Poker in San Francisco: Live, Cashgames, Tournaments
In order to play poker in San Francisco in Kalifornien Kalifornien with 870.887 residents for money, you have to enter to a state casino or a poker room.
In San Francisco and all over Kalifornien Kalifornien, poker is considered a game of luck. For this reason, it is just permitted in casinos to play poker for real cash. On this online site we present you all the different ways to play poker in San Francisco and inform you about the legal framework in Kalifornien Kalifornien.
Legal notice: Is it legal to play poker San Francisco ?
Poker Cash Games can meet in Kalifornien Kalifornien and therefore also in San Francisco the criminal offence of illegal gambling. Punishment based on these regulations is not rare if one helds a public game of luck or participates in it.
Is poker a game of luck or not?
There is still no standardized ruling whether poker is a game of luck or not. It is enough to know that the law in United States and therefore also in San Francisco defines poker as a game of chance. The national casinos in United States have for sure a authorisation.
Poker in pubs in San Francisco
Notably for pubs the criminal side is very harmful. There is high risk of losing the official permission to operate a restaurant in San Francisco if you make yourself liable to prosecution.
Result
- Poker cash games are basically not allowed in United States and therefore also in San Francisco.
- The casinos in United States have a authorisation.
- Mostly it is very hard for the authorities in San Francisco to prove 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 San Francisco
In San Francisco you are still not allowed to run a poker cash game in public. If plan to enter games for real money in San Francisco, you will need to visit casinos & poker clubs and poker rooms in the near area. Please check out the information on Home Games if you are looking for additional alternatives.
Poker tournaments in San Francisco
Poker tourneys in San Francisco are allowed under certain conditions. Tournaments are accepted as long as there are prizes and not real cash to be won. In addition, great poker tournaments are held frequently in Kalifornien Kalifornien! For an full overview of the upcoming tournaments in San Francisco, please check out our tournament schedule.
Poker Clubs: The best poker rooms in San Francisco
Further options are offered by the many poker clubs & poker rooms with in and around San Francisco. In San Francisco 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 San Francisco
You can hardly play live poker in San Francisco in any casino in the center. Kalifornien Kalifornien has its casinos primarily in small towns and outside the city center. It is however not a matter to get to them by car or public transport. Most have even an own shuttle service. In case you decide to drive your own car, all casinos provide extensive park possibilities for poker enthusiasts. Nowadays, every casino in United States routinely offers real money poker games. There are as well tournament series and Poker Events that you can join. Here with us you'll find a summary, structured by federal states, of all casinos offering poker with their precise schedule and all other facts. After only a quick drive you can play legal poker for real cash in one of the casinos around San Francisco.
Best Poker Players from San Francisco
The following list shows you the Top 10 poker players with the highest tournament winnings from San Francisco.-
1. Daniel Zhu
USD 0.00 -
2. Chris Tham
USD 312,767.00 -
3. Marko Pantelic
USD 195,971.00 -
4. Stanley Wei Rui Tang
USD 818,787.00 -
5. Sverre Sundbo
USD 482,142.00 -
6. Galen Hall
USD 5,448,613.00 -
7. Yves Victor Hallague
USD 462,728.00 -
8. Neil Blumenfield
USD 3,807,572.00 -
9. Phillipe Rouas
USD 408,547.00 -
10. Subaru Takeshita
USD 41,450.00
Homegames: Pokern for real money in San Francisco in private locations
In San Francisco the judisdiction of the federal state Kalifornien Kalifornien is in effect. In order to play legal poker home games in San Francisco you must be aware of the following:
Does the poker round take place publicly in San Francisco?
The poker game must be organized in public to be criminal liable. A poker round is public after the jurisdiction in Kalifornien Kalifornien, if "it is made outwardly recognizably accessible to a not firmly closed circle of acquaintances". A good example of this is cash games in pubs in San Francisco that anyone could enter. Attention, this is forbidden!
How often does the homegame take place in San Francisco?
According to case law in Kalifornien Kalifornien 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 regulardy, it is prohibited in private rooms in San Francisco as well as in public. For example, if cash games are played for every week on the similar day, it does not matter if it is a private room or public. Both are prohibited.
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.
