Legal Poker For Nebraska Residents
There was a time in this nation’s history when Nebraska—and Omaha, in particular—was a major hub for gambling, and a haven for poker players. Those days are long gone, however, and in recent years, Nebraska has become less and less gamer-friendly. In fact, the opportunities for legal Nebraska poker are all but non-existent. There is nothing in the state that you might call a “casino,” and home games are only allowable when they are played on a strictly not-for-profit basis. Online poker is not even mentioned in Nebraska’s laws, meanwhile, which is actually good news for the state’s poker lovers; online poker is not criminalized in Nebraska, which makes it arguably the best and the safest option for poker buffs in the state.
This page will seek to look, in greater detail and depth, at the nature of Nebraska’s poker laws, and at the few opportunities for legal or safe poker that do exist. The page will first look to the basics of Nebraska’s poker laws. From there, we will turn our eye toward the specific instances of legal gambling that exist. We will pay special attention to online gambling, showing how it is a safe and secure option for Nebraska gamers.
Nebraska Poker Laws & Statutes
The first point to make is that Nebraska is not a very permissive state, when it comes to gambling. Some states have booming gaming industries, but in Nebraska, there is really nothing. The state’s casinos have all been shut down for decades, and the racetracks and bingo parlors, under increasingly intense legal regulation, do not offer anything even close to poker.
The silver lining is that Nebraska’s laws do not even mention Internet gambling. Hardly a bad thing, this actually gives some hope to poker buffs who live in the state. Simply put, it suggests that poker is not penalized or prosecuted by Nebraska, and therefore it is a safe way to play cards—but more on that in a few moments.
Is it Legal to Play Online Poker in Nebraska?
Indeed, online poker is a popular choice among Nebraska residents, with more and more of the state’s natives flocking to Internet poker rooms. The question, though, is whether these poker rooms are actually legal. This is tough to answer; as we have already noted, Nebraska’s laws really don’t even comment on Internet poker rooms, so their legal status may be somewhat ambiguous.
While online poker rooms are not explicitly approved by the state, however, they are not illicit, either. This means they represent a perfectly safe option for Nebraska poker lovers. Nebraska residents can participate in online poker rooms without having to worry about trouble with law enforcement.
Can I Get into Trouble for Playing Online Poker Nebraska?
To come at the question from another angle, is there any legal trouble that awaits Nebraska residents who participate in online poker rooms—any risk of criminal charges? Again, the answer is no. Internet poker rooms are totally safe for Nebraska gambling buffs.
The thing to remember is that the state’s laws make no mention of a ban on Internet gambling. In fact, most U.S, laws concerning Internet gambling prosecute those who own and operate gambling sites—not those who simply play in them. As such, online poker represents a legally safe and savvy option.
Legal Poker Sites That Accept Nebraska Players
For people living in Nebraska who have an interest in poker, they may think their interest will pass in vain since there are no legal poker rooms in the state. Happily, this does not have to be the case. Through the use of legal poker sites, Nebraska residents may fully enjoy a poker hobby both for recreation and a little bit of profit.
Bovada Poker - Most Trusted Online Poker Room For Nebraska
For Nebraska residents and other US citizens around the country, there is one name that stands head and shoulders above the others when it comes to quality and legitimacy in online gambling, and that name is Bovada. Through over 20 years of service to residents of Nebraska, this legal online poker room earned every thread of its reputation as not only one of the highest quality poker sites functioning today, but one of the most creative. Users may play not only when or wherever they like with their account, but however they like. Over one hundred variations of poker are available inside this expansive poker room, and the stakes are completely up to the player.
Where Bovada's poker room stands out is not only in its dedication to providing several different games to their customers, but in helping their clients become the best possible poker players they can be in hopes of playing for higher profits. Through tools like the rabbit cam and a stored archive of all hand dealt to a player, users may analyze their own style of lay coupled with the statistical analysis provided by Bovada in hopes of never repeating a mistake, and learning from them. With an account here, poker will not only be fun and exciting, but eventually, with the right amount of work put in, incredibly profitable.
SportsBetting Poker - All Nebraska Players 18+ Welcome Here
Another legal online poker room tailored to Nebraska residents is the poker room available through the SportsBetting network. Sports bettors may recognize this site as one of the most highly touted and strongly endorsed legal online gambling sites, and their poker room is no exception to this rule. With endorsements from media giants like ESPN and FOX, users may be at ease about the security of their account, and focus instead on the game at hand.
While they are focusing on the game, they may also want to use some of their free money. In order to prove to new users that the poker room at SportsBetting is worth checking out and sticking around for, this legal poker site will offer a full 200% of a new player’s first deposit back to them in the form of bonus play that can be claimed anywhere in the SportsBetting poker room. The only catch Nebraska residents must adhere to is that their account must be active in the poker room. Hopefully, considering the account was created to play poker, this should be easy to adhere to.
| Legal Nebraska Poker Sites | Welcome Bonus | What To Play | Site Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Poker Play / Sign Up | $1,000 FREE - 100% Match | Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo - Stud Hi/Lo |  |
| BetOnline Poker Play / Sign Up | Maximum $1K: 200% Rate | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo | |
| SportsBetting Play / Sign Up | 200% Match / $1,000 Max | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo | |
| 5Dimes Poker Play / Sign Up | Vary Weekly - Check Website | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo |  |
Does Nebraska Have Legal Land-Based Poker?
Next, we turn our attention to a few specific questions about poker and its legality in Nebraska. We’ll start with land-based, live poker games. Sadly, the only real option that Nebraska players have is to start up a home game—and even here, it is important not to turn your living room or front parlor into a for-profit casino!
As for actual casinos, there is nothing in Nebraska that even comes close. There are some small “bingo parlors,” but they do not offer any live table games. In fact, most do not even offer video poker, any longer. It is little wonder, than, that so many Nebraska residents turn to online poker.
Legal Land-Based Poker Rooms For Nebraska Players
Another issue to address is that of where, exactly, Nebraska natives can play poker. There are two sets of options, live poker and online poker. The first set of options is extremely limited. In fact, the only real choices are to play a friendly home game, or to travel to an out-of-state casino.
Online poker is a better—and more convenient—option. There are plenty of Internet poker rooms out there, many of which are quite popular among Nebraska residents. Indeed, these poker rooms are nothing if not willing to accept the participation of players from Nebraska!
Future of Poker/Online Poker in Nebraska
A final question to raise: Will Nebraska ever make a move toward fully, explicitly sanctioning online poker? Your first instinct may be to say no, given how restrictive the state’s gambling laws are. With that said, more and more states are moving toward the full embrace of online gaming—and there is no reason to believe Nebraska will not be among them, some day.
Until that day arrives, though, those who live in Nebraska and love to gamble need to know what their options are. The opportunities to legally enjoy live, land-based poker games are sadly few and far between. That doesn’t mean Nebraska poker buffs are without hope, however. Online poker represents a method of playing poker that is not only convenient and fun, but also totally safe for Nebraska residents.
