The 10 Best Crypto & Bitcoin Poker Sites In 2024
Bitcoin Poker sites are usually online Casinos or dedicated Poker websites that allow players to enjoy digital versions of their favorite card games from their computers or phones, in some cases.
These sites have grown since crypto was first used to facilitate payments to gambling sites. Now, several sites exist that offer a freer, more open gambling experience. This guide explores the 10 best Bitcoin poker sites.
We dive into what they offer, their pros and cons, why we chose them, and their welcome bonuses.
Best Bitcoin Poker Sites - Our Top 3 Picks
Top 3 Bitcoin Poker Sites - Why We Chose Them
Key Facts About the Top 10 Bitcoin Poker Sites
Types Of Bitcoin Poker Games
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold ’em is a player-versus-player game that consists of two to ten players per table. Each player is dealt two cards facing downwards and can place bets by either calling the previous player’s bet (i.e., matching their bet in poker chips) or raising (i.e., placing a bet larger than the previous player’s bet).
After a round of betting, three cards are placed in the middle of the table, called the community cards, after which another round of betting ensues. Players can exit the round by folding their card at which point they lose whatever bet they may have placed.
Betting rounds ensue until the community cards consist of five cards, called a river. At this point, a showdown ensues and everyone shows their cards. The winner is the one whose cards combine with the five community cards to achieve the highest value.
Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker is a player-versus dealer-game where each player and the dealer are dealt three cards. Before the players are dealt cards, they must place an Ante bet which is a bet against the dealer’s cards.
Players also have the option of placing a Pair Plus bet which is a bet against getting a pair of the same shape.
When the cards are dealt, players can either fold or stay in the game by placing another bet that matches their Ante bet. After the bets are placed, all cards are revealed. If the dealer gets a Queen or higher, they can compare cards with each player to see which hand is more valuable.
If the dealer does not get a Queen or higher, they pay each player the value of their Ante bets. The most valuable hands in Three Card Poker are as follows, from least to highest: high card, pair, flush, straight, three of a kind, and straight flush.
Video Poker
Video Poker is a category of poker games that are played on machines. The term originated from physical casinos where most other traditional poker games were played in-person. Video poker games still exist even on online platforms and include games like Deuces Wild.
Pros & Cons Of Using Bitcoin On Poker Sites
Pros
- Easy Deposits: The decentralized nature of Bitcoin makes it easy for anyone to deposit funds into their account and place bets in a matter of minutes. This opens up the game to more people around the world.
- Accessibility: Bitcoin’s digital-native nature makes it better suited for digitally-adapted games as not much conversion is necessary, especially for Bitcoin games.
- Cheaper Fees: Bitcoin deposits are quick and cheaper than traditional methods, hence deposit fees are cheap for the user and the cost of financial infrastructure is reduced for the casinos.
Cons
- Scams: Scams are the most prevalent downsides of using Bitcoin on Poker sites because nefarious actors can easily build a nice-looking site, integrate Bitcoin payments, and scam people of their hard-earned cash. This is made more dangerous by the fact that there is no financial institution that can reverse the transfer or recover lost funds.
- Unlicensed Sites: Sites that rely solely on Bitcoin can operate without a license. While this is not inherently a bad thing, it means that players are at the mercy of the company’s internal policies, not a certified government agency, which is risky.
- Technological Risks: Using Bitcoin on Poker sites requires an extra layer of security. While banks would have taken care of the security of financial infrastructure, site owners/developers must ensure that their crypto wallets are secured at all times.
Compare The Top 10 Bitcoin Poker Sites
How To Choose The Best Crypto Poker Sites
Security
Security is the most important factor to consider when choosing a crypto Poker site because lax security measures can lead to a loss of funds.
Firstly, ensure that the site uses SSL encryption. You can check this from your browser. Most modern browsers will show if the site is not secure, either by sending a pop-up message or by showing an open padlock icon to the left of the site’s IP address.
Next, ensure that the site’s crypto wallets are secure by checking them on a blockchain explorer. The ideal would be a multi-signature wallet that requires two or more people to approve transactions. This reduces the risk of the wallet being hacked and funds being sent out.
Legality
Not all casinos can offer services to people everywhere because gambling is a highly regulated industry in most jurisdictions. As such, some sites will not offer their services to you.
Before signing up with any site, ensure they are licensed by checking the website’s footer for their address and the government regulatory body. Most Casinos are registered in Curacao, however, some may be registered elsewhere.
Reputation
Video poker games depend on algorithms to ensure that outcomes are random. Without inspecting these algorithms or hash functions, there is no way to know for sure whether the games you play are fair.
For this reason, it is safer to stick with recognized Casinos that have a reputation for being fair. A good way to tell is its popularity among players. The most popular Casinos are usually doing something right.
Game Variety
Most sites that offer Poker are online Casinos with a plethora of games. However, ensure that they have a variety of Poker games specifically. We came across various sites that had a lot of games, including Bitcoin slots, but only three or four poker games.
Customer Support
Customer support is an important feature, especially where crypto deposits and wagers are concerned. It is also a sign that the site prioritizes customers. Sites that do not seem to offer customer support, or offer shabby support, are a red flag.
Withdrawal Processes
Deposit processes on the best Bitcoin poker sites are usually straightforward: you are given an address to send crypto to. However, the withdrawal process should also be straightforward.
Most legitimate sites support crypto withdrawals, and take between 24 – 48 hours to process requests. Be wary of sites that support crypto deposits but not withdrawals.
Bitcoin Poker Site Bonuses
Welcome Bonus
The welcome bonus rewards new account holders with either bonus cash or free games. Most times, the rewards come as matching a percentage of users’ first deposits up to a certain limit.
These limits change with the sites but are usually around 1BTC or $10,000 while the percentage of user funds that are matched is usually 100% or 75%.
Cashbacks
Cashback bonuses are rewards that pay back a percentage of players’ wagers. They could be in the form of rakebacks, RTP percentages (return to player), or daily cashbacks.
Deposit Bonus
Deposit bonuses match player deposits by a certain percentage up to a certain limit. They differ from welcome bonuses because they are not only geared to new users. However, deposit bonuses rarely extend beyond a user’s fourth deposit.
Time-Bound Bonuses
Time-bound bonuses include various promotions that are seasonal or come with tournaments. These could include Easter bonuses, Sunday draws, and various other promotions that usually come around with time or certain events.
Bitcoin Poker vs Regular Online Poker
The major difference between Bitcoin poker and regular online poker is the deposit currency and wager currency (in some cases). Bitcoin poker relies on crypto deposits and then uses either a proxy token or converts to some other currency to pay for access to tables or Video Poker.
Online Poker, like traditional poker, relies on Fiat currencies to do the aforementioned. While the difference isn’t numerous, it affects the ease with which games are played and the number of people that can access them.
How Does Poker With Bitcoin Work?
Bitcoin Poker sites are similar to their regular online counterparts in everything but payment methods. However, some sites work slightly differently depending on their level of decentralization.
For example, CoinPoker is a fully decentralized poker website with a native token and USDT wagers. Here, there is no need for conversions as transactions take place on a blockchain. Users from all over the world can easily play without the need for KYC.
Other centralized poker sites use Bitcoin mainly for deposits and then deploy various mechanisms to transfer value throughout their ecosystems. Some convert the crypto to cash internally and use that to join tables and wager while some others use proxy tokens that are only available within the ecosystem.
How To Play Poker With Bitcoin
1. Open An Account
Go to a Poker site like BetOnline and click on “Join”. A signup form like the one below should load. Enter your details and create an account.
2. Verify Your Account
Verify your account by submitting a verifiable ID (like a passport or driver’s license) and proof of address documents like a utility bill.
3. Make A Deposit
Once your account has been verified, deposit some Bitcoin. Ensure your preferred method is set to Bitcoin or any supported crypto. You’ll be provided a deposit address, do not write it down. Instead, copy-paste it into your wallet to ensure you don’t make mistakes.
4. Join A Poker Room
Once your account is funded, you can join a Poker room and begin playing.
Are Bitcoin Poker Sites Safe?
Bitcoin Poker sites are safe when the companies implement suitable security protocols and follow regulations. Sites like CoinPoker do not need to follow regulation as it is completely decentralized, however, provided its security infrastructure is top-notch, it can still be counted as a safe site.
However, ensure that any centralized site you use is registered with a recognized government agency and is licensed to offer gambling services to your region.
Is Bitcoin Poker Legal?
Bitcoin Poker is legal wherever online Poker is. This is because Bitcoin gambling of all forms is recognized as regular gambling in various countries that regulate gambling. To know if Bitcoin Poker is legal in your area, find out if online gambling is legal.
Why Should I Make The Switch To Bitcoin On Poker websites?
Easier To Use
The open nature of crypto technology tends to make Bitcoin Poker sites easier to use than regular ones in terms of the accessibility of games, currency conversions (or lack of), and deposit and withdrawal procedures.
Bitcoin Poker sites have minimal currency conversion and hence do not pay as much in charges.
Anonymity
Bitcoin Poker sites like CoinPoker allow users who want to play poker to remain anonymous as it only requires a wallet address, although an email option is available. While this anonymity may not holistically exist on centralized sites that require KYC, users who want to play online poker can maintain anonymity in some ways.
For example, using crypto payments prevents poker players from giving out banking or credit card information, thereby keeping your financial information anonymous. Bitcoin Poker sites could also help keep your gambling activities separate from your regular activities.
Faster Transactions
The speed of crypto transactions expedites the funding process. While some regular payment methods are faster than crypto (e.g., credit cards), the trade-off between speed and privacy works in favor of cryptos.
In the case of bank transfers, the odds are overwhelmingly in crypto’s favor as transaction times are much faster (minutes compared to days for wire transfers).
Best Place To Buy Crypto For Poker Games
To deposit with crypto, you need to already own some crypto. There are several places you can buy Bitcoin today to fund your Poker account, however, we recommend eToro because it is easy to use, great for long-term storage, and you can easily send crypto to your poker account from your eToro crypto wallet.
Final Thoughts
We explored the best Bitcoin Poker sites on the web and found BetOnline to be our most desirable option because it has a strong track record of service delivery, is a major player in the online Casino and gambling market, is available in the US, and supports deposits in various cryptos.
Nonetheless, all the sites on our list are great options for Poker lovers. They offer various types of Poker games. Some are live cash tables with buy-ins and a grand prize while others are various forms of video Poker.
However, remember that to begin using Bitcoin Poker, you need to first know how to Buy Bitcoin
Methodology - How We Picked The Best Crypto Poker sites
The sites we covered in this guide were chosen through rigorous research and reviews. We paid attention to security, transparency, reputation, game collection, crypto support, and competitive edge.
The sites listed are the best we found in the various categories we listed them. For example, we listed CoinPoker as the most decentralized site thanks to its fully decentralized nature.
Check out our why trust us and how we test pages for more information on our testing process.