANTS

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

FREEROLLS

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Seals with Clubs is a crypto online poker room that is now known as SwC Poker. SwC stands out for the extensive variety of poker games it spreads including NLHE, PLO, Open Face Chinese, Razz, Mixed Games, Draw Games, and more. You can play at rake-free micro-stakes tables up to $0.10/$0.20 in blinds and there are multiple daily freerolls to help boost your bankroll.

SwCPoker can be played through any HTML5 browser, so you can play on any kind of device. You can also download the poker client on Mac, PC, and Android systems. You won't receive any deposit bonus here, but you can earn up to 50% rakeback as you play via the Krill rewards program.

VISIT SWCPOKER

9

NITROBETTING

BONUS:

100% up to 25 mBTC

★★★★★

3.3 / 5

BEST WI ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BITCOINERS

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

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Nitrobetting is a Bitcoin-only online poker site and betting platform that was formerly known as Nitrogen. Nitrobetting runs the entirety of its operations utilizing BTC, which helps to facilitate an excellent and simple cashier experience. There are a few formats and variants spread here including No Limit Hold'em, 6+ Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Crazy Hold'em. You can earn entries to valuable freerolls on a daily basis, as long as you're willing to put in the volume required.

You can enjoy the poker at Nitrobetting using almost any laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone through any web browser. You can benefit from a poker deposit bonus of 100% up to 25mBTC. You'll also have the opportunity to earn points through the Nitro Rewards program that you can trade for crypto payouts.

VISIT NITROBETTING NOW

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

None of the above poker sites can be labeled as the best one for all players. This is because every poker fan in Wisconsin has his or her own needs and preferences when it comes to putting real money on the line. You'll have to consider what you value most in a poker operator and the types of games you like to play as you attempt to make your decision. While we can't make up your mind for you, we can present you with a series of points to ponder over as you mentally weigh the pros and cons of each option.

How Do I Receive Withdrawals and Payments?

All of the sites we've told you about are willing to send you your winnings via check, and some of them have additional cashout processors available too. Unfortunately, due to the state of U.S. banking regulations, most forms of withdrawing your money incur fees, and there are sometimes irritating delays as well. You can avoid these hassles by using Bitcoin for all your poker-related money movements. It carries low fees while remaining among the speediest ways to transfer your cash around online. To familiarize yourself with how to correctly utilize this crypto-currency, you can read our beginners guide to using Bitcoin for online poker.

Alternatives to Registering Your Poker Account in Wisconsin

Perhaps you may be fortunate enough to have another address in a nearby state, be it a business office, vacation getaway, second apartment, family home, etc. If so, then you may have other online poker options available. Here's a list of the states that border Wisconsin and Professional Rakeback's review of each of them: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio. To gain more info on the internet poker environment for the United States as a whole, check out our U.S.A. online poker guide for Americans.

The subject of online poker in Wisconsin is one that many people are ignorant of. You can help spread knowledge about the game we love by sharing this page with any of your friends, acquaintances, and family members who you feel could benefit from it.

Facts About Wisconsin's Poker Industry

The sections below will aim to provide information regarding the legality of playing poker online, live gambling options, state regulation, and the history involving poker and gambling that has occurred throughout the state of Wisconsin.

The Legality of Playing Poker Online in Wisconsin

The legislators in Wisconsin haven't drafted any laws specifically defining whether or not poker, in either live or online formats, is legal. We'll have to delve into the statutes that deal with gambling in general to gain some insight into this matter. The main language that's relevant to this subject is contained in Chapter 945, “Gambling,” of the Wisconsin Statutes. 945.02 states that:

Whoever does any of the following is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor:
(1) Makes a bet; or
(2) Enters or remains in a gambling place with intent to make a bet, to participate in a lottery, or to play a gambling machine; or
(3) Conducts a lottery, or with intent to conduct a lottery, possesses facilities to do so.

Parts (2) and (3) clearly don't apply to online poker, but (1) might. We need to understand what the state considers a bet in order to make this determination. We can find this out by looking at the definitions contained in 945.01:

Bet. A bet is a bargain in which the parties agree that, dependent upon chance even though accompanied by some skill, one stands to win or lose something of value specified in the agreement.

If poker is “dependent upon chance even though accompanied by some skill,” then it's prohibited. There is a list of permitted activities that don't count as betting, including futures contracts, insurance, and regulated forms of gaming delineated in other portions of Wisconsin law. One of the exemptions is for “any bona fide contest for the determination of skill,” which again raises the question of whether poker is a game of skill or of chance. There's no definitive answer to this debate, and it's decided in different ways in separate jurisdictions. It is interesting, though, that no less a legal authority than Federal Judge Jack. B. Weinstein opined in 2012 that poker is a skill game.

In 2015, a group of Madison-area poker players sought clarification from the judiciary as to whether or not poker was illegal in the state. Unfortunately, the judgment went against them. While admitting that skill plays the dominant role in long-term poker results, Circuit Judge Richard Niess stated that he was bound by existing case law in State vs. Morrisey from 1964, which held poker to be a form of illegal gambling. Other authorities in the Badger State have periodically expressed their view that poker is not allowed under the law.

Anyone convicted of gambling is deemed to be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 90 days. However, it's one thing for a law to be on the books and quite another for it to be actually enforced. Wisconsin officers and prosecutors have opted to make enforcement of the gambling laws a very low priority indeed. Not only have there never been charges filed against an online poker player, but the authorities seem to be reluctant to go after any regular player for engaging in any gambling game whether over the internet or in a brick-and-mortar establishment. You need not have any legal fears about playing online poker.

It's a different story for those actually running illicit gaming enterprises. The state treats commercial gambling as a Class I felony, which carries the risk of a fine as high as $10,000 and/or a prison sentence of up to 3.5 years. Even simply permitting a property to be used for commercial gambling could result in a fine of $10,000 and jail time of up to 9 months. All the evidence points to the fact that the offshore gambling sites don't take these possibilities very seriously at all. All the poker sites that accept Americans from other states also accept those from America's Dairyland. Their legal teams have probably told them that they have nothing to worry about.

As is the case in virtually every state that offers regulated real money gaming, Wisconsin specifically declares it to not be covered by the normal gambling statutes. These types of activities are bingo and raffles for charitable purposes, pari-mutuel wagering, the Wisconsin Lottery, and Indian gaming.

Land-Based Gambling

Wisconsin has a plethora of land-based gambling although there aren't any commercial casinos. Luckily, the tribes in Wisconsin pick up the slack so there is actually not a lack of traditional casino-style gambling establishments. Between the 11 federally recognized tribes, there are close to two dozen casinos. With that though, there hasn’t been as much poker action as one would expect. Much of this likely is because of the proximity to Chicago and the large and established gambling industry in said city. There still are good games to be found in Wisconsin though and local poker tours have been opening up more lately, adding Wisconsin to their list of stops. Perhaps the most notable venue for live cards in the state is the Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee. There are only 20 tables, but you'll see a mix of NLHE, Limit Hold'em, PLO, PLO/8, and Seven Card Stud. The poker room offers to host private games too.

The state also has a state lottery and charitable gambling for approved organizations. Pari-mutuel wagering is permitted, but there are currently no facilities where it can be conducted.

State Regulation

Wisconsin has a surprisingly low chance of regulating gambling. Despite the liberal tendency of neighboring states, Wisconsin has a much more conservative population and legislative branch. Of course, it does vary some, and the overall makeup of the state government can change pretty drastically. Nevertheless, there is likely to be little desire to regulate online gambling. This probably won’t change until the legislative makeup of the state changes, but that won’t be happening anytime soon as the political divisions of the state are getting deeper than they have been in the past. If something does happen, don’t expect it before the expiration of Scott Walker's term as governor.

History of Gambling in Wisconsin

Gambling in Wisconsin predates the arrival of European settlers. The moccasin game was a native gambling game where one player would hide a small object underneath one of four moccasins, and the other would try to guess where it was. The tribes of the area often engaged in chunkey, a game involving throwing a spear at a rolling stone in an attempt to come the closest to the final stopping point of the stone. Gambling on who would win was a favorite pastime. A chunkey stone dating from between 1300 - 1600 has been unearthed near La Crosse.

Artist's Rendering of La Crosse
1867

La Crosse was the site of other gambling activity later on. Despite the fact that the Wisconsin constitution of 1848 prohibited gambling, La Crosse's location at the junction of the Mississippi, Black, and La Crosse rivers meant that it was a focal point for transient visitors looking for games of chance. Saloons sprouted up during the 1850s, containing not just drink but also gambling and sometimes prostitution. These establishments often disturbed the peace at all hours of the day and night, and an angry mob gathered on July 6, 1857 and burned one of the largest of them to the ground. This marked a turning point in the city, which then decided to hire policemen and clean up its act.

Another municipality that became infamous for its vice scene was Hurley in the 1880s. It was built on the Wisconsin/Michigan border expressly to serve the needs of lumberjacks and miners. These hardworking men, after weeks or months at their job sites, would head into Hurley to spend their accumulated pay. In 1893, Hurley hosted 60 saloons – an amazing total for a town with a population of just over 2,000. This trade continued into the 20th century and the Prohibition era. The saloons were converted into “soft-drink parlors,” but they served harder stuff upon request, and there was often a card game or two occurring in their back rooms.

During this same era, wagering on dog racing became briefly popular. In order to get around the laws, spectators would “contribute” to their favorite dogs. If a dog so selected came in first, second, or third, the bettor would receive a “refund.” In 1929, however, the legislature passed a law deeming this “refund” system to be illegal. Another type of gambling that appeared was slot machines particularly in the area around Elkhart Lake. The lake was home to many resorts, which endeavored to boost their profits with slots. Local police ignored these infractions, but the state got involved and started to raid these properties in 1930. By 1945, slot gaming had been basically stamped out.

In order to permit most forms of legalized real money games, Wisconsinites had to amend the constitution, which still contained a blanket ban on gambling. The first game to pass this hurdle was charitable bingo, which was authorized in 1973. Next came charitable raffles in 1977. The Wisconsin Lottery arrived in 1987. In the same year, on-track, pari-mutuel betting on horse, dog, and snowmobile races was authorized. Of the three types of racing, only dog racing has actually materialized within Wisconsin. However, the last greyhound racing facility closed down in 2009, and so this form of wagering, while still legal, can't be found within state borders.

In the late '80s, a lot of legal wrangling commenced between state leaders and tribal groups that wished to set up gaming casinos. There were a few setbacks, but by 1992, the state had signed compacts with 11 tribes, and the first casinos opened up shortly thereafter.

Our expert team has created a timeline that covers every major poker and gambling-related event to take place in Wisconsin. The completed historical gambling timeline can be found below.

Other Types of Online Gambling

Although our primary focus here at ProfessionalRakeback.com is poker, there are numerous other gambling options available online including slots, table games, and sports betting. We will provide our recommendations for trustworthy online casinos and sportsbooks below.

Online Casinos

Wisconsin is no stranger to land-based gaming with more than two dozen casinos scattered across the state. You may, however, wish to play from the comfort of your own home without having to drive anywhere or wait for a seat or a machine to become available. By playing online at an offshore site, you can benefit from all the same games you would find in a land-based casino with a wider range of stakes and promos to boot.

In order to assist you in finding an online casino home, we have evaluated the leading operators and have picked out three of the best of them below.

1. Cafe Casino - Crypto Bonus: 350% up to $5,000 (250% up to $3,000 Non-Crypto)

2. Wild Casino - Bonuses on Your First 5 Deposits for up to $9,000 Free

3. Ignition Casino - 150% up to $1,500 Bitcoin Bonus on First Deposit

Other reliable casinos ply their trade on the internet and welcome Wisconsin citizens. You can find out more about this on this page describing trustworthy online casinos for Americans.

Online Sportsbooks

New tribal compacts permit sports betting in Wisconsin tribal gaming facilities, but this market has not gone live yet. Even when it does, wagering will only be allowed if you're physically present on Indian lands. If you prefer the convenience of making your bets online, then you will have to turn to an international bookmaker that doesn't have to follow the strict rules that sportsbooks located within Wisconsin borders do.

We have researched the available sportsbooks on the internet, and we have identified three of them that should serve you well.

1. Bovada Sports - First Deposit Bonus of 75% up to $750 for Bitcoiners

2. Sportsbetting.ag - Crypto Welcome Bonus of 100% up to $1,000 + Unlimited Reloads

3. Everygame Sports - $250 Bonus on Your First Three Deposits

You can investigate the other solid sites for sports betting in Wisconsin with this list of the best offshore USA sportsbooks online.

BACK TO TOP

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!