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Launched back in 2004, Bovada Poker is probably one of the oldest and most established offshore gambling operators accepting players from the US. The poker room went on a short hiatus in 2006 and was briefly replaced by Ignition Poker, only to reopen to the US market once again in 2019.
Bovada offers not only poker games but also sports betting and casino gambling in form of slots and table games. While this operator enjoys a fairly decent reputation with the players in the States, it is important to note that they don’t have any licenses to provide their services and are, in fact, operating against the laws currently in place.
Casinos that take US deposits and pay them back out
Ranked on the size of the welcome package, the cashier and how long the operator has served US players. We earn a commission when you sign up — it never changes the order.
- 1
Cafe300% up to $2,000 + 150 free spins over three days150 free spinsCrypto cashierServing US players since 2016Claim offerRead our review - 2
Red Dog200% up to $8,000 over 4 depositsCrypto cashierServing US players since 2019Claim offerRead our review - 3
SuperSlots400% up to $4,000100 free spinsCrypto cashierServing US players since 2020Claim offerRead our review - 4
Bovada125% up to $3,750 across your first three depositsSportsbookPoker roomCrypto cashierServing US players since 2011Claim offerRead our review - 5
BetUS250% up to $5,000SportsbookCrypto cashierServing US players since 1994Claim offerRead our review - 6
Slots.Lv200% up to $3,000 + 30 free spins on Golden Buffalo30 free spinsServing US players since 2013Claim offerRead our review - 7
Ignition300% up to $3,000 split between casino and pokerPoker roomCrypto cashierServing US players since 2016Claim offerRead our review - 8
Las Atlantis280% up to $2,800 on each of first 5 deposits (up to $14,000)Crypto cashierServing US players since 2020Claim offerRead our review
21+ only. Gambling should stay entertainment — never a way to make money. If it stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER. State law decides what is available where you live; check your own rules before you deposit.
Bovada poker legal or not in the US?
Because of this good reputation with the users, many players are often confused about is Bovada Poker legal to play at in the US. We’ll answer that question straight away with a very clear and loud “no.” Like other offshore online poker operators, Bovada Poker online isn’t regulated in the United States and services they provide for US players are, at very least, circumventing the laws currently regulating the online gambling industry.
From the players’ point of view, those who do decide to play poker or even place a sports bet with Bovada don’t have to worry too much as far as legal consequences are concerned. Currently, US laws are focused on facilitators or providers of illegal gambling operations while players are left alone for the most part.
Is Bovada Poker legit? This is why you shouldn’t
Looking at all the facts and player experiences at Bovada, players may still be tempted to give this poker room a try and perhaps take advantage of a nice-sounding Bovada Poker bonus offer. After all, it seems like the room is trying its best to pay the players despite all hardships and in most states it isn’t technically illegal for the players to join. So, why not give it a shot?
While there is certainly some merit to arguments listed above, you should always keep in mind that US players don’t have access to Bovada Poker legit services. The operator is constantly finding ways around US laws, which speaks a lot about their approach to business. While all businesses are trying to make money, it is quite important to see how far they’re willing to go in this pursuit.
This may be the biggest concern for most players but there are also other things on and off the table to keep in mind when doing business with offshore operators such as:
- Risking your personal data being abused
- Lower safety measures to guarantee fair play in the games
- Your bank account could be closed for gambling related transactions
- Your transactions could be declined by the bank, creating new problems
- These rooms actively support tax evasion
Is Bovada Poker scam: Operator in check
For all the reasons mentioned so far, you should avoid Bovada if you’re playing from the US and stick to legal poker, casino, and sports betting operators. That said, we’ll still make a short Bovada Poker review to see what it has to offer to players from other parts of the world and also compare its services to those offered by legit US rooms.
Game types & tournaments
The room features a solid selection of cash game table options across various stakes, with Pot Limit Omaha and No Limit Hold’em being main game variations. There is also Zone poker for those who prefer playing without having to wait for the next hand and constantly being in action. When it comes to Bovada Poker tournaments, the room does offer a solid daily and weekly scheduled but guaranteed prize pools are still somewhat limited, largely due to the fact that there aren’t enough people willing to take the chance and deposit their cash with an unregulated poker operator.
Bonus & VIP Program
New players have access to a fairly generous welcome bonus at Bovada, which is one of the main reasons why US customers decide to take the chance. However, while the bonus is quite nice on paper, keep in mind that there are absolutely no guarantees you’ll be paid your cash winnings when playing on an offshore site, be it poker, placing a sports bet, or casino games. So, take these offers with a big grain of salt and rather stay on the safe side.
Payment methods
The room accepts several Bovada Poker deposit methods, including some debit and credit cards. However, players from the US often have problems with declined transactions exactly because gambling related purchases are often stopped by the banks. Using bitcoin is an alternative, of course, but bitcoin transactions come with a different set of problems and complications, so it is hard to have a safe and hassle-free gaming experience here. Keep in mind also that the cash value of bitcoin is quite susceptible to fluctuations.
Software / usability
The Bovada Poker client isn’t too bad overall although there are certain aspects where some improvements are required. This is especially true for Bovada Poker mobile, where their mobile solution is simply not in the same class as those provided by regulated US operators. The Bovada Poker app features some basic functionalities but still needs a lot of work to really provide a seamless experience for the play on the go.
Player pool & poker network
The player traffic at Bovada is better than with most offshore sites, which does speak somewhat of their overall standing. However, numbers tend to fluctuate and there are periods where there just aren’t many active players on the tables starting new cash game tables or sit and go games.
Future of offshore poker sites under review
With the wave of regulation swiping across the US, it is natural to ask what future holds for these unregulated offshore operators. After all, these companies have spent a lot of time and resources creating their players-base in the States and they aren’t likely to give up on that market without a fight. In fact, for many of these sites, being forced out of the USA would probably mean the end of their operation.
At the moment, there are still many states awaiting online gambling regulation and many more that don’t show too much interest in the issue. In these states, offshore casino, poker, and sports betting sites can still continue to exist, catering to a fairly small but still significant number of players who resort to these sites for the lack of alternatives.
As the time goes by, though, and more states pass online gambling laws, new regulated sites will likely take over. Offering the kind of safety and reliability that these companies never could, they’ll have no problem taking the market over even without too much intervention from the state. As this momentum continues, offshore operators will start to lose its ground and, eventually, they won’t be able to keep up.
While it may be easy to get tempted by big bonus offers or large guaranteed tournaments promised by some of these offshore operators, the fact of the matter remains that it is just not worth it for the players from the US. With so many potential problems and issues along the way, many of which have been described here, it’s just not the bet worth taking.
Instead of taking this risk, check out our selection of regulated poker sites where you can play your favorite games online in a safe and completely legal environment. Pick out the one you like best, deposit, and start playing on your PC or mobile phone with no fear or worries that something could go wrong before you know what hit you!
Questions players ask
Is Bovada Poker legal in the US?
While Bovada has been catering to players from the US for a long time now, they don’t have any licenses to operate in the country. So, although the name is well-known in the poker players’ circles, the fact is that Bovada Poker is not legal or regulated.
Is Bovada Poker safe?
The room does feature some of the safety measures you’d expect from a modern poker or casino operator. However, the level of safety just isn’t the same as with licensed US sites because of the Bovada Poker illegal status and the fact the operator doesn’t have to go through the same kind of control.
Is Bovada Poker rigged?
Like with all online poker sites, there have been many rumors about Bovada being rigged in one way or another. To this date, there is no evidence to support any of these claims. While the company does operate against the laws, there is no proof they’re trying to cheat their players at the tables.
Can I trust Bovada Poker?
Bovada has earned a solid reputation with the players over the years so based on their previous behavior, they can be trusted to some extent. However, given the nature of their illicit operation, a great degree of caution is required although we suggest avoiding offshore operators altogether.
Does Bovada Poker have bots?
Unlike some other offshore operators, Bovada has never been in a big scandal involving bots. While there is some botting happening at almost every room, this doesn’t seem to be a serious issue, at least according to players’ reports. Of course, it is still possible there is some Bovada Poker scam happening behind the scenes.