Play Online Poker Legally In Alabama
While most people think of the state of Alabama as a football culture, with the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers being two of the most popular teams in the nation, there's actually a pretty large gambling culture throughout the state that has saw many different live poker rooms come into operation over the past decade or so.
The American South, made up of mostly right-wing individuals, in the middle of the Bible Belt; when you look at Alabama based on those stats, it's hard to believe that any form of gambling would be tolerated. But what those things do not tell you is that there's a demand for poker in Alabama that's as strong as any gambling demand in any state. Therefore, there's a supply there to meet it.
At Alabama online poker, our goal is to cover all things poker in the state of Alabama. Not only will we be brushing up against the state's live poker offerings and talking about those rooms, but we'll also be dealing with the legality of online gambling in the state and letting you know your online poker options if you live in Alabama and want to play poker via the Internet.
We'll also touch on Alabama's gambling culture, which seems to live in stark contradiction to the other cultural elements of the southern state. We plan to act as a resource guide in this regard, giving you up to date information on any changes in the gambling laws, and helping you find the right poker room with which to play, whether that's a live room or an online room.
Best Online Poker Sites Open To Alabama Players In 2025
| SITE NAME | BONUS OFFER | RATING | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Poker | 100% Max $500 | 4.8 |  |
| Betonline Poker | 100% Max $1,000 | 4.4 | |
| Sports Betting Poker | 100% Max $1,000 | 4.3 | |
Is Poker Legal In Alabama?
Let's first speak about live gambling in the state, which is separate from its online gambling laws. First and foremost, we found that gambling is pretty much considered to be illegal in Alabama, save tribal gambling (Native American casinos). While this seems on its face like it would limit the field, you have to understand that Alabama isn't shy in the least about handing out licenses to Native tribes who want to open up gambling establishments. And these spots aren't always full-on casinos; oftentimes they're simply card rooms or bars and clubs that have gambling options inside.
This allows Alabama to maintain its ban on commercial gambling while still making an exception for tribal gaming and reaping the tax benefits. It might seem a touch hypocritical, but it's smart for a state looking for additional funding while simultaneously maintaining the facade that they're tough on gambling.
Online gambling in the state is a different story entirely. While the state of Alabama doesn't have any of its own laws against online gambling per se, it does hold fast to the federal government's anti-gambling legislation, of which there are three major bills. The first federal restriction that helps keep gambling out of Alabama is the Federal Wire Act (1). Strengthening this act and scaring Alabama into complying are the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Acts (PASPA and UIGEA respectively).
Although the Department of Justice actually redefined the FWA and UIGEA in 2011, making it legal for states to decide their own gambling fate, states like Alabama still don't want to cross over into legalized online gambling because they see the fuss that Congress is making in trying to re-release anti-gambling laws onto the masses. So, in short, you won't find online gambling sanctioned by Alabama. However, you also won't find any laws, state or federal, against playing at an offshore site that accepts you. So as long as you're playing via an offshore poker room, you can do so legally in Alabama.
Alabama's Land Poker Rooms
Now that we have touched on the state of legal gambling in Alabama and have explained that Native gambling establishments are actually allowed in the state, let's give you some of your live gambling options to try out if ever you're in Alabama and get a hankering for real poker. Most of these rooms aren't exactly the Horseshoe hosting the WSOP Main Event.
Most of these rooms are just basic open rooms with tables, typically located in or around other activities like bars or slots, etc. However, poker players are typically great at blocking out distractions and compartmentalizing. So these places still end up making great poker rooms.
Listed below are a few of the most popular poker rooms available in the state of Alabama:
As stated, these rooms aren't big and fancy, and they're not exactly drawing in tourists from across the nation, but for residents of Alabama, these rooms serve the purpose well and provide some great poker action to a culture that really seems to be starved for it.
Beyond the Crimson Tide: Alabama's Poker Culture
The rooms we listed above are the rooms that are typically advertised more and can be found in some of the state's most popular Native casinos. However, these rooms don't' tell you everything about the poker culture that exists in Alabama. While it is true that from September through January most of the state is shouting either "Roll Tide" or "War Eagle" due to Auburn or Alabama's chances in the SEC West, gambling pretty much grips the state's culture as the second-most popular pastime.
With casino poker, you're basically walking into a casino, looking out on the floor's tables, and seeing who's playing. In Alabama there are always packed crowds here, but there's no real structure, save an occasional tournament. This isn't the case with other Alabama poker rooms. Poker is such a part of the culture that there are quite a few bar, pubs and clubs offering weekly poker nights, which feature leagues, tournaments, ranking systems, etc.
Here are just a few of the leading locations in Alabama where you can find these weekly poker clubs and events:
- Peppers, Indianapolis
- Papa Lou's, Petoskey
- Aviator's Landing, Fort Rucker
- Drifters, Dothan
- The Glad Crab, Dallastown
- Fox & Hound Club and Grill, Birmingham
If you're in Alabama looking for live poker, keep your eyes peeled. The clubs mentioned above are only a few of the total number of offerings you can find when looking for a game of poker to play in the state.
The Future for Alabama's Online Gambling Scene
Given that live poker is not only tolerated in Alabama but celebrated, what are the odds that online poker will eventually be embraced by the state? Unfortunately, we cannot find any legislation in the works for legal online gambling, nor can we find any Alabama politicians beating that drum to create some ripples that may one day become legitimate waves.
What we did find, while minuscule in the grand scheme, is pretty motivating for Alabama's odds going forward. Around a year ago, a guy was busted in Alabama for operating an illegal wagering site. Though rather than throwing the book at him, which is so typical in Alabama that it's been a meme for over two centuries, the prosecution actually made a sweetheart deal with the man (2) and allowed him to plea down to a lesser charge and face incredibly light punishment.
Sure, most are probably thinking that this isn't anything to do with the gambling climate changing in Alabama, but we see some hope here, a silver lining.
Alabama was basically just the party to meet out the justice that the federal government (DOJ) decided to throw down. The DOJ charged, but Alabama had the jurisdiction. So what you'll find is the case 99.9% of the time, throughout the entire nation, is that the state is doubly hard to appease the federals.
However, Alabama barely slapping the wrist is something that signals to us that Alabama is sick of living under the DOJ's heel. And if they're getting fed up with the feds, it may only be a matter of time before Alabama finds it more beneficial to allow online gambling than to carry the federal government's water. We don't think this is wishful thinking; though while a stretch, it seems a logical path.
Until that point comes in Alabama, if it comes, whereby an individual can play online poker at a site sanctioned by the state, you're still free as a bird to play at any offshore site that accepts you. So, in reality, it shouldn't matter to you one way or the other, whether Alabama allows legal online poker or not. No matter their decision, you can still play.
And if you stay tuned to our website, we will give you some great poker rooms you can sign up with and other gambling information to help you win big.