Online Poker in Idaho – Is it Legal? Top ID Poker Sites

Idaho has a rich history when it comes to online gambling. We’re going to take the time to specifically look at online poker in Idaho.

Throughout this article, we’re going to bring you the best Idaho online poker sites, including reviews, ratings, bonus information, and then finally look at the legalities surrounding online poker in Idaho.

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ID Online Poker Gambling at a Glance

There are not many options for poker enthusiasts in the “Gem State”, in fact, the state is one of the least friendly states for gambling of any type. You can get an overview of the options for online and in-person poker in Idaho below.

• Legal Poker: Inland (no options), Online (offshore sites only)
• Minimum Age to Play Poker in Idaho:  18 (through offshore sites)
• Offline Poker Rooms: None
• Online Poker Sites: Offshore only
• Estimated Poker Revenue: Not applicable
• Permitted Online Domestic Poker Operators: Not applicable
• Licensing Fee:  Not applicable
• Tax Rate: Not applicable
• Tax Funded: Not applicable

The Best Online Poker Idaho Sites

We’ve been able to use and test a whole range of online Idaho poker rooms to bring you what we think are the best. The list below highlights who these brands are and if you jump down to the next section, we take the time to give them a more in-depth review of what you’re going to find from each site.

1. Bovada –Best Site overall for online poker in Idaho
2. BetOnline – Excellent cash games for Idaho players
3. Ignition – Best for mobile poker software in Idaho
4. Sportsbetting.ag – Great welcome bonus available
5. Everygame – Rakeback available with good percentage
6. Juicy Stakes – Use FPP to claim no-deposit bonuses

Idaho Online Poker Sites Reviewed

We’ve taken the top 5 online poker sites in Idaho and created reviews of each. Use the reviews below to find which is going to be the best poker site for your needs.

Although we have ranked them from 1 to 5, each poker room offers something unique. Don’t assume BetOnline is the best choice for your needs, even though it’s our top poker room in Idaho.

1. Bovada – Best Site Overall for Online Poker in Idaho

Bovada is another great addition for Idaho poker players. The brand is well known and has been operating since 2011.

The poker room is powered by the PaiWungLuo network, which admittedly is not the biggest. However, the quality of games is almost unrivaled. Tournaments start from as little as a couple of cents and even include mixed games to accompany the more popular Texas Hold’em.

Table features include rabbit hunting, hand strength info (great if you are new to poker), fold and show, live chat, and hand history. You also get access to fully anonymous tables, and they have disabled the use of the HUD, so there are no stats for competitors (a good thing!).

The lack of HUD means games are as soft as you will find. Regulars like a HUD to play multiple games at once, so not having this discourages them from playing there.

2. BetOnline – Excellent Cash Games for Idaho Players

BetOnline takes the next spot as our best Idaho online poker site. A company that’s been growing rapidly over the last 20+ years and arguably best known for sports betting has taken to poker like a duck to water.

Cash games are the star of the show here and based on the Chico Poker Network means that traffic is excellent around the clock. Games start from as little as 1c/2c with some high stakes games as much as $50/$100. Other games include MTT’s, sit and go’s, Razz, Stud, and Omaha.

The poker room is packed with features, such as the Six Plus. In this game, they remove all cards lower than a 6 and play out standard Texas Hold’em rules. It’s a great game and sharpens your skills for the full game.

You won’t have any issues finding a suitable banking option here as there are more than twenty. This includes more than 10 cryptocurrencies, bank cards, P2P and more. All crypto deposits and withdrawals are free of charge but fiat options are subject to fees.

A 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,000 is waiting for you at BetOnline Poker. The bonus is released to you in $5 increments every time your rake hits the $50 mark. Reloads are also available for every subsequent deposit which includes cash bonuses and free entry into tournaments.

3. Ignition – Best for Mobile Poker Software in Idaho

Ignition poker has a lot of ties to Bovada, and they both are on the same PaiWangLuo network. There are differences though, which is why they rank slightly lower than their bigger brother.

The network allows access to the largest range of poker players in the United States. Games run around the clock and even at off-peak times, are plentiful.

Games include Zone, which is their fast-fold addition and one worth testing, no-limit Texas Hold’em, Fixed limit Texas Hold’em, and Omaha. Games start from 2c/5c and are capped at $30/$60, which is ideal for high-stakes players.

The software can be accessed online and via their poker app. Zone poker linked with mobile is a match made in heaven!

Deposits with Ignition include Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Visa, Mastercard, and Zelle. Deposits start from $25 and you may be charged a fee of up to 4.9% on credit cards, although this is usually waived.

4. Sportsbetting.ag – Great Welcome Bonus Available

Sports Betting has been open since 2012 and are currently running on the Proprietary network. They are based out of Panama and are quickly becoming one of the best Idaho online poker sites in the state.

Sports Betting has a strong pool of recreational players that jump across from sports and casinos on the site. Given that they are less known for poker than some, professional players tend to stay away, which means that the games are very good. It is also one of the top sports betting sites in Idaho.

Games include Texas Hold’em, Limit Hold’em, Omaha, 7-Card Stud, Americana, and 32 Card Draw. Stakes start from as little as 1c/2c and max out at $5/$10 for most games.

Banking methods are great, with a credit card, cash transfer, debit card, bank wire, money order, and book-to-book, all on offer. The standout here is Bitcoin and if you can use this, then do. Deposits with Bitcoin start from just $20, max out at $5,000, have no fees, and are the quickest to be processed.

5. Everygame – Rakeback Available With Good Percentage

No poker player should be unaware of Everygame, even with their name change from Intertops last year. Their offering has consistently been solid regardless their network, both in tournaments and cash games. To be fair, the rake could be lower but they are a solid fixture on the scene since 1996.

Currently, Everygame resides with the Horizon poker network, formerly Cake Poker. The traffic is a bit iffy at times, though you will always find a decent amount of cash games open, and the tournament schedule is not too bad either. The worst is the sit and go’s which might be a bit underpopulated for our taste. Another thing that is not really in style on the Horizon network is HU, which never really caught on and if that is your thing, you might be disappointed.

As far as promotions go, they actually offer a fair and decent poker bonus that is possible to clear without hitting the tables 24/7. Their added value in guarantees also tend to err on the positive side of generous, which makes it a nice addition if you are a tournament player.

6. Juicy Stakes – Use FPP to Claim No-Deposit Bonuses

Juicy Stakes is up next on our list of the best Idaho poker sites. It’s a fully licensed poker room and casino that has been running for over a decade. Its wide range of payment options and great bonus structure and promotions make it a solid choice for poker players.

Like Everygame, Juicy Stakes runs on the Horizon Poker network., this means it’s not got the hugest amount of traffic but there are always plenty of cash games and sit-and-go tournaments running. It’s also got a great tournament schedule with daily freerolls and big tournaments, especially on Sundays.

The Horizon Poker Network traffic has also improved recently as they have updated their tables giving it a much more modern appearance. This includes new avatars, a new layout, the ability to customize the table view, and many other features.

Neosurf, Neteller, Major credit cards, wire transfer, check, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Lighting and Bitcoin cash are all supported. Crypto is the best option as it gives you faster payouts and deposits start from just $5. However, the minimum and maximum withdrawal for all methods are a bit restrictive with the lowest payout at $100 and the maximum $2,500

New users can claim a generous 200% bonus of up to $1,000. There are also lots of other ways to claim bonus funds including reloads and by playing poker you earn frequent player points which can be exchanged for no deposit bonuses and entry into special tournaments.

More on gambling in Idaho…

Learn about all types of online gambling in Idaho in our expert guides below:

• Idaho Sports Betting
• Idaho Real Money Online Casinos
• Idaho Online Gambling
• Idaho Sports Betting Apps
• Idaho Horse Racing

Online Poker Idaho – The Top Sites Compared

To make things a little easier to digest, we’ve created a table of the top online poker sites in Idaho. The table includes information on the poker games they offer, bonuses, tournaments, and if they include freerolls.

You can use the table as an overview to find poker games that you want to play.

Is Online Poker Legal in Idaho?

The short answer to this query is no, online poker is not legal in Idaho. But there is a caveat to this law and one we will explain.

Poker forms part of the state-wide ban on online gambling. This includes sports and casinos as well.

One of the key things to note here is that the law state that residents of Idaho are not allowed to gamble online with sites that are based in the United States. This is outlined in section 20 of the Idaho Constitution.

There are no regulations in place that states residents of Idaho are not able to play poker online as long as they are on offshore poker sites. An offshore poker site is one that is not located in the US, and usually territories like Costa Rica and Panama.

All the online pokers sites on this page are located offshore. This means that if you’re from Idaho or any state in the US for that matter you can play and deposit money without having to face prosecution.

Video Poker

Video poker is a game that you play in an online casino and it’s different from “regular” poker. It’s a game that has been derived from poker foundations but is essentially a game of chance, much in the way that blackjack is.

Laws for video poker fall under online casino laws for Idaho. Luckily, these are the same as online poker laws, meaning that it’s illegal to play casinos based in the US, but not illegal to play offshore casinos.

Casual Poker

Casual poker is not permitted in the state of Idaho. There was a famous case that occurred back in 2010 when the police raided a social game that took place amongst a small group of pensioners.

This did not go down well with residents and since then rules have been changed so that the police need the  approval of the public prosecutor’s office before, they carry out any raids like this again. However, the state’s stance on causal poker has not changed and it is not permitted under any circumstances.

Idaho Poker – Live and In-Person

Given that poker is illegal in Idaho, the options to play aside from online are few and far between. However, the Coueur D’Alene Casino has a dedicated poker room with 6 tables and is open for players in the casino to play.

It’s a strange one as to why this room has been allowed to run since 2014, but we can report as of September 2021, they’ve been under an injunction to close pending court hearings. Whilst that injunction continues to be appealed, the poker room is still operating, but this could change at any time.

Aside from that, there are no casinos that allow poker rooms in Idaho. The only option for Idaho residents is online poker using any of the poker sites that we’ve mentioned on this page.

Idaho Online Poker

Playing online poker compared to playing live is very different. The rules are the same, as are the games, for the most part, but the way that games play out and the overall standard is very different.

We’re going to look at a few key areas that differ when playing online compared to live.

Idaho Poker Bonuses and Promotions

The most obvious place to start with this is the poker bonuses that you can claim online. BetOnline has one of the biggest bonuses that you can claim and it’s worth up to $1,000. If you walked into a casino and asked for a $1,000 bonus they would likely laugh in your face and escort you out.

Not all bonuses are made equal, and they all come with terms attached. For example, with BetOnline, they will give you a $ 1,000 bonus, but to clear it you need to wager $50 to trigger $5 of the bonus as cash. You keep going until you’ve wagered the full amount.

What’s great about these types of offers is that you can play a skill-based game to make extra money on top of your regular play. Compare this to the likes of a casino bonus and you’re gambling in the purest of forms.

Standard of Play

It’s a common belief amongst poker players that the standard of playing online is generally better than playing live. Most people believe that higher-stakes live poker pros would get crushed at lower-stakes online.

However, it’s also widely believed that the bad players online are much worse than those live. They are easier to play against, more erratic, more aggressive (good when players are bad), and tend to lose more money over a shorter period.

The ability to quickly move tables online allows you to find the bad from the good and exploit them for as much money as you can.

Convenient Gameplay

Online poker is 24/7. You get to log on at any time of the day and there will be games waiting for you to play. There’s generally no need for waiting lists (common with live poker) and you know can set your playing hours to suit you.

What you will find online is there will be busier and quieter times. Evenings and weekends are the busiest and it’s often when the games are best.

Anonymity while playing

You’re able to play online behind a username so no one would ever need to know who you are. Many of the top pros play under usernames that they do not disclose to stop people from tracking how well they are doing and forming strategies against them.

Some sites allow you to take this to another level by choosing a new username every time you sit at the table. This way it’s impossible to track any players, let alone online players.

Learning & Strategy

There is a ton of information online about how to be better at poker. Sites analyze hands and play from the best in the business and make this info readily available for you to apply to your own game.

The catch is that the vast amount of strategy on this is based around online poker. The games between online and live play out very differently, so it’s not always easy to apply the same strategies to live play. As fewer players play live and the ability to capture data for live poker is much harder, there is less analysis and in turn, less information.

Idaho Poker Sites: Deposit Methods

Moving money in and out of your poker account needs to be one of the most important things you consider before picking your Idaho online poker site. In the table below we’ve included a range of deposit options from some of the best online poker sites.

Playing Online Poker Idaho : Idaho Poker Sites Compared

We’ve included a lot of information regarding which site is best for online poker in Idaho. We’re now going to compare the poker sites to see how they fare against each other for what we believe are some of the key points in choosing the best poker site for you.

Promotions and Bonuses

Promotions and bonuses are easy places to start. Unlike online casino bonuses, online poker bonuses are generally a case of more is better. BetOnline, Bovada, Sportsbetting.ag, and Everygame each have a welcome bonus worth up to $1,000.

Standard of Play

The standard of play across all games should be another high priority. Bovada is widely regarded as one of the biggest sportsbooks in the United States and this is important as you get a lot of players who crossover from sports (and casino) into poker.

Whilst we won’t go as far as saying that all players are “fish” generally the games at Bovada are weaker (better) than most because of the crossover. If you target games at peak hours (evening and weekends) games get even better.

Poker Tournaments

For tournaments, BetOnline must take the top spot here, with Bovada not too far behind. What’s impressive with BetOnline is the range of games with guaranteed jackpots, such as the $ 1 million windfall, Ruby Frenzy, and of course, the Sunday Majors. Even weekly events can have prize pools that surpass $100,000 for a relatively modest buy-in.

Stakes

Speaking of buy-ins, we know that not all of you are going to jump straight into the micro stakes and there will be a good number looking at mid-high stakes. BetOnline and Ignition excel here, and they have a lot of traffic for cash games around the $1/2 up to $10/20, although as they climb, games become a little less popular.

Game Variety

Mixed game coverage is strong amongst all five of our top picks, but again, BetOnline just shades out the others. Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Stud, and Razz are all accessible. The only negative here is that traffic is very low with some games in off-peak times.

Design and Usability

Finally, design and usability. Top marks are with Bovada here and they’re easily the site for online poker in Idaho. It’s clean, some might say minimalistic, but there is no fuss or clutter and if you’re new to online poker, is a great place to start. They also include table options such as felt color, card color, card design, sounds, alerts, and player notes once you are sat.

Tips for Online Poker Real Money Idaho

Poker is a game of skill and there are ways that you can improve your game to make more money. Below we’ve included some online poker tips and strategies that you can apply to your game.

Don’t Tilt

Tilting is where you start making rash decisions that are not optimal. It usually comes on the back of a bad beat or bad play and all poker players go through it at times. When you feel like you’re starting to tilt, leave the game and step away from the poker room.

Take Shots

One of the most common issues we see from poker players is that they are too conservative about moving up in stakes. Players get bogged down at one level and don’t “take a shot” at higher levels. You need to manage your shots and usually take them on the back of a good run or when you think your game is strong enough to move to the next level.

Become Great Pre-Flop 

One of the easiest strategies to employ is a good pre-flop one. This is where you make decisions before the flop comes down. A huge percentage of this is math based and you can work out when you need to fold, call, or raise for almost all scenarios regardless of the player you’re against. Hand charts are good for this, and you can use these almost religiously.

Bankroll Management

It seems a generic thing to add and one you’ll see all over, but it’s more important with poker than just about any form of gambling. It’s going to differ for a lot of players based on game type and style, but a good rule of thumb would be 100 buy-ins for that level. So if you deposited $10,000 we think you’d be safe (based on bankroll alone) to be playing 50c/$1 cash games, and roughly $50 buy-ins for tournaments.

How to Play Online Poker in Idaho

Given that BetOnline is our number one pick for Idaho online poker, we’re going to use them as an example to show you how to create an account and then get started in the poker lobby.

Step 1 – Open an Account

The first thing you need to do is open an account. Click on the link at the top of the page and you can start the process there.

Step 2 – Make a Deposit

Once your account has been set up and verified, you now need to make your first deposit. Log in to your account to do this and then head to the “cashier” to see the payment methods available to you.

Step 3 – Open the Poker Lobby

When your account has been funded, you’re now set to head into the poker lobby. This is where you’re going to be able to choose the games you want to play. Use the menu section to navigate between game types and then choose your stakes.

Step 4 – Start Playing

Once you’ve bought into your game, about a minute before it starts your table will pop up and you will take your seat. Once the first set of cards is dealt the game will have officially started. Good luck!

Other Online Poker Guides You Might Like

Learn more about the different types of online poker games and options available online and where to best enjoy them:

• Best Bitcoin Poker Sites – A complete guide to the best Bitcoin Poker Sites to play online.
• Best Offshore Poker Sites – A rundown of the best offshore Poker sites with massive bonuses.
• Best Online Poker Sites – Full presentation of the best Poker Sites to play with real money.
• Play Online Poker Real Money – Full presentation of the best Poker Sites to play with real money.
• Download the Best Poker Apps – Complete guide and review of the best poker apps.
• Poker Games (List) – Complete overview of the most popular poker games available online.

Idaho Legislative Resources

There are two links available for you to learn about poker and gambling laws in Idaho. Additionally, you can find ways to contact your local and state representatives. This will allow you to share your opinions and concerns on the matter.

• Idaho.gov
• Idaho State Legislature

ID Gambling Resources

Gambling addiction can cause significant financial stress and have other serious negative impacts on people’s lives so it’s important to seek help if you believe that you or someone you know has a gambling problem. We have provided two links to sites below that provide support and help you find treatment services in your local area.

• National Council on Problem Gambling Resources in Idaho
• Idaho Department of Health and Welfare

Conclusion: Online Poker Idaho

Online poker in Idaho can seem quite confusing. The key points to take are that poker is illegal to play live but you can access online sites via offshore online poker sites. They are 100% safe, secure and offer some of the best poker games in the entire United States.

Our recommendation for the best Idaho online poker site is BetOnline. Not only do you get up to $1,000 in bonus money, but you also get access to a huge range of poker games that run around the clock, bonuses, promos, great design, mobile poker, and a lot more. Sign up using the link below and get $1,000 for your Idaho poker bonus.