How can you trust online poker sites?

Question

none are regulated by us agencies, who's stopping these websites from cheating? if there is money involved, i think, there is someone trying to steal it!

Answer 1

I don't even bother going on those games. If you want to actually earn money, why not try survey sites? They do give you money anyway. But the problem is they totally spam up your email and your home mailbox.

Answer 2

There are other institutions in the world that you can trust other than US agencies.

But if you want a US agency to protect the rights of American poker players, join the PPA and demand of the politicians that online poker be legalized for American companies.  I think that most Americans would be pretty comfortable playing at Harrah's online poker room, if it were monitored by the Nevada Gaming Commission, or some new online gaming commission.

What the Bush administration has done is partially outlaw it kinda like prohibition, but done in a weird irrational way.  It has broken international trade agreements in the process.  And left American consumers in a weird limbo of having to trust an offshore web site with no American regulation.

For a country that has gambling in 48 of 50 states, it is insane that Americans are prevented from playing poker freely online.

In the meantime I suggest that you pick a major site like Poker Stars or Full Tilt Poker and play there.  It seems unlikely that such major sites would be cheating.  They have been in business for a long time, are regulated in the countries they are based it, and are recommended by some pretty famous poker players.  They have become so big that they make millions as it is, without risking their entire business by cheating.

Answer 3

I've played poker online for years and there is no cheating by any of the major sites.

1) The risk - reward is not worth it. Given how much a site like PokerStars makes in a day why risk that?

2) It is easy to detect cheating. Programs are available to keep track of every hand played and it isn't hard to do a statistical analysis of the data to determine cheating

3) I've made a lot of money doing it and I know hundreds of other players who also have.

Occasionally there is a scandal like at Absolute but that is with the smaller sites. Major sites are perfectly fair and safe.

Answer 4

I don't know about you JP, but for me, there is NOTHING that instills confidence like a learned fount of wisdom identifying himself as a 'Professional Gambler' issuing a confident pronouncement like "there is no cheating by any of the major sites."

Wel, except for the cheating at Absolute .... but that doesn't count.

Ok, ok, ok ... I spoke out of turn.  There IS one other thing that keeps me safe and secure in my online gambling world.  One other fact that keeps the Bogeyman away and let's me rest assured that all is well with the world.

It's knowing, nay RELYING on the fact that the multi-billion dollar, completely unregulated, nearly untraceable, virtually unmolested online casino industry is being kept to the straight and narrow path of righteousness by ... the Kanawhake Gaming Commission.

Them Kanawhackers is some tough SOBs ... they don't take NO c**p!

So relax .... it's all ok ... pay no attention to the man behind the curtain ....

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Far be it from me to start a panic (ok, not true) but when you think about things like "seems unlikely that such major sites would be cheating" and "regulated in the countries they are based in" and “they make millions as it is, without risking their entire business by cheating” it's worth taking another look at the Absolute Poker scandal.

- Absolute was a top 5 site IN THE WORLD in a BILLION DOLLAR industry when the scandal happened.

- The scandal was tied directly to employees, including one of the founders of the company.

- The cheating took place on a Kahnawake Gaming Commission server.  That's right, the commission charged with oversight was running the server with the cheating accounts on it ... and apparently didn't notice.

- The international regulatory giants that sites like Fulltilt, Absolute, Party Poker and Poker Stars reside in are places like Costa Rica, Isle of Man, Antigua and Gibralter.  Pretty much the same countries drug lords and money launderers use (but maybe it's just a coincidence.)

But don't let that shake your trust ....... :/

Answer 5

Well there are other regulations involved in the online gambling industry, you can trust a poker room when they have been in business for a good bit of time, and they as well hold a license with at least one of the regulation commissions like the OSGA, Kanawhake Gaming Commission, etc… also feedback from other players. As I have advice others with same questions like you is to look around the internet and read on forums, also the option of checking the link below it will give you some ideas on what companies you can trust

Answer 6

I trust the websites more than other players who might be multiplaying two or more accounts at the same table.

Answer 7

I can really recommend this free ebook titled "How to make a living playing poker online". I've learned so much from it, things I haven't found anywhere else.