About Us

USA Online Poker exists for one reason: to help US poker players work out where it's actually worth signing up. We compare real money poker sites and apps on the things that matter once you sit down at a table — traffic, game variety, rake, cash-out speed, and how a welcome bonus really clears — rather than just repeating marketing copy from the operators themselves.

What we do and why it's useful

Online poker in the US is a patchwork. There's no single federal license — availability, liquidity and even which brands you can use often depend on which state you're in. That makes side-by-side comparison genuinely useful rather than a nicety: a site that's soft and busy in one state might be a ghost town, or unavailable, in another. Our job is to lay out what each operator offers so you can match it against what you actually need — whether that's deep cash game traffic, a specific tournament schedule, or a fast route to cashing out in crypto.

How we put the rankings together

Our editorial ratings come from a comparative review of publicly available information: each site's stated licensing, its published bonus terms, the deposit and withdrawal methods it lists, its software and mobile app, and the range of formats it spreads (cash games, MTTs, Sit & Gos, and fast-fold variants where offered). We read the small print on wagering and playthrough requirements rather than just the headline number, and we weigh things like currency support and player pool size where operators disclose them. Where a detail isn't publicly confirmed, we say so rather than guessing.

No brand on this site pays for a better position. Some of the operators we cover have a commercial relationship with USA Online Poker, meaning we may earn a commission if you sign up through a link on this site — this never decides where a site lands in our rankings, and it costs you nothing extra. We disclose this plainly because we think you're entitled to know it before you click through.

What our reviews actually cover

• Licensing and safety: where an operator states its regulatory standing, we note it, and we flag where that information is thin or unverified rather than assume the best.
• Bonuses and promotions: we look at the full terms behind a welcome offer — deposit match percentage, cap, playthrough requirement and time limit — not just the top-line figure.
• Game variety and traffic: No Limit Hold'em is the baseline everywhere, but we also look at Pot Limit Omaha, mixed games, Spin & Go-style formats, and how busy the tables actually are at different stakes.
• Payments: deposit and withdrawal methods available to US players, including cards, ACH transfers, PayNearMe, operator prepaid cards, and crypto where a site supports it.
• Mobile and software: how usable the iOS and Android apps are, and whether the desktop client supports the tools serious grinders expect.

You'll find these factors reflected in our individual site reviews and in the comparison tables across the site, always built from information the operators themselves publish.

What we won't do

We won't tell you that poker is a reliable way to make money, and we won't imply that skill removes the risk of losing your bankroll. It doesn't. Every real money poker site involves financial risk, and no bonus, rakeback deal or software feature changes that. If a page on this site ever reads like a guarantee, that's not the intent — flag it to us and we'll fix it.

We also take responsible gambling seriously. Every regulated real money poker site should give you tools to set limits, take a break, or self-exclude, and we'd encourage you to use them if play stops feeling fun. If gambling is becoming a problem for you or someone you know, call 1-800-GAMBLER for confidential support. You can read more on our responsible gambling page.

Who this site is for

We write for three overlapping groups: players who are new to real money poker and want a straightforward, trustworthy recommendation; experienced grinders comparing rake structures, traffic and rakeback across sites they may already know; and players looking for something specific — a new site to try a bonus on, a crypto-friendly option, or an alternative after a previous site stopped serving their state. Whichever group you're in, our reviews assume you already know how poker works and focus on comparing the operators, not the rules of the game.

Eligibility and where this applies

Online poker in the US is regulated at the state level, and most states that permit it set the minimum age at 21, with a small number allowing 18. Whatever applies where you live, you must meet the legal age and be physically located in a state where real money online poker is permitted to play. We don't verify individual eligibility — that's between you and the operator's own know-your-customer checks — but we won't recommend that anyone sign up outside the rules that apply to them.

Get in touch

If you've spotted something out of date, have a question about a review, or just want to tell us we've got a comparison wrong, we'd rather hear it than leave it uncorrected. You can reach us through our contact page, and our full site terms are set out on our terms and conditions page.