There is so much choice that exists in 2024 for poker players who want to play poker with cryptocurrencies that it can be overwhelming to decide which crypto poker site is the best, so we have put together a guide to help you invest in the right online crypto poker site!
We want to look at online poker sites that accept cryptocurrencies only, given how important crypto has become to the online poker player today. We made our recommendations below, but it is important that the player does their own research to determine the best crypto poker site for them.
Given the wide range of online crypto poker sites that exist today, it is important to understand what is important to you to offer the best recommendation possible. Different online crypto sites have different strong points, so it is important to know what you want out of an online poker room before transferring your money.
Note – most crypto poker sites will convert your coin to a standard currency to use at the tables, this usually being USD. While it is not recommended players use crypto poker rooms as investments, players will not see fluctuations in their balance on the poker site but may not receive the same amount of coins when they withdrawal out of the site.
Crypto Currencies Accepted
Not every real money online poker sites accepts all different cryptocurrencies. Most accept the more popular coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum but if your money is invested in other coins, you should either look to transfer to a more widely accepted coin or focus on online crypto rooms that specialize in the less popular coins. Some sites accept over 60 different coins, while others focus on only the most popular. Also, is a site known for quick withdrawals or do you have to go through hoops to get your coins back?
Crypto Poker Bonuses
Some online crypto poker rooms offer great online poker welcome bonuses with no strings attached; other sites could even prioritize depositing in specific coins by giving you even better crypto bonus offers. Some still have huge offers but require you to play through a specific amount of rake to get it. This could make the cryptocurrency poker bonus unattainable depending on the stakes and volume you plan to play, so pay close attention to the strings attached. Regardless of which bonus you choose to take advantage of – always read the fine print!
An online poker room – crypto or not – should make you feel like you are playing poker, not a video game. Some key points we recommend you consider:
Lobbies that are clean, clutter free, easy to search and filter and do not try and distract you with other features of the site such as the casino or sportsbook
Game play that is customizable, easy to play and supports multi-tabling
Sites that are accessible on mobile and tablets and can be downloaded onto desktops
Support that is easy to find and easy to connect to
The ability to use tools to assist you while playing such as HUD’s
Player Traffic
The best crypto poker site is no good if there is not sufficient player traffic at the times you want to play on the games you want to play. Scoping out various poker rooms when you would generally be online and settling down to your grind is important, as some sites cater more towards the time zones in Asia and Australia, others to Europe and others to the Americas.
More players generally mean a wider range of skill levels – sure, you are going to run into skilled players at any times, but some sites will see softer competition on specific variants so scouting the competition will help you avoid jumping into a shark tank.
Available Poker Games
We reviewed different forms of poker as certain sites are better for cash grinders than tournaments, and vice versa. While all sites offer Texas Hold'em, we also look at the availability of:
Most poker rooms offer marquee tournaments or series throughout the year that can attract more players to the site. Huge guarantees will attract a lot of players while specialized series and live event satellites could present amazing opportunities to travel to play poker. We look at how complete a site’s tournament schedule is, including the variety of games and buy-ins that will suit the recreational poker player.
Registration Process
Some sites require verification before playing while others allow you to sign up with an e-mail, deposit and off you go. How easy it is to get into a poker room could be a sign of wanting more players to sign-up, but it also could introduce the possibility of cheaters and multi-accounts joining. Is a site reputable and known for weeding out bots and those cheating, or has the site turned a blind eye to this?
The Benefits of Playing Poker With Crypto
Playing with cryptocurrencies has grown in popularity with poker players specifically because of the control the player has of their money. Moving coins from crypto poker sites is an easy and generally quick process and can allow a player to pivot quickly. Poker rooms can also act as a safe place where the funds are insulated from the high volatility of crypto markets.
It is simpler for a poker player to transfer coins out of their wallets onto a poker room and back, versus withdrawing to their bank account, and then re-depositing to their crypto wallet. Many poker players have also made money with cryptocurrencies and have used that to increase their poker bankrolls, although we do NOT recommend treating a cryptocurrency as a safe investment option.
Poker and NFT’s
NFT’s, or Non-Fungible Token, have become more popular as cryptocurrencies have grown and expanded. Many top poker pros have gotten behind NFT projects such as Tony G, but there is a growing interest in the poker community that sites are investigating how to incorporate NFT’s into their games. Some are investigating using NFT’s as avatars in-game, where others could use them as poker trading cards or trophies, like the WSOP awarding bracelets and circuit rings. It is too early to tell how crypto will grow with poker sites outside of the digital currency, but it is worth keeping an eye on how NFT’s evolve.
Available Cryptocurrencies at Poker Rooms
As mentioned above, not all crypto poker sites will accept all forms of currency, so below are some of the more popular coins and where they can be used as an online deposit option.
Bitcoin Poker Sites
Arguably the most popular and the oldest coin out today, Bitcoin can be found on many online poker sites as a deposit and withdraw option. The downside of its popularity is that you pay the highest transaction fees, so make sure you understand how many coins the poker room wants for your desired amount before confirming the deposit and sending your coins to the poker room.
Ethereum was born into the crypto world in 2015 and has quickly become the second largest coin in terms of market capitalization, next to Bitcoin. The coin still carries high transaction fees though, so like Bitcoin, players need to fully understand what they are being charged for the deposit.
One of the earliest altcoins inspired by Bitcoin, Litecoin has been on the market since 2011 but has not seen the same growth in popularity as Bitcoin or Ethereum has. Analysts believe it has a bright future, and the transaction fees are much smaller than with the other coins so it could offer crypto poker players the best of both worlds.
One of the most popular memes that exist is the dog going to the moon, inspired by Dogecoin. Originally created as a joke, the coin has been very popular with investors looking for lower fees and a higher upside than larger crypto coins. One downside is the price – dogecoin trades for less than a penny currently, meaning any fluctuation in the price greatly affects the value of one’s portfolio.
The process to start playing poker with cryptocurrency is almost identical and just as easy as with regular FIAT currencies. Once you have done your research or selected one of our recommended crypto poker sites, the process is as follows:
Register an account: After clicking the registration button you will need to follow the site's process for signing up. This usually includes entering personal details such as name, address, email and phone number.
Verify your account: The majority of poker sites require some form of KYC verification, which is basically a verification process that confirms who you are to the operator. Depending on the crypto poker site, the KYC-verification process may come right after registration or at the first request for a withdrawal. This is completely normal.
Request to make a deposit: When you make your cryptocurrency deposit, you must first navigate to the “Deposits” page. From here, you will choose how much you wish to deposit, and which cryptocurrency you want to use, and the site will provide you with an address of their wallet to send the coins to.
Transfer cryptocurrency to the poker account: Then, you will have to go onto your crypto wallet, and follow the instructions carefully for transferring coins to another wallet. This could include special codes or reference numbers in the comment section so, be sure to always follow all steps from the poker client. Copy the address you were given and submit the request. You may need to wait a few minutes to a couple of hours for the transaction to complete, but your money will show up online before you know it.
Start playing poker with crypto: That's it! Once your cryptocurrency deposit has reached the account you can finally enjoy your favorite crypto poker games online.
A reminder – most online crypto poker sites use a centralized currently, generally USD or Euros to play on their tables and tournaments. The site will convert your coin to that currency, and vice versa when you go to withdrawal.
Legal Status of Playing Poker With Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies are decentralized, meaning that they are not managed by a government, nor recognized as legal tender and not subject to laws so it is not against the law to play online poker with crypto. Note that in some parts of the world – most US States, Australia, etc., online poker itself is not regulated, so there is risk playing in these parts of the world on unregulated sites. If you are playing from a country where there are no laws prohibiting playing online poker with centralized currencies, there would be no difference in playing with cryptocurrencies.
Yes – many online poker sites accept some forms of crypto currencies so if the sites accept the coin as a deposit option, you can play online poker with your crypto.
Note that fees are generally higher with certain crypto poker deposits and withdrawals so double check the exchange rate before proceeding with moving coins to and from an online poker room.
Is crypto poker legal?
Yes – playing online poker with crypto is potentially safer than playing with a centralized currency because no government oversees how its currency is used in the world. If playing online poker is available to you where you live, then playing crypto poker is legal.
Having said that, not every poker room has made itself available to every region of the world, so check with the website before downloading the client or attempting to register to play.
Where can I play poker with cryptocurrency?
Many online poker rooms are accepting cryptocurrencies today and more coins and sites are being added to the list. The biggest online poker rooms that accept Bitcoin are GG Poker, America’s Cardroom, BetOnline but other smaller sites could accept the more popular cryptos. Always check with the online poker site’s cashier to see all the available payment options.
How do I deposit crypto onto a poker site?
You will need a wallet that contains your crypto coins to be able to transfer to the poker site and deposit into your account. Follow the instructions that your online poker room provides on how to transfer to their wallet and have your poker account credited.
Note – some wallets may take several minutes to a couple of hours to complete.
Do crypto poker sites offer bonuses?
Yes, in fact some poker sites will give bigger bonuses to deposit with crypto over other deposit methods and others may even give ongoing reload bonuses to deposit with crypto. Be sure to check the poker room’s website to see if they are offering any bonuses or promotions tied to crypto deposits before you deposit.
Will the value of my crypto change while I play online poker?
No – when you take money out of your crypto wallet, the online poker room will convert your coins to the desired currency, which usually is USD. While the money is in your poker account, the value of your money will not change as your funds are not invested in the crypto account. When you go to withdraw it back to your wallet, the poker site will sell you back coins at the market value, minus transaction fees and after that, it will be subject to fluctuations in the market price.