Poker in Cambridge: Live, Cashgames, Tournaments
Poker for real money in Cambridge in Massachusetts Massachusetts with 110.651 inhabitants, is just legally in casinos or poker rooms.
Only in the national casinos in Massachusetts Massachusetts are real money tournaments of Texas Hold'em allowed, because according to law in United States poker is a game of luck. On this online site we inform you about all the various options to play poker in Cambridge and explain you the legal framework in Massachusetts Massachusetts.
Legal notice: Is it legal to play poker Cambridge ?
Poker Cash Games can meet in Massachusetts and thus also in Cambridge the criminal offence of illegal gambling. Punishment according to these regulations is if one helds a public game of luck or takes part in it.
Is poker a game of chance?
The problem of whether poker is a game of chance is still not answered. However the law in United States and therefore also in Cambridge defines poker as a game of chance. The difference is that national casinos in Massachusetts Massachusetts have a allowance. Playing poker there is allowed.
Poker in pubs in Cambridge
Attention pubs & hosts! There is high risk of losing the official permission to operate a restaurant in Cambridge if you make yourself liable to prosecution.
Summary
- Poker cash games are generally forbidden in United States and therefore also in Cambridge.
- The casinos in United States have a licence.
- Often it is very tricky for the authorities in Cambridge to verify prohibited gambling.
- Tournaments are considered a game of skill, cash games a game of luck
Please note that the information provided does not constitute legal advice under the law and cannot replace legal advice, as such advice always requires knowledge of all individual circumstances, in particular of the specific individual case.
Cashgames: Real money poker games in Cambridge
Poker for real money is not legal in public. If plan to participate in poker games for cash in Cambridge, you will have to go to casinos & poker clubs and poker rooms in the local area. Please read the information on Home Games if you are looking for additional possibilities to play the game.
Poker tournaments in Cambridge
You can find a lot poker tourneys in Cambridge. Tournaments are permitted as long as no real cash is paid out, but the win is a non-cash prize. In Cambridge and the surrounding area there are frequent poker tournaments. For an fast list of the upcoming tournaments in Cambridge, please search for our tournament calendar.
Poker Clubs: The best poker rooms in Cambridge
More options are available by the many poker clubs & poker rooms with in and around Cambridge. In Cambridge there is a diverese poker room landscape with regular tournaments with non-cash prizes. Here is a good selection:
Live poker in casinos near by Cambridge
In the city itself, there is no casino with poker floor. Massachusetts Massachusetts located its casinos mostly in minor towns and outside the heart of the city. It is though easy to access them by car or public transport. The majority have on top an own transfer facilities. If you decide to go by your own car, all casinos offer spacious parking space for poker enthusiasts. This year, every casino in United States often hosts real money poker tournaments. There is a variety of tournaments and poker events where you can join. On our site you'll get a list, sorted by federal states, of the best casinos offering poker with their particular schedule and all important facts. After only a short drive you can participate in legal poker games for money in one of the casinos around Cambridge.
Best Poker Players from Cambridge
The following list shows you the Top 10 poker players with the highest tournament winnings from Cambridge.-
1. Phillip Hilm
USD 676,412.00 -
2. Alex Goulder
USD 1,566,194.00 -
3. Dan Harrington
USD 6,624,442.00 -
4. Henrique Mendes
USD 82,597.00 -
5. Mark Walker
USD 17,479.00 -
6. Arron Fletcher
USD 510,443.00 -
7. Aditya Prasetyo
USD 1,857,153.00 -
8. Steven Filipovic
USD 138,425.00 -
9. James Ian Crawley-Boevey
USD 128,824.00 -
10. Robert Robbins
USD 103,755.00
Homegames: Pokern for real money in Cambridge in private locations
In Cambridge the laws of the federal state Massachusetts Massachusetts applies. In order be allowed to play poker home games in Cambridge you have to take care of the following:
Does the poker game take place publicly in Cambridge?
The poker game needs to be hosted in public to be criminal liable. A poker round is public after the jurisdiction in Massachusetts Massachusetts, if "it is made outwardly recognizably accessible to a not firmly closed circle of acquaintances". An example of this is cash games in pubs in Cambridge that anyone could access. Attention, this is forbidden!
Habituality
Based on case law in Massachusetts Massachusetts can: "However, a closed society in which a game of chance is customarily held is also considered public according to § 285 II StGB". If the round takes place habitually, it is not allowed in private rooms in Cambridge as well as in public. For example, if cash games are organized for every week on the similar day, it does not matter if it is a private room or not. Both are not allowed.
The best Online Poker Rooms in comparison

Please be aware that online poker is regulated in most states. There are currently 4 states that offer legal online poker for real money in the United States – New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Pennsylvania became the latest to join this group when PokerStars went live in the state on Nov. 4, 2019.
- WSOP/888 US is currently the only poker site that shares online poker players between all three legal online poker states (NJ, Nevada & Delaware). It’s currently the #1 US online poker site by traffic.
- Poker Stars – New Jersey and Pennsylvania
- Party Poker – New Jersey only
- Pala Poker – New Jersey only
Non-regulated online poker sites in the United States are online poker platforms that operate without the oversight of a governmental regulatory body, such as a state's gaming commission. This means they do not have to adhere to the same rules and regulations that regulated sites do, which can sometimes pose significant risks for players. Important considerations for players on non-regulated sites include the potential for unfair games, lack of protection for player funds, and legal risk. Unfair games can occur if the site's software is not regularly audited for fairness. In terms of financial protection, non-regulated sites might not separate player funds from operational funds, which can pose a risk if the company goes bankrupt. Additionally, it is important to note that while playing online poker is not explicitly illegal at the federal level in the U.S., state laws vary widely and some states have laws against playing poker on non-regulated sites. Therefore, players should be well-informed about their state's specific laws before deciding to play on non-regulated sites.