Real money poker has been a controversial topic in the US for many years, with only a few states like New Jersey, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania legalizing the operation of licensed poker operators in their territories.
And while real money poker remains unavailable for most Americans, social poker sites present an alternative, offering free play and a chance to exchange their winnings for real cash prizes with the sweepstakes model.
A recently launched social poker platform, Clubs Poker offers a chance to play poker from the majority of US territories and includes never-before-seen features in social poker sites such as mixed games, bomb pots, and more.
But is playing at Clubs Poker safe and legal, and how exactly does it work? We investigated in more depth and found out.
What Is Sweepstakes Poker?
With real money online poker games still not regulated in most states, poker fans are unable to enjoy their favorite game in a competitive online environment, as the competition on free-to-play apps like Zynga Poker play very differently than real money online poker games because of the lack of real money prizes.
This is where sweepstakes poker sites come in as winnings at select poker tables can be exchanged for real money prizes all within the bounds of the law.
Sweepstakes poker rooms, also known as social poker rooms, offer two distinct types of games: those played with Gold Coins and those played with Sweeps Coins. Gold Coins can only be used for fun play, and can never be exchanged for real cash prizes.
However, Sweeps Coins can be exchanged for real money prizes, but there are only two ways to get them: win them at Sweeps Coins tables and receive them as a free gift from the poker room. Winning them at the tables is pretty straightforward. Whenever you take down a pot in a Sweeps Coins ring game or finish in the money in a Sweeps Coins tournament, you accumulate Sweeps Coins which can be exchanged for cash prizes.
But you will need Sweeps Coins to play these games in the first place, and the way to do that is by receiving them for free from Clubs Poker.
While there are several ways to get free Sweeps Coins, the easiest way is to purchase Gold Coins. Currently, players get free Sweeps Coins with the purchase of any amount of Gold Coins over $2. For example, if you purchase 100,000 Gold Coins for $20, you get 20 Sweeps Coins for free. You can get free Sweeps Coins with a purchase as low as $5.
There are other ways to get free Sweeps Coins too. Right now, Clubs Poker is giving away 0.5 Sweeps Coins every day to all players that log in to the site and claim their free gift. To find out more ways to get free Sweeps Coins at Clubs Poker, check out the Ultimate Guide to Getting Free Sweeps Coins at Clubs Poker over at pokerfuse.com.
Is Sweepstakes Poker Legal and Safe in the US?
The sweepstakes poker model is legal in most of the US with no legal restrictions to play at sweepstakes sites, but some states such as Nevada, Montana, Washington, Michigan, and Idaho don’t allow the operation of such sites at this time.
In other states, you can play at sweepstakes poker sites, including Clubs Poker, without any problems or legal ramifications.
The sweepstakes poker model does not allow you to make any real money deposits or withdrawals and does not allow for real money play. Thus, no laws are broken, and the games are completely legal.
When it comes to safety, two main priorities are the fairness of the games and the security of your financial transactions. The Random Number Generator (RNG) that drives the games at Clubs Poker is certified by Gaming Laboratories International, and Clubs Poker is the only sweepstakes poker room owned and operated by a US company meaning you will not have to rely on an offshore company for the security of your financial transactions.
So, if you were looking for a legal alternative to real money poker where you can still feel the thrill of real competition and feel safe that you are dealing with a US company, Clubs Poker offers just that.
What Poker Games Can I Play at Clubs Poker?
Clubs Poker is a relatively new sweepstakes poker platform and the traffic is limited for the time being, but expanding by the day.
In terms of game variety, Clubs Poker offers more than most competitors, with NLH and PLO being just the base games offered, but a variety of mixed games like Seven Card Stud, 2-7 Triple Draw, and HORSE also on the roster.
The site includes both tournament and ring game options in the Sweeps Coins lobby. In terms of poker tournaments, they offer multi-table tournaments, sit and gos, and spins. Plus, you can play events at various buyin levels, including freerolls, and compete for guaranteed Sweeps Coins prizes at all times of day.
With a modern platform that includes many novel features, and the ability to cater to players across the US, Clubs Poker promises to become one of the biggest sweepstakes poker platforms in the world, and one of the few offering legal alternatives for US online poker players.
