New York Online Poker

New York is one of the biggest US states and is home to NYC, aka the Big Apple 🍎. In terms of online poker, however, your options are very limited.

While mobile sports betting is available, New York State doesn’t have state-regulated poker sites like neighboring New Jersey.

In June 2025, New York Attorney General office, working with the State Gaming Commission, also put a stop on operations of sweepstakes poker sites, removing the last safe option available to New Yorkers looking to play in games with real money prizes.

So, until New York passes a bill to regulate online poker, the only legal option left in the state are social poker sites like PlayWSOP. While these social operators spread tournaments, ring games, and other popular formats, they don’t offer any type of real money prizes. All chips are purely “play money” that only has value on the platform and can’t be exchanged for any physical items or cash.

Watch this space for updates on the future of online poker in New York!

The Best Online Poker Sites in New York

If you’re looking to play online poker in New York and want an experience as close as possible to a real cash game, we can only recommend social poker sites. Some of these have large player bases and offer a great social environment for you to both learn the game and enjoy its competitive elements. However, they do not offer any games for real money and there are no ways for players to redeem or win cash prizes.

Some of the more popular free-play sites available in New York include PlayWSOP, powered by the World Series of Poker, and the free version of the PokerStars site. These operators offer a free place to play because they’re hoping the players that learn on their platform will stick around when they feel comfortable enough to play on their paid sites (which, unfortunately, likely won’t be available in New York until 2026 at the earliest).

Other options include Zynga Poker, Replay Poker, and Governor of Poker. Most social media sites like Facebook also offer online poker

Best Free Play Site: PlayWSOP

PlayWSOP is a free-to-play social poker app powered by the World Series of Poker.

Players from New York are welcome to register with PlayWSOP and play on the app without any restrictions. Ring games make the bulk of the PlayWSOP offering, but you’ll also find some tournaments and even jackpot sit-and-goes.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that PlayWSOP doesn’t offer any real-money play. While players can win and even purchase chips to use on the app, these chips don’t have any monetary value and can’t be exchanged for prizes.

While this does take away some of the appeal, the app is still a fun option for those looking to learn without any concerns and players who enjoy a social yet competitive environment. There are numerous tasks and challenges available on a daily basis to keep things enjoyable and entertaining.

Read our full review of PlayWSOP »

Real Money Online Poker in NY

Lawmakers have been trying to establish a regulated market for online poker, where players deposit and withdraw real money directly, since 2013. Eleven bills were submitted during that time, but all fell short in the New York State Legislature. This means that sites like PokerStars and WSOP are not available in the Empire State.

Mobile sports betting became legal in New York in January 2022. The vertical’s mammoth success in its opening year led to optimism that online casino and poker wouldn’t be far behind. But opposition to expanded igaming has been firm so far.

Why? Some lawmakers fret that online poker (and casino) could affect three future land-based casinos likely coming to NYC. A powerful hotel and casino workers’ labor union argues that expanded igaming would impact land-based casinos, despite evidence to the contrary.

Neither of those obstacles are deemed insurmountable. We think it’s very possible that a regulated online poker market could launch in New York by 2026. With the caveat that this is all strictly hypothetical, we introduce what we think such a market would look like in the next section of this lander.

New York ranks fourth in terms of population with 19.6 million residents. It would be the most populous state to issue licenses and regulate real money online poker if it chose to do so — that is, unless California, Texas, or Florida were to do the same.

Assuming New York were to regulate online poker, there would be pressure for the state to join a gaming compact with other states. Joining a compact like the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) would allow operators to combine their player pools across the compact’s members states. That creates shared liquidity, which in turn leads to bigger prizes for players.

It should be noted that New York has a population large enough that it could function as a segregated market. The state doesn’t necessarily need to join MSIGA, or any other compact for that matter.

For the third consecutive year Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach), a leading advocate for regulated real money igaming in the state, has sought to legalize online poker and casino games in New York.

He has introduced SB 2614 on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. It represents one of many efforts over the past decade by the state to legalize online poker in particular.

SB 2614 is nearly identical to the bill entered last year (S4856) which would have legalized online poker and casino.

Under the bill, licensed operators would be authorized to offer table games, slot games, peer-to-peer poker, and live dealer games. Live dealer games would need to be conducted in a live gaming studio located in New York. It would impose a tax rate of 30.5% on a license holder’s gross gaming revenue.

Poker Sites Likely to Launch in New York

If New York sets up a regulated market for online poker, operators will likely need to apply for licensure through the NYSGC. We expect the US’s top three online poker operators — BetMGM Poker, PokerStars USA, and WSOP USA — would be very interested in opening online poker rooms in the state.

BetMGM is currently live with online sports betting in New York. So are FanDuel and Caesars, which means that PokerStars and WSOP likely have market access to the Empire State. All three operators could expand into the online poker vertical with either a racino or a commercial or tribal casino as its gaming partner.

Four operators, including BetMGM, lobbied state lawmakers into passing legislation to legalize online casino gaming in January 2024.

It’s unclear if New York will require online poker operators form a partnership with a land-based gaming facility, but if so we expect New York’s regulated market would be set up as follows:

PokerStars NY

PokerStars is always looking for opportunities in new and existing markets. For example, it was the first operator to combine its player pools in Michigan and New Jersey, completing the merger on January 1, 2023.

The Flutter Entertainment brand is the largest and best-known online poker operator globally and in the US — PokerStars launched in New Jersey in 2016, Pennsylvania in 2019, and Michigan in 2021. It’s unclear at this stage if PokerStars would need to look to FanDuel, another Flutter brand, for market access in NY. FanDuel runs a retail sportsbook at Tioga Downs Resort, a commercial racino in Nichols.

BetMGM Poker NY

BetMGM currently runs an online sportsbook in New York, but the license isn’t tethered to a land-based property in the state. The operator will likely look to its database of sports bettors to find poker players for its platform.

While BetMGM, a joint venture between Entain and MGM Resorts International, is a well-known online poker brand in the US (it’s currently live in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania). It currently has a shared player pool in New Jersey and Michigan.

Should a future online poker bill require it, BetMGM would likely partner with Empire City Casino, a racino in Yonkers owned by MGM. The parent company doesn’t own any other gaming properties in NY.

WSOP NY

WSOP is another online poker brand that is well-known to players, especially since it owns the iconic World Series of Poker, a tournament it has successfully run for more than five decades. It has operations in Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

If a future online poker bill requires an operator to partner with a land-based property, WSOP could select one of three tribal casinos in the Empire State: Point Place Casino in Bridgeport, Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, and YBR (Yellow Brick Road) Casino & Sports Book in Chittenango. Caesars Entertainment, the parent company of WSOP, operates retail sportsbooks at all three properties.

WSOP created a three-state network for shared liquidity when it combined its player pools across Michigan, Nevada, and New Jersey in May 2024. Adding New York to the mix would create a much larger four-state network.

BetRivers Poker NY

BetRivers Poker is an online poker platform currently operating in Pennsylvania. The Chicago-based company launched BetRivers Poker in October 2024 in PA.

RSI is all set to launch BetRivers Poker in several states in addition to PA, with the network consisting of DE, MI, WV, and likely NJ later down the line. When online poker goes live in NY, it is a good guess that the company would be looking to enter the state as quickly as possible and add it to its existing network immediately or later down the line if New York doesn’t join the MSIGA immediately upon launch.

The company deployed its flagship BetRivers brand to New York for sports betting. RSI has a land-based partner available if one is required; Rush Street Gaming, an RSI affiliate, owns and operates Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady.

Other Potential Operators in NY

Other operators are possible. Under one scenario, Playtech could launch its iPoker platform in the state, opening an opportunity for several European operators — including bet365, Betsafe, and Coolbet — to offer online poker in New York. But Playtech would first need a license from the NYSGC to move forward with such a plan.

Last verified: June 2025

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New York Online Poker FAQ

Is online poker available in New York?

In New York, you can only play online poker on social, free-to-play sites like PlayWSOP. While NY residents used to have access to sweepstakes poker, this changed in June 2025 via an initiative coming from the State Attorney General’s office.

Can I play online ring games or tournaments in New York?

Free-to-play poker apps available in New York offer ring games, tournaments, and sit and gos. However, you can’t win any real money prizes playing in these games.

What types of poker games are available online in NY?

Most free poker sites offer No-Limit Texas Hold’em (NLH) but some sites may also offers Pot Limit Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and a couple of other popular variants.

Is PokerStars legal in New York?

No, PokerStars and the other top online poker operators in the US, BetMGM and WSOP, are not legal in New York. But if the state sets up a regulated market for online poker, we expect all three operators will launch in the Empire State.

Will New York regulate online poker anytime soon?

Lawmakers have been trying to pass a bill to create a regulated market for online poker (and casino gaming) for the last three years. At this early stage, markets could launch at the start of 2026 at the earliest.

Can I play online poker using offshore sites?

Offshore poker sites are not recommended because they do not offer the same level of consumer protection as legal, regulated sites. Players are at risk of identity theft when they play on offshore sites because they are disclosing their financial and personal information. Federal officials have warned US citizens not to use offshore sites because they have no legal recourse to collect winnings owed to them.

Can I play GGPoker in New York?

GGPoker is not available for players in New York due to state laws prohibiting online poker, coupled with the fact that GGPoker does not offer online poker to the American market.

Can I play PokerStars in New York?

PokerStars does not operate in New York as state laws do not allow for traditional online poker. But if you prefer alternatives, social poker sites provide a fun atmosphere and diverse game options.

Can I play WSOP in New York

Unfortunately, WSOP Online is not accessible in New York due to state restrictions. You can, however, play on PlayWSOP, the free-to-play version of WSOP Online.