Online Houston Poker Rooms in TX

Learn about the best poker sites and what they offer players in TX and the top-rated land-based Houston poker rooms.

Last Updated on February 15, 2024 by

Even though poker isn’t officially legal in Texas, Houston included, Lone Star State residents can play the popular card game as long as no third party profits from it. Simply put, the party that hosts a poker game shouldn’t take a rake for the games or profit from them in any other way, but players are free to stake real money and test their poker skills against each other.

When it comes to online poker in Houston, we have a problem. The city falls short of online poker options, as Texas hasn’t addressed online gambling in its statutes.

This has paved the way for internationally-licensed poker platforms, which offer online poker cash games and tournaments to players in Houston.

Online poker isn’t likely to be legalized anytime soon in Houston. Until that happens, the best alternative is playing on offshore poker sites. Let’s further explore your online poker options in Houston, their legality, availability, and more.

Best Online Poker Sites in Houston, Texas

Dozens of internationally-licensed poker platforms offer their services to poker lovers in Houston. But here’s the thing: many are not worth it. Besides offering subpar poker software, many offshore sites struggle to get constant traffic and often use black-hat marketing tactics to attract players. Some are outright scams.

That’s why our team, consisting of online poker professionals, carefully picked the online poker sites for Houston players. All platforms below have been operating for a long time and have gained an excellent reputation among players. More importantly, they offer a range of cash games and tournaments for both casual players and high-rollers.

Let’s explore them.

My list of the best poker sites which I consider to be the best rooms to play in 2024:

100% Legal & Licensed
Verified Bonus
Mobile Friendly
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Must be 18+ to participate.

# 1 Poker Site

5.0 / 5.0

100% up to $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Regulated by

100% First deposit bonus
Top 3 in US player traffic
Great selection of games
Banking through cryptocurrencies

Payout speed 1-3 days

Deposit options

+10

Exclusive bonus

100% up to $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

# 2

5.0 / 5.0

100% upto $3000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Regulated by

Increased Poker Crypto Bonus $1500
Exclusively for US players
Many Payment Options
Rich Player Traffic

Payout speed 1-3 days

Deposit options

Exclusive bonus

100% upto $3000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

# 3

4.0 / 5.0

200% upto $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Regulated by

Recreational Player Traffic
Get a 200% Match on Your Initial Deposit
Wide Tournament Selection
High-Quality Games

Payout speed 1 - 5 days

Deposit options

Exclusive bonus

200% upto $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

Displayed 3 of 8 rooms

Is Online Poker Legal in Houston?

Online poker remains illegal in Texas. To be more precise, it remains unaddressed by the lawmakers of the Lone Star State.

It’s ironic that the state where the most popular poker variation originated hasn’t made online poker legal yet.

That said, there have been many attempts in the past, as many senators tried to push for legalization and failed. Perhaps the most popular legislative piece is the Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2013, proposed by Senator Joe Barton, a Texas Republican. HR 2666 included licensing firms that wanted to start an online poker business in the USA. In other words, Barton wanted to legalize Texas online poker on the federal level. His HR 2666 is still actively discussed in 2023 in Washington, but the likelihood of it turning into law is low to nonexistent.

Houston, TX Poker Laws

Law
Even though you’re technically allowed to play poker at offshore sites, you should still be aware of the laws affecting players in Houston. Let’s check out the most important ones.

How to Choose the Right Houston Online Poker Room

Navigating the offshore poker landscape could be an issue if you don’t know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. The thing with offshore gambling commissions is that they have much looser conditions for awarding poker licenses. However reputable, regulators such as Curacao and Malta Gaming Authority will likely grant a license to a poker platform that the US gambling committees would have never considered.

On the other hand, there are some tremendous offshore-licensed platforms with excellent reputations and security, and most of them are featured on this page.

Still, if you decide to browse platforms on your own, these are the factors you need to consider.

Security and Licensing

Any license is better than no license, so the first thing you need to check if you want to play online poker in Houston is whether your chosen site has a permit from any regulatory body.

Moreover, you should be extra careful with security, checking if the poker platform has the basic protocols, such as SSL encryption, in place. This will ensure your sensitive data is safe and encrypted. Of course, make sure to read more about security, in general, to learn if the site you’re researching had any breaches in the past.

Cash Games and Tournament Selection

Cash games and tournaments are popular ways to play poker, and most offshore platforms offer both. However, you’ll still need to pick the one with the games, betting limits, and other features that meet your needs. For example, some platforms might offer more PLO tourneys than others; if you’re an Omaha player, you should focus on those.

Tournaments come in all shapes and sizes, so studying the offer carefully before making your pick is crucial.

Rake and Player Traffic

Rake is the small percentage you have to pay the operator for participating in games on their platform. It’s basically how the operators make money from offering online poker. Since these platforms are offshore-licensed, you will have to pay a rake, regardless of what the Texas law says.

That said, it’s important to compare how much rake each site charges and pick the one with the best price/quality ratio.

Bonuses and Promotions

Almost every online poker site offers bonuses and promos for new and regular customers. As a new player, you will likely claim a welcome bonus after signing up (no deposit bonus) or making your first deposit (deposit bonus).

Since the offshore gambling landscape is very competitive, the bonuses are lucrative, meaning poker platforms are ready to go the distance to attract more players.

When you become a regular, look for a loyalty program or promotions aimed at returning customers.

Either way, it’s vital to compare bonuses from different sites and read their terms to pick the best options for you.

Payment Options

Some poker sites are more US-friendly than others regarding accepted payment methods. Choose a platform that lets you deposit and withdraw funds using your preferred option.

In addition, you need to check the minimum and maximum limits, transaction speed, and potential fees and commissions on transactions.

Device Compatibility

Nowadays, most online poker sites are optimized for various devices. Unfortunately, there are still some sites that aren’t designed for playing on the go. Therefore, before opening an account, check if you can access and play poker on your chosen device.

Customer Support

Test the customer support of every poker room before joining to learn more about its overall quality, ways to get in touch, response promptness, and more.

Benefits of Playing Online Poker in Houston, Texas

Here are some major benefits of playing online poker in Huston.

You can enjoy cash games and tournaments anytime, as offshore sites operate 24/7.
Poker is at the tip of your fingers since many platforms are available for both desktop and mobile devices.
There are always players ready to test their poker skills against you in cash games or tournaments. This is especially true for high-traffic platforms.
You don’t have to travel anywhere to play poker. You can do it from the comfort of your home.
Many online poker platforms offer lucrative bonuses and promotions for new and returning customers.

Famous Poker Players from Houston, TX

Texas is fertile ground for poker players, with several legends born in the Lone Star State. Perhaps the most popular and successful poker pro to have walked the earth, Doyle Brunson, comes from Texas, although he is not from Huston.

But what about poker players from Space City? Perhaps the most popular player is William “Bill” Perkins, who sits in seventh place on the Texas all-time money list with $5,449,759 earned through live tournaments. Other famous players include:

Michael Dyer
John Bonetti
Peter “Pete the Greek” Vilandos
Ray Henson
Lance “Cord” Garcia

All of them won millions of dollars playing poker.

Best Land-Based Poker Rooms in Houston, TX

Last time we checked, ten poker rooms were active in Texas. Here’s a short overview of each.

Name	Address	Number of tables	Cash Games	Tournaments
101 Poker Club Richmond	9371 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77063, United States	63	Yes	Yes
Empire Poker Club	9296 Westheimer Rd Suite 100, Houston, TX 77063, United States	8	Yes	Yes
Infinity Poker Club	12163 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77079, United States	35	Yes	Yes
King of Cards Poker Club	9099 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063, United States	6	Yes	Yes
Legends Poker Room	9275 Richmond Ave. suite 101, Houston, TX 77063, United States	23	Yes	Yes (rare)
Offsuit Poker Lounge	140 S Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007, United States	4	Yes	Yes
Paramount Social Club	13153 Northwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77040, United States	13	Yes	Yes
Prime Social Poker Club	7801 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063, United States	23	Yes	Yes
Star’s Poker Club	11078 Veterans Memorial Dr Suite 450, Houston, TX 77067, United States	15	Yes	Yes
River Room Social Club	2730 Fondren Rd, Houston, TX 77063, United States	30	Yes	Yes

FAQs

Got any questions about how you can legally play Poker online from anywhere in Texas? Then have a look through our frequently asked questions section below, for you may be able to instantly find the answers to those questions you have!

Is online poker legal in Houston?

Online poker is not legal in Houston or the entire state of Texas, but the residents and visitors of Space City can still choose one of the offshore online poker rooms to play real-money cash games and tournaments.

Do Houston poker sites accept credit card deposits?

Some of them do. Make sure to check the available deposit and withdrawal methods before you sign up.

What games can I play on Houston poker sites?

Most offshore poker sites that offer their services to Houston players offer a range of popular games, including Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

Do Houston online poker rooms offer bonuses?

Yes, most of them offer lucrative bonuses for new and returning customers.

How can I start playing online poker in Houston?

Pick one of the featured poker sites on this page, open an account, deposit, and have fun!

Adrian Sterne

Editor

Contact Me

Hi, I am the Chief Editor of top10pokersites.net, this site is dedicated to all thing poker. I have been working around the poker industry for the last 15 years, with different brands. The main purpose of this site is to keep you uptodate with the industry and offer you the best deals around.