About Us

US Poker was built for one job: helping US players work out where to play real money poker without wading through marketing copy or outdated forum threads. We compare regulated and internationally licensed poker sites and apps on the things that actually affect your game — traffic, game variety, rake, payout speed, and how the software feels on desktop and mobile.

What We Actually Do

We track the sites listed on stuff4restaurants.com, including Coinpoker, Bovada, Stake, Ignition, Americas Card Room, Black Chip Poker, Ya Poker, BC Poker, Betonline, and Jack Poker, and rank them against each other using the same criteria every time. We are not a poker room, we do not process deposits or withdrawals, and we do not sit at the tables ourselves. Our job is comparison and analysis, not operation.

How We Rank Poker Sites

Every site on this page is scored against the same set of factors, weighted differently depending on what a given comparison is trying to answer:

• Traffic and liquidity — how many players are typically seated across cash games, MTTs, and Sit & Gos, since deeper player pools mean faster table fills and more variety at your stakes.
• Game selection — the mix of No Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, mixed games, fast-fold formats (Zoom-style), and Spin & Go-type lottery tournaments.
• Rake and rakeback — the rake structure at common stakes and whether a loyalty or rakeback scheme meaningfully offsets it.
• Bonus terms — the headline welcome offer alongside the playthrough or clearing requirements, time limits, and eligibility rules that come with it. We do not list an offer without checking the conditions attached.
• Software and mobile experience — client stability, HUD/tracking software policy, and how usable the iOS and Android apps are for real-money play.
• Deposits and withdrawals — the payment methods on offer and typical cash-out speed, verification (KYC) requirements, and any caps or fees.
• Licensing and player protection — how the site is regulated or licensed, and whether it segregates player funds and publishes fair-play or RNG certification information.

Commercial relationships never influence these scores. Some sites on stuff4restaurants.com pay us when a reader signs up through our links, and we disclose that plainly — see below — but paying us does not move a site up the list, and a site's position can drop if it falls behind on any of the criteria above.

How We Handle Money and Commercial Relationships

stuff4restaurants.com may earn a commission when readers click through to a poker site and register or deposit. This is standard for comparison sites and it does not cost you anything extra. It also does not decide rankings — a site's rating reflects our assessment of its traffic, games, bonus terms, and reliability, not the size of any commercial arrangement behind it.

Where we mention a welcome bonus — such as a deposit match or a promotional offer — we try to note the material conditions beside it: minimum deposit, wagering or playthrough requirements, and any time limit to clear it. Bonus terms change, so always check the operator's current terms before you deposit.

US Licensing and Eligibility — What We Can and Can't Confirm

Online poker regulation in the US works state by state; there is no single federal licence covering the whole country. Some sites listed here operate under state-level regulation in specific markets, while others operate offshore under international licensing and are used by US players in states without a regulated option. Availability, legal status, and licensing can vary by where you live, and it is the reader's responsibility to check that a site is permitted to operate in their state before signing up. We do not claim a specific licence or registration for any operator beyond what that operator itself publishes, and we recommend verifying licensing details directly with the site before depositing.

Every site reviewed here is intended for players aged 21 and over, or 18 and over in states where that is the legal minimum. None of our content is directed at anyone under those ages, and eligibility also depends on being physically located in a state or jurisdiction where online poker is legally available to you.

What Players Should Expect Beyond the Cash Games

Most poker-focused sites we cover also run adjacent products — casino games, sports betting, or crypto-based "sweepstakes" style play, depending on the operator. These are separate offerings from the poker room itself, often with different bonus structures, wagering requirements, and licensing arrangements, so we treat them separately in our individual reviews rather than folding them into the poker rating.

Our Position on Responsible Gambling

Poker is a game of skill and chance combined, and skill does not remove the risk of losing money. We do not present poker as a source of income, a way to solve financial problems, or a reliable way to win. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, free confidential support is available around the clock through 1-800-GAMBLER. Several states also run their own self-exclusion programs, and we respect and support those protections rather than working around them. For more on staying in control, see our responsible gambling page.

Questions About This Page or Our Reviews

If you spot something out of date, disagree with a ranking, or just want to ask a question, you can reach us through our contact page. For the legal terms governing use of this site, see our terms and conditions.