New York Poker Sites
Poker software features Every New York poker site has features that help you play profitable poker. This includes four-color decks, display bet sizing, changing the table design, note-taking, and more. Play freeroll tournaments Freerolls are free to join and have real money prize pools. You won’t find freerolls offline.
New York is further behind its neighboring states when it comes to the availability of online gambling in various forms. New York sweepstakes sites offer the chance for players to have fun with online casino games and online poker while playing for cash prizes.
New York State is, however, one of only two states that impose strict limits to sweepstakes cash prizes. The other is Florida.
If the cash prize can exceed $5,000, the operator has to file a Games of Chance Registration (form DOS0255-f) with the New York Department of State. That means playing any of the sweepstakes sites as a New York resident restricts your cash prize potential to $5,000.
- New York has a total of 120 poker tables spread across 10 poker rooms. You can play a number of poker games, including NL Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Limit Holdem, No Limit Holdem, NL Holdem, Crazy Pineapple, 7 Card Stud, Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha 8 or Better, Texas Hold'em, Mixed Games, Omaha, Sit-n-go, 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, 7-Card Stud Razz, Omaha Hi, Pot Limit Hold 'Em, 5 Card Stud, Tournaments.
- Finding the Best New York Online Poker Sites for 2020. New York isn’t typically thought of as an online gambling-friendly state. There are regulations set in place here that make it difficult for online gambling sites in New York to operate. As time goes on, however, more individuals are choosing to play poker online for real money in New York.
However, the State of Washington has outright outlawed social gaming sites, so New York State at least allows all of the online sweepstakes options. Here’s an overview of what’s on offer:
What Sweepstakes Products Can I Play In New York State?
New York State has set the sweepstakes prize potential to no more than $5,000. Lawmakers have also kept online gambling illegal. But those with a NY address can still win cash prizes through the following social gaming sites:
Online Casino
You have your choice of two sweepstakes casinos in New York State: Chumba Casino and LuckyLand.
Chumba Casino has a larger selection of slots as well as blackjack, American roulette, and Jacks or Better video poker. Their progressive jackpots are also massive and better than most traditional online casinos. However, the no-purchase welcome package isn’t the best.
LuckyLand has a more modest selection of slots, but still has over 30 titles. They also have a couple of digital scratch cards, which is a unique form of slots not offered by Chumba.
Further, their no-purchase welcome bonus is fantastic, rewarding players with up to 10 Sweeps Coins.
Online Poker
Global Poker is the only legitimate social poker site available to people in New York. As it stands, only four states offer traditional online poker, and New York isn’t one of them.
The good news is that Global Poker offers a huge player pool that extends to all of the US and Canada except for the State of Washington and Quebec. That means thousands of players are actively using the site every month.
At Global Poker, you can play using Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins. If you have enough Sweeps Coins in your account for redemption, you can do so in the form of a gift card or cash prize.
Online Sportsbook
New York State’s online sports betting laws are convoluted. If you were to look it up, you’d think there are no legal sportsbook websites. But visiting the DraftKings sportsbook site tells a different story.
Still, it’s better to be safe rather than sorry, and that’s where FendOff Sports comes into play. This social sportsbook is structured like the sweepstakes casinos and poker sites. You can make sports picks using Gold Coins or Sweeps, and Sweeps can be redeemed for cash prizes.
FendOff offers picks for all types of sports as well as pari-mutuel racebook picks. They also accept in-game picks on top of all the standard pre-game and futures action.
How Are Sweepstakes Sites Different Than Online Gambling Sites?
Sweepstakes sites don’t take deposits. Instead, you purchase the website’s proprietary currencies, which are Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC). Only SC can be redeemed for a monetary reward.
Online gambling sites simply take deposits in local currencies, allow members to bet on their games with that money, and you can withdraw the remaining balance in your account. While different online gambling sites have different terms and conditions, that’s the general overview of how it works.
Sweepstakes sites, on the other hand, allow you to redeem your SC for cash prizes or gift cards. You cannot purchase SC either, you can only receive it for free, either as a bonus for purchasing GC or through a few other methods. We’ll get into more details in the next section.
Another big difference between social gaming sites and gambling sites is the legality. Real-money online poker is available in just four states (DE, NJ, NV, and PA). And online casinos are legal in the same states minus Nevada. Sweepstakes sites are legal in every state and Canadian province except Washington and Quebec, respectively.
However, in terms of the selection of games, the differences are fairly negligible.
Check out our full guide to Sweepstakes Casinos In The US.
Can You Win Real Money At Sweepstakes Casinos And Poker Sites From New York State?
You can win cash prizes from sweepstakes sites like social casinos, Global Poker, and FendOff sports. Here’s how it works:
When you join a sweepstakes site, you receive both Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC). Playing games using GC is strictly for fun and cannot result in any cash prizes. However, playing with SC can earn you cash prizes.
To redeem SC for a cash prize, you need to play using the SC at least once for it to be considered “cleared” or “redeemable” SC. You also need to have enough to meet the minimum requirements for redemption.
For example, at Chumba Casino, cleared SC 10 can be redeemed for a gift card. But you need SC 100 to receive a cash prize.
Of course, you’re using your SC to play games of chance, which means it’s likely that you’ll run out before you can redeem it. To receive more, you have a few options:
- Purchase GC packages, some of which include a set amount of SC.
- Participate in the sweepstakes site’s social media contests.
- Mail in a request for free SC.
- Take advantage of daily, weekly, and seasonal bonus offers.
What Kinds Of Bonuses Do Sweepstakes Casinos And Poker Sites Offer To Players In New York State?
Generally speaking, bonuses are different from simply purchasing Gold Coins (GC) at full price and receiving SC as a bonus. At social gaming sites, the bonuses that players look for involve receiving free Sweeps Coins (SC) for free or through a discounted purchase.
Registration Bonus
It’s required by law for sweepstakes gaming platforms to award you free SC when you create an account. This applies to all four sites without exception.
Daily Sign-In Bonuses
At Chumba Casino, you receive a free SC just for logging in every day after you create an account. But remember that you need to play with the SC first before it can be redeemed for a cash prize.
Social Media Contests
Some of the sweepstakes sites host daily and weekly social media contests. Entry is free, and the prize potential is a large amount of SC in your account.
Mail-In A Sweeps Request
Like the sweepstakes of yesteryear, you can mail in a request for free SC directly to the social gaming site. Check their terms for more specific directions.
Discounted Gold Coins Pack
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Whether through your account on the site or in your registration email’s inbox, you’ll be routinely offered discount GC packages that include SC.
For example, one received recently from LuckyLand was a $5 GC pack that included 15 SC.
What Kinds Of Games Are Available At New York State’s Sweepstakes Poker Sites?
Global Poker has a huge player pool. Even 888Poker and WSOP combining their pools across three states can’t compete with Global Poker’s reach across the US and Canada.
At any given moment, but especially at peak hours, hundreds of players can be ready to play against you through a variety of game types and formats.
The way the stakes work are very similar to more traditional online poker sites. Global Poker also takes a rakeback of 5% on all pots. The 5+ player cap for rakeback is SC 4, which is the most Global Poker takes on a single event.
Unlike gambling online poker sites, you don’t need to download anything to play at Global Poker. You can play directly on both your computer’s web browser and your mobile device’s web app. All non-sweepstakes American online poker sites require that you download an app to play.
At Global Poker, the game formats for every type of game are Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Crazy Pineapple. You play using chips that represent either Gold Coins (GC) or Sweeps Coins (SC). Since playing in SC is the most popular option, we list the stakes below in SC rather than GC.
| Game Types (and their stakes) | Lowest Stakes Offered | Highest Possible Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| Ring Games (small blind/big blind) | SC 0.02/SC 0.04 | SC 10/SC 20 |
| Multi-Table Tournament (tickets) | SC 0.11 | SC 33 |
| Sit ‘n’ Go (entry fee/jackpot) | SC 0.05/SC 0.5 | SC 18/SC 200 |
| Jackpot Sit ‘n’ Go (entries/jackpot) | SC 0.5/up to SC 5,000 | SC 20/up to SC 200,000 |
As you can see, you can play SNG, MTT, and ring games, and the different stakes are comparable to all major non-social online poker platforms. But instead of USD, the Global Poker stakes are in SC or GC, player’s choice.
What Kinds Of Slots Can I Play At Sweepstakes Casinos?
Both Chumba and LuckyLand offer a large selection of slots that span all the genres and styles of games. Combined, New Yorkers have their choice of around 100 titles.
Unfortunately, neither Chumba nor LuckyLand offer a very intuitive navigation. They don’t offer a search bar much less filter options. That means you have to browse every choice and base your selection either on the cover or the progressive jackpot.
Chumba has a slightly more intuitive setup that at least has a “Recently Played” section. So once you find your games of choice, you can easily find them in that section.
All games are available to play in either Gold Coins (GC) or Sweeps Coins (SC). You can’t play any of the games in demo mode. But if you set the stakes low on GC, you can play with the millions of free coins you receive forever.
To receive a cash prize or gift card, you’ll need to play with SC. Therefore it’s recommended to use GC to become familiar with the game before you risk SC. This will give you the best odds of success.
Here is a table of the top 10 best slots at sweepstakes casinos in terms of win potential at the time of writing this article.
| Slot | Description | Progressive Jackpot | Social Casino |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Gold | 5-reel, 50-line | SC 1,000,000+ | Chumba |
| Stallion Grand | 5-reel, 50-line | SC 322,000+ | Chumba |
| Dancing Gold | 5-reel, 50-line | SC 322,000+ | Chumba |
| Wild Roads | 3-reel, 5 lines | SC 234,000+ | Chumba |
| Triple Double Fever | 3-reel, 5 lines | SC 234,000+ | Chumba |
| Dr. Amazing | 5-reel, 243 ways pays | SC 156,000+ | LuckyLand |
| Long Zhi Bao Zhang | 5-reel, 50-line | SC 153,000+ | Chumba |
| Reeling n Rockin' | 5-reel, 50-line | SC 132,000+ | Chumba |
| Stampede Fury | 5-reel, 243 ways pays | SC 132,000+ | Chumba |
| Neon Valley | 5-reel, 30-line | SC 125,000+ | LuckyLand |
What Other Casino Games Can I Find At Sweepstakes Casinos?
While slots make up the vast majority of options at both Chumba and LuckyLand, you can find a few other gaming options that allow you to play in either Gold Coins (GC) or Sweeps Coins (SC). Here’s an overview of each option:
Blackjack (Chumba)
Chumba Casino offers a blackjack with better return to player (RTP) than most of their slots. It also has some rules that are good for the player, and some that are bad.
Good Rules
- Blackjack pays 3 to 2
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Doubling down on split hands
- Can split aces
Bad Rules
- All 6 decks shuffled after every hand
- Doubling down only on 9, 10, or 11
- No surrender
In terms of online blackjack with stakes that range from SC 1 to SC 100, it doesn’t get much better than this.
American Roulette (Chumba)
American roulette is the worst roulette variation in terms of RTP. European roulette is better, French roulette is the best.
The reason is because of two green pockets rather than one, and French roulette refunds 50% of lost chips if the ball lands in the single green pocket.
Jacks Or Better Video Poker (Chumba)
Jacks Or Better has one of the lowest RTPs in the casino. It’s underrated namely because it’s most commonly found mounted into bar tops at Vegas casinos. But make no mistake: the RTP can be even better than blackjack.
Digital Scratch-Offs (LuckyLand)
Digital scratchers are set up just like a physical scratch-off lotto ticket you’d buy at a New York State corner store or gas station. You receive winning symbols, then “scratch off” your hidden symbols in the hopes that one or more match the winning symbols.
At LuckyLand, you have two options, and the largest possible prize is SC 25,000.
New York State Online Casino & Poker Sweepstakes FAQ
18. The legal age to play social gaming sites in New York State (and everywhere else in the US) is 18 and up.
Before you can redeem your Sweeps Coins for a gift card or cash prize, you’ll need to verify your identity.
So while anyone with an email can create an account, no one under the age of 18 can benefit financially from a sweepstakes offer in NYS.
No, not directly.
However, Sweeps Coins (SC) that you win playing the sweepstakes games can be redeemed for a cash prize or a gift card. The more redeemable SC that you have, the higher the value of your cash prize or gift card.
You do not need to make a purchase to receive SC and win a cash prize. However, to participate in the sweepstakes, you do need to play any games using SC at least once.
The average daily users for Global Poker is hard to come by. But from our experience, Global Poker has a larger pool of players than even the largest legal online poker sites in the US. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Poker numbers continue to grow at a steady and impressive rate.
No. Once an online casino, poker site, or sportsbook accepts deposits, they become a gambling site in the eyes of New York State.
Social gaming sites avoid that distinction by not accepting deposits. Instead, they allow members to purchase Gold Coins (which may include Sweeps Coins) using a variety of payment methods.
However, Visa and other methods may be restricted. That’s why we recommend Skrill, an e-wallet that you can use to purchase Gold Coins as well as redeem cash prizes.
As mentioned beneath the previous question, Skrill is the best way to receive your cash prize from a sweepstakes site. It’s quick and easy to create a Skrill account, and its navigation and setup is similar to PayPal.
However, PayPal has been recently separating itself from sweepstakes sites as they gain popularity. We don’t see the same happening for Skrill, which is a world-renowned e-wallet that’s specifically popular for online gaming.
While there are various poker rooms available to players in the state of New York, the New York poker sites are some of the more generous options available. While the laws regarding Internet poker are somewhat ambiguous, we can tell you that there are currently not restrictions on playing online poker. The same cannot be said for hosting an online poker room, but for now you may play comfortably knowing that there has been no law specifically banning players from joining in an online poker room.
We have a brief synopsis of New York's gambling laws, so keep these in mind if and when you decide to play poker on the Internet.
Is It Legal To Play Online Poker In New York?
New York's gambling laws have made it so players can freely participate in the poker rooms. We have looked through various sections of the New York state laws, specifically Section 225 of the state statutes. Federal laws mean next to nothing when it comes to state laws, but even federal laws have not actually criminalized online poker, and have even paved the way for it's regulation in neighboring states like New Jersey.
Sadly, New York is not one of the states where there are pieces of legislation going through the motions to authorize online poker. Should this change players will actually be able to safely gamble without any trouble. We do not believe that anyone can get in trouble for playing online poker.
Where Can NY Residents Play Online Poker? - Best New York Poker Sites
New York online poker players will have many different choices to sift through in terms of finding an Internet poker room that suits them As a result, the competitiveness of the industry is certainly on the side of the account holder. There are many high-quality sites, of which we detail several below.
As a New York poker player, there is plenty to like about the room that is set up at SportsBetting.ag. One of the best features is the many deposit options that are available. One of these types of deposits is a Western Union Wire transfer. When a player doesn't want to use a credit card, the Western Union transfer might be the best thing for them.
When a player opts for a Western Union transfer, they can do so at one of the many locations around, they can be done at almost any convenience store down the street. Because it's so widely available, New York players can use this method very effectively, with no issues about the acceptance rate versus the potential for some that come along with a credit card. This is just one of the great ways to fund your SportsBetting.ag account.
The number one poker room we recommend is that of BetOnline. BetOnline's poker room provides their players some of the largest bonuses and promotions around. Should you decide to stick to BetOnline's poker room you will find that they boast some of the largest bonuses and easy games. They also have a player base that does not carry the talents and abilities as players at some of the larger poker rooms.
BetOnline has a 25% match to $900 for all players making a deposit which makes up one of the best bonuses around. BetOnline's deposit methods include American Express, VISA, cashier's checks, prepaid gift cards and cash wire transfers, which makes for one of the easiest gambling opportunities around. It's rumored that NY players can deposit using MasterCard once they've gained VIP status.
No other poker rooms are as generous as BetOnline, which is why we have come to them in order to bring our players a safe and legitimate experience as we do with all gambling sites accepting New York residents here on our site.
New York Poker Sites
| Online Poker Sites | Deposit Bonuses | Average Traffic | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline Poker | Up To $900 On Each Deposit | 10,000+ Players | VISIT |
| SportsBetting Poker | Every Deposit: 25% - $900 | 10,000+ Players | VISIT |
| Bovada Poker | Every Deposit: 25% - $900 | 10,000+ Players | VISIT |
Is It Safe For New York Residents To Play Poker Online?
Best Online Poker New York
New York's consolidated laws may make no mention of online poker, but this has not actually helped the industry. Don't get us wrong - it hasn't harmed the industry, it has just made it somewhat complicated for players to start participating. If you decide to start taking advantage of the various poker rooms out there, just remember to stick to those that have been deemed safe.
At this time, there are not many safe online poker rooms that accept New York residents which is why we only recommend two right now. As more become available, we will test them out and add them to this list. Until then, you are stuck with a limited number of poker rooms.