Washington Real Money Online Poker Rooms & Top Poker Apps in WA

Find the best online poker rooms in WA and learn about gambling laws in The Evergreen State

Hero image
#1 Best poker room
ignition_poker_room
4.5 stars
$1,500 Crypto Bonus

4.5

Overall Rating

18

Top features:

  • Exclusively for US players
  • Broad selection of tournaments
  • Fixed, NL, and pot limit games

What we like:

  • High traffic 24/7
  • Monthly Millions tournament
  • Quick payouts
#1 Best poker room
ignition_poker_room
4.5 stars

Bonus:

$1,500 Crypto Bonus

Top features:

  • Exclusively for US players
  • Broad selection of tournaments
  • Fixed, NL, and pot limit games

Bonus:

$1,500 Crypto Bonus

4.5

4.5 stars
18

What we like:

  • High traffic 24/7
  • Monthly Millions tournament
  • Quick payouts
#2 Rakeback deals
everygame_poker_room
4 stars
200% up to $1,000

4

Overall Rating

29

Top features:

  • Satellites and qualifiers to live events
  • Stakes start at $0.02/$0.04
  • Supports credit cards and cryptos

What we like:

  • 25+ years on the market
  • Great tournament selection
  • Easy to clear bonus
#2 Rakeback deals
everygame_poker_room
4 stars

Bonus:

200% up to $1,000
#2 Rakeback deals

Top features:

  • Satellites and qualifiers to live events
  • Stakes start at $0.02/$0.04
  • Supports credit cards and cryptos

Bonus:

200% up to $1,000

4

4 stars
29

What we like:

  • 25+ years on the market
  • Great tournament selection
  • Easy to clear bonus
#3 Best mobile app
bovada_poker_room
4.5 stars
100% up to $500

4.5

Overall Rating

31

Top features:

  • Guaranteed tournaments
  • Freerolls and SNGs
  • Micro to high stakes

What we like:

  • Reliable customer support
  • Recreational player pool
  • Online since 2004
#3 Best mobile app
bovada_poker_room
4.5 stars

Bonus:

100% up to $500
#3 Best mobile app

Top features:

  • Guaranteed tournaments
  • Freerolls and SNGs
  • Micro to high stakes

Bonus:

100% up to $500

4.5

4.5 stars
31

What we like:

  • Reliable customer support
  • Recreational player pool
  • Online since 2004

Key Things You Need to Know

  • There are no state-licensed online gambling sites in Washington State. Some offshore poker sites will not accept you if you reside in the state.
  • Washington was one of the first US states to make online gambling a Class C felony.
  • Many offshore sites accept players from Washington, and nobody has ever been prosecuted for playing.
  • Almost all of Washington’s land-based gambling venues are tribal casinos.
  • Washington houses ample cardrooms run locally that dictate their own rules for gambling and gameplay.
  • Most of our trusted offshore sites support tournaments which carry prizepools worth up to $1 million.

List of the Top Online Poker Rooms in Washington State

  • Ignition – Best online poker room overall in Washington
  • Everygame – Most generous rakeback deals in Washington
  • Bovada – Best iOS and Android mobile poker app

Reviews of the Top Three Online Poker Rooms in Washington State

Ignition Poker

Ignition Poker Room

Playing online poker with a sizable welcome bonus is always a perk. Join Ignition Poker today to claim a 100% match worth up to $1,000. Moreover, join the Washington online poker site and deposit with BTC to claim up to $1,500 instead. You can deposit at this poker site using American Express, Bitcoin, MasterCard, VISA, and other cryptocurrencies.

As one of the oldest and most experienced sites around, you can naturally expect a wealth of games at Ignition. No Limit Texas Hold’em games feature a range of stakes that won’t completely shut out the casual gamblers. Plus, Omaha and Stud are supported alongside the regular Hold’em variants.

Ignition Poker’s tournaments include the Gumball 3,000 and the Golden Spade Open. The former has a lot more in the way of prizes than its name suggests, with up to $250,000 made available to win. Meanwhile, the Golden Spade Open provides a $1 million guaranteed prizepool. Alongside these options, Ignition supports regular Sit ‘n Gos that run throughout the day.

Everygame Poker

Everygame Poker offers a viable platform for poker enthusiasts in Washington, despite the state’s restrictions on online poker play. This emerging poker room, part of Everygame Casino, welcomes players with a 200% bonus up to $1,000, extending the bonus realization period to 90 days, unlike the usual 30 days in other rooms. This is facilitated by a unique ‘dealt rake’ method and Frequent Player Points (FPP) system which rewards regular play​.

Moreover, a distinctive rakeback program allows players to earn up to 36% flat rakeback, demonstrating a strong loyalty incentive. The site’s tournament selection is appealing, with diverse offerings like the Sundowner, brunch, and lunch poker tournaments catering to different player preferences. Their monthly freeroll, Sunday Sundowner, and series like the Soft and Wipeout series offer varying buy-ins and guarantees, catering to a wide range of players​​.

Everygame Poker also shines in user support with multiple payment options and 24/7 customer service. However, it has room for improvement in terms of player volume and interface intuitiveness. Despite these, its trustworthy reputation, promotional offerings, and potential for growth make it a notable choice for US poker players, albeit with restrictions in Washington and a few other states.

Bovada Poker

Bovada Poker

Bovada Poker has been around since 2004, making it one of the original gambling sites in the US. Back then, the poker room operated as Bodog before changing brand in 2011. However, the site remains one of the best places for playing online poker in the US.

Join Bovada today to claim a 100% bonus before you hit the poker tables. The deal is worth 100% up to $500: simply enter the code PWB500 when you register your new account. Bovada supports regular credit/debit cards like American Express and Visa. Alternatively, you can deposit into your account using your favorite cryptocurrency.

Bovada is one of the leading poker sites in Washington when it comes to games. Alongside Texas Hold’em and Omaha, you’ve got Stud poker and fast-fold cash game options. Beginners can take advantage of rookie tables, and there is even a poker school that you may wish to explore when you first start there.

As one of the best online poker sites around, Bovada naturally has one of the leading tournaments. The Monthly Millions has a cool $1,000,000 prizepool up for grabs, and that’s not all you can play at the site. There are bounty and knockout tournaments offered at Bovada, which are ideal if you fancy pocketing a little sum on the side during gameplay.

Online Poker Laws & Regulations in Washington – Is It Legal?

The state is an outlier when it comes to poker and gambling Washington laws. On the one hand, playing a poker game is legal and regulated in The Evergreen State, but that’s assuming that you head to tribal casinos. Online poker is treated very differently.

Is online poker legal? The Washington poker laws make it quite clear that “illegal gambling” is a Class C felony. It is one of the few states to have clear-cut laws that not only prohibit online poker rooms (therefore, there are no legit online poker sites) but virtually all forms of online gambling, including Washington online casinos and sportsbooks.

When it comes to the right to legally play poker online, the Washington State Gambling Commission is having none of it – not even WA internet sports betting is permitted.

Ordinarily, this is where we’d encourage you to head to offshore poker sites. After all, offshore gambling sites are regularly beyond the laws of US states. However, the wording of the laws makes it clear that online poker, sports betting, and casino games are prohibited under the terms of the Washington State Gambling Act. Here’s the piece of info you need:

“Whoever knowingly transmits or receives (gambling) information by internet or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transaction of receipt of gambling information shall be guilty of a Class C felony.”

Despite the prohibition for online poker operators, there are ways to get your Hold’em or Omaha fix. Many offshore poker rooms accept Washington residents and function as 18+ online casinos. Therefore, you can play at a legit online poker site from anywhere in the state as long as you are 18 or over.

There are penalties for professional gambling that are written into WA law. While fines and potential jail time are possible, we should add that no one in Washington has ever been prosecuted for playing poker online.

Given the situation, we strongly encourage you to only play at the most trusted offshore sites that provide you with security and a good deal of anonymity. This is where we come in. We only recommend the top Washington poker sites that will accept you.

How to Play Online Poker in Washington State

Now that you’re keen on diving into the online poker realm within Washington, here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started on Ignition Poker, a reputable platform available to Washington players:

1. Choose an Online Poker Site

We recommend Ignition Poker as a commendable site for Washington residents. For a deeper insight into its offerings and how it stacks up against others, feel free to explore online reviews.

2. Create an Online Poker Account

Navigate to Ignition Poker’s homepage and click on the ‘Join Now’ button. A registration form will appear, prompting you to enter your name, address, and other requisite personal details. After filling out the necessary fields, submit the form, and verify your account via the confirmation link sent to your email.

3. Deposit Funds and Choose Bonus

Log into your newly created poker account, and head over to the cashier page. Here, you can select your desired payment method, input the deposit amount, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Ignition Poker offers a Welcome Bonus, which may be automatically activated upon your initial deposit. If a bonus code is required, it can usually be found on the promotions page of the poker site.

4. Play Poker for Real Money

Once your account is funded, proceed to the lobby where a plethora of gaming options awaits. You can choose from cash games, tournaments, or Sit ‘n Gos. Prior to diving in, it’s advisable to review the minimum and maximum stakes, pot rules, and buy-ins associated with the real-money games on offer.

If you’re new to poker, consider easing into the experience by engaging in a freeroll or sampling the play-money tables to grasp the basics and build your confidence.

When Will Washington Legalize Online Poker?

Currently, Washington residents can only play poker in tribal casinos. Sports betting only became legal in March 2020. Even then, you may only bet in person at tribal sportsbooks.

We don’t expect to see online poker sites being legalized in WA any time soon. But then, we didn’t think sports betting would become a reality, either. We would expect to see online sports betting and fantasy sports being legalized before WA poker sites are given the green light in Washington State. Playing online poker at legal, licensed, and state-regulated poker sites in Washington seems a million miles away.

For the time being, the best online poker sites you’re going to have at your disposal are all offshore poker sites. Again, you can find many of these here on this page. We’ll introduce you to some of those next.

How to Choose the Right Washington Poker Site for Your Play Style

Playing poker online at the right site is important. There are all sorts of options for online poker in Washington. Below you will find the best online poker venues for bonuses, services, and games. These include:

  • Cash game variety: BetOnline Poker
  • Betting limits: Bovada Poker
  • Freeroll availability: Ignition Poker
  • Poker welcome bonus size: Everygame Poker
  • Tournament variety: BetOnline Poker
  • Mobile betting: SportsBetting.ag Poker
  • Rakeback: Everygame Poker

What Varieties of Poker Are Available Online in Washington?

The specific games available to Washington residents will vary depending on where you play online poker. However, there are some mainstays when it comes to top games when you play online poker in Washington.

Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em should need no introduction to anyone eager to play at Washington poker sites. It is easily one of the most popular poker games. Of all the poker games featured here, this is the one that will appear at every site in cash game and tournament variants. Hold’em also delivers the biggest tourney prizepools.

In Texas Hold’em, you must form the best poker hand with any two of seven cards: two “hole cards” plus five community cards that the table shares. There are rounds of betting in between each card.

Omaha/Omaha Hi-Lo

If you want to play poker with Omaha rules, you’ll generally find two poker game options at your disposal. Omaha Hi is played like Texas Hold’em, but you must use any two of your four hole cards to make the best poker hand when combined with three community cards. Betting is usually Pot Limit, while it’s normally played as a cash game.

However, if you want to spice things up, why not play Omaha Hi-Lo? In Hi-Lo, it’s possible to chop the pot between the best high hand and the best low hand (cards between 2 and 8).

Seven-Card Stud

Seven-Card Stud is another common game at leading Washington poker sites. This game makes use of three starting cards (two are dealt face up and one face down). Throughout several betting rounds, you’ll find another four cards (three face up and one dealt face down), bringing your total to seven.

After having all seven cards at your disposal, you must form a five-card hand. Betting is usually Limit, and Stud also forms one round of the game, H.O.R.S.E. There is plenty of bluffing available, particularly because other players only get some information on the relative strength of your hand.

Boost Poker

Boost Poker is a game you may wish to consider if you’re new to betting online. BetOnline’s Washington poker site and SportsBetting Poker both support this option, which can be enjoyed as cash games or in tournaments. The idea is that when you fold, you’ll be moved over to another table. No wonder it’s better known under its common name: fast-fold poker.

Fast-fold poker has exploded in popularity since the boom in Internet poker. You avoid experienced grinders from taking notes and getting a read on you when you play. Plus, you increase your hand volume because you are constantly being moved as soon as your hand is over.

Windfall Poker

Windfall Poker offers a cool way to earn a big prize at poker sites in Washington. It works like a winner-takes-all SNG where one player scoops the entire prizepool. Plus, the computer chooses the prizepool at random before the game begins.

Windfall jackpots vary, but it is possible to hit a prizepool worth $150,000. The biggest Windfall Poker prizes can even reach the dizzy heights of $1,000,000. Games are usually three-handed, but higher-prizepool games may squeeze in a fourth.

A History of Online Poker Legislation in Washington

The history of online poker in Washington is sketchy at best. However, we can chart other events in the state’s history for Washington poker players. Here is a brief look at the history of gambling in Washington State.

  • 1971: After 50 years, the state finally changes its laws to legalize bingo and raffles.
  • 1972: Washington’s population votes to repeal gambling prohibition laws.
  • 1982: Washington’s state lottery goes live.
  • 1992: The first tribal casinos are launched in Washington.
  • 2006: Washington’s State Gambling Act now expressly mentions online games and offshore venues. It makes it a felony to gamble.
  • 2018: The Ninth Court of Appeals doubles down on the prohibition of offshore venues as legal poker sites. Its judgment further strengthens the terms used in the Gambling Act. Gambling online is illegal, even if you play at sites based offshore.
  • 2020: Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and other brands express an interest in offering daily fantasy sports betting and online games. While they aren’t successful, Governor Jay Inslee does allow legal sports betting for the first time, albeit at tribal casinos.
  • 2021: Discussions are held with tribal casinos to explore how “on-site” mobile sports betting can take place at hotels and resorts.

Can You Play Online Poker for Free in Washington?

Is it possible to play online poker without real money stakes? Yes – and there are more options for those in Washington State than you may realize.

Freerolls are free-to-enter tournaments that carry a small prizepool. The entry fee and buy-in are both waived. Prizepools are divided among the top finishers.

Freerolls may be available daily or weekly, as a loyalty bonus, or in the case of SportsBetting Poker, as a welcome offer to new members. Check our reviews to find out which of our recommended sites offer freeroll bonuses and tournaments.

Mobile Online Poker in Washington

Online poker in Washington can be played on mobile devices. The best Washington poker sites are all developed in HTML5, which means that you can play via your iOS and Android device’s web browser. The sites don’t differentiate between the two operating systems, offering you mobile poker services out of the box.

However, some sites also provide mobile poker apps. These offer a streamlined, mobile-centric experience. These may be tailored towards one operating system or both. They can be downloaded from the mobile poker site in question or via their respectable app stores. While the layout and design may vary between the two platforms, the general experience and services are largely the same.

Generally speaking, mobile poker apps are available only at regulated poker sites in the US. These tend to be more solid and secure than instant-play poker rooms. However, we find that offshore poker sites that run through a browser are perfectly good for general play.

What Online Poker Tournaments Are Available to Washington Poker Players?

Tournaments form a major part of what top online poker rooms offer. Some competitions offer multi-million-dollar prizepools. Beginners’ tournaments are perfect for you if you’re a low-stakes grinder. However, we recommend checking out the high-roller tourneys if you have a larger prizepool available.

Freerolls

All the best poker sites offer freeroll tournaments. As described above, these allow you to play real money poker without funding yourself via buy-ins or entry fees.

Freezeout Tournaments

All Washington poker sites support freezeout tournaments, as they are the most popular competition format around. Simply purchase your chips and play. Once you’re out of chips, you’re frozen out of the game.

Multi-Buy Tournaments

Playing online with several chip stacks is made possible in multibuy tournaments. If you run low, you could move onto another chip stack if you purchased them before the start of the game.

Re-buys

Re-buys don’t necessarily require you to play poker online with all your chips at the start. You can re-buy into the game if you run out of chips. However, you’ll find that you can only do this during a specific period. Once that window closes, re-buys are played with freezeout rules.

Guaranteed Tournaments

Guarantees are tournaments that carry a prizepool that is assured by the poker room. The value of the prizepool may be exceeded if enough players enter. However, you can never share out less than the advertised prizepool.

Online Satellites

Washington residents can sometimes fight their way into major events via online satellites. If you don’t necessarily have the funds to buy into the latter stages of a major tournament, online satellites could make the ideal entry point for you.

Bounties

Also known as knockouts, bounty tournaments see you playing online against other players, and if you manage to knock out those competitors, you could land a token prize. The best online poker players can scoop substantial wins in these knockout tournaments, and they naturally appear at many of our top sites.

Banking Methods at Online Washington Poker Apps

Before you can play online poker in Washington State, you’re going to need to fund your account. This can be done using US dollars, although some crypto online poker rooms also permit cryptocurrency deposits.

Primary payment methods include VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, wire transfers, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Tether, and a few others. There may be fees applied to deposits/withdrawals, and transaction times can vary from site to site. For this reason, we encourage you to explore our online poker reviews to get an idea of what each site offers ahead of time.

Rakeback at Washington Online Poker Rooms

Rakeback makes for an exciting way to play online poker. Rakeback is the poker world’s version of cashback. Whenever you pay rake, you’re putting cash into a pot which goes to the casino or poker room for hosting the games. Rakeback sees you acquire a small amount of this bag, often as bonus funds.

Rakeback may be offered regularly or as a loyalty offer, and the amount you receive may depend on your loyalty status. Similarly, it may (or may not) have playthrough rates/wagering requirements attached. Understandably, not all online poker sites offer Rakeback.

Top 4 Brick-and-Mortar Poker Rooms in Washington

There’s no shortage of tribal casinos in Washington State, all of which offer legal gambling on their premises. Not all casinos hold poker games. Similarly, town-based cardrooms in Washington State may also omit poker options. We’ve put together as comprehensive a list as possible of the best venues you can find below.

Muckleshoot Casino

Muckleshoot Casino is the largest casino found in Washington State. Until recently, the cardroom featured 19 tables among the 75 regular gaming tables. Found in Auburn, Muckleshoot offers world-class entertainment and poker tournaments, most of which span hold’em games.

Snoqualmie Casino

Snoqualmie has the unique record of being the first venue to offer Washington residents sports betting. However, this casino is also notable for being a Vegas-style venue, which provides over 60 tables spanning all manner of games. It has a surplus of restaurants and even a cigar and scotch lounge, but one thing that it lacks is a dedicated poker room.

Emerald Queen Casino

There are two Emerald Queen casino venues in Washington. While the one in Fife leaves a lot to be desired, Tacoma’s Emerald Queen is a decent venue. The casino has over 60 table games and multiple poker games for you to choose from. Regrettably, there isn’t a dedicated poker room found there, though.

Little Creek Casino

Found in Shelton, Little Creek Casino does have a dedicated poker room, with six tables for you to choose from, befitting a small-scale casino. You can find no-limit games, and tournaments are held from Mondays to Thursdays. Aside from its dedicated poker section, though, Little Creek largely offers electronic games to the masses.

Land-Based Poker Rooms Planned in Washington

We’re not familiar with any new poker rooms planned in Washington State any time soon. Given that there are no commercial casinos in The Evergreen State, and tribal casinos effectively have the power to launch their own venues, we feel as though we’d have heard if something new was on the way. However, should this change, we’ll keep you informed about all the latest developments.

Poker Promotions in Washington

Play online poker in Washington for any length of time, and we’re sure that you’ll come across no shortage of online poker bonuses. Life generally begins with a welcome bonus, but that’s not all you’ll be able to claim. Here’s a quick look at many of the top deals regularly found at our trusted poker sites:

Welcome Bonus

All online poker rooms offer a welcome bonus to new members. In most cases, this is a one-off bonus that doubles your first deposit. However, in some cases, it may span several poker bonuses and deposits and include freerolls or other goodies.

Freerolls

Freerolls, as discussed above, aren’t found on every online gambling site. However, these poker bonuses provide you with entry fee-free access to tournaments where you can play for free and potentially win real money.

Rakeback

Rakeback is another one of those poker bonuses that doesn’t appear at every internet poker venue. However, when it does, you can expect to pocket a small sum of cash which you can use to play further games at the site, or in some exceptional cases, you can withdraw it.

Why Play at Washington Poker Rooms Online?

Given the way that Washington’s laws are written, playing online poker isn’t something everybody will opt to do. However, there are perks to giving poker sites in Washington a go:

Dedicated Bonuses

There is more to playing online poker at sites than a welcome bonus. Our top poker tip for those who love bonuses would be to explore the other offers available. Most of our reputable sites support rakeback, weekly giveaways, and other bonuses. Certainly, you can claim a lot more promotions online than you will find at a land-based casino.

Play Multiple Tables

Playing poker in any land-based venue is often a drawn-out affair. When you choose to join our recommended sites, you won’t be left waiting for a seat at the table. Moreover, there are generally more games, variants, and tables for you to choose from when playing online.

Poker Tournaments

Not everybody can get in on the tournament action at land-based venues. With Internet poker, you will never miss out. Choose to play at the best poker site out there, and you’ll find beginner’s tournaments, pro, and VIP options. Some of the best online tournaments offer prizepools worth $1m.

24-Hour Access

Online gambling removes several of the restrictions Washington players face in the land-based gambling world. These include closing times. You can play at any time, and with the advent of mobile gaming – anywhere. This service also extends to 24/7 support.

Anonymity

Because of the way the internet poker laws in Washington are phrased, having a touch of anonymity when playing poker on the internet doesn’t hurt. Poker apps and websites that operate offshore offer some anonymity, although crypto poker domains provide ample anonymity options for those who seek it.

Famous Washington Online Poker Players

A handful of poker players have come from Washington State, despite the state making it illegal to be a professional gambler. Here are a few of the biggest names when it comes to playing poker in the Evergreen State:

  • Scott Clements: With winnings of $8.2m, three WSOP bracelets, and two WPT final titles, this Mount Vernon native is the most successful player from Washington State.
  • Brandon Cantu: “The Bounty Hunter” is one of the only players to have won both a WSOP bracelet (twice) and the WPT World Championship.
  • Lee Markholt: Markholt comes from Tacoma and has 40 WSOP cashes, five final table appearances, and one WPT title to his name.

Washington State Online Poker Sites FAQ

Is Online Poker Legal in Washington?

No. Washington’s laws make it clear that online gambling, even at offshore online poker sites, is not legal and a felony. Don’t worry, though, as there is no evidence that this is enforced.

Can You Play Real Money Poker in Washington?

If you head over to one of our recommended sites offering their services to Washingtonians, you can expect to find real money online poker opportunities.

Where Can I Play Live Poker in Washington?

Playing poker in land-based venues is legal, and you can choose from tribal or town-based cardrooms to do that. There are no commercial casinos in Washington, though.

What’s the Largest Card Room in Washington?

The Muckleshoot Casino venue is a hit with poker players, and it has the largest floor space of all poker rooms in the state.

Can I Play Online Freerolls in Washington?

Online poker Washington sites may offer freerolls, but that depends on where you play. Check our reviews to find the ideal venue if this is important to you.

Are There Comp Points at Washington Poker Sites?

Yes, some online poker sites in Washington award loyalty points every time you play games and tournaments. Climb the poker ladder to trigger better bonuses and exclusive deals.

Can You Predict the Results of an Online Poker Game?

No. The best online poker rooms only employ RNGs to handle the shuffle and deal of the cards. You are not playing against the house when you play online poker games, so you’ll need to use your skills and bluff techniques to find an edge.

Are There Any Famous Poker Players from Washington?

Yes. Famous Washington poker players include Scott Clements, Brandon Cantu, and Lee Markholt. The state’s best players have won millions of dollars in cash games and major tournaments.

Is Ignition Legal in Washington?

Ignition Poker is not regulated in Washington State. However, the cardroom does accept players from the state as long as they are over 18 and have valid IDs. Sign up today to earn a poker welcome bonus.

Can You Play at BetOnline Poker from Washington?

Absolutely. BetOnline accepts players from Washington State who want to claim a bonus and play real-money cash games and tournaments. In general, BetOnline is one of our best offshore poker sites for players in the USA.

What’s the Difference Between P2P and Poker Games at Online Casinos?

Washington poker games at online cardrooms are played among human players. You only win money from other people. Casino poker games like video poker are randomized and played against the house.

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