Playing Online Poker in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is a tough old place when it comes to poker. They are a little tough on home games to say the least, casinos are really yet to take off, but online appears to be OK and many poker players in Rhode Island play regularly at site such as BetOnline Poker and others that welcome them with open arms. Keep reading to find out what you need to know when it comes to playing a game of poker in the state of Rhode Island.

Playing Home Games in Rhode Island

As we have briefly mentioned, Rhode Island is tough on poker, and indeed gambling in general. Section 11-19-1 of the penal code states that "Every person who shall, directly or indirectly, set up, put forth, carry on, promote, or draw, publicly or privately, any lottery, chance, game, or device of any nature … shall be deemed guilty of a felony." This carries a punishment of either a fine up to $2000 or a maximum prison sentence of 2 years. Although there are no laws that specifically mention poker, the game of poker is considered a game of chance and this is the deciding factor. There is no exception to this law for home games and even if you are hosting or playing a non raked game or paid no fee to enter, the rules are the same.

Playing Online Poker in Rhode Island

Like most states the Rhode Island penal code does not mention internet gambling in any way. There is also no mention of betting or gambling via any electronic means such as the telephone. It's unclear the laws on offline gambling can relate to online gambling and they have yet to be tested in a court of law. From a federal perspective there is no worry at all so maybe 'caution' is the key word here. Many residents of Rhode Island play online poker regularly and such rooms as Americas Cardroom, Full Flush Poker and BetOnline Poker welcome them with open arms.

Playing in a Rhode Island Casino

Rhode Island is far behind many states when it comes to legalized and organized forms of gambling and in fact there are no real casinos in the state. There are a scattering of greyhound tracks that have recently started to offer slots and a few table games however poker is still a way off. Simply, you will not find a game of poker in any of these establishments.