For those poker players looking for the excitement of legal gambling, or for those that think poker just isn’t poker without the thrill of winning or loosing real money, there are plenty of ways to gamble real money and still keep your poker game legal. As mentioned on the previous page, there are very few state or local statutes regulating the home tournament. There are also many casinos across the country that offer legal poker games where you can gamble with real money.

One advantage of online gambling with real money poker games is you usually find more serious players. Legal gambling with real money will weed out the jokers who would go all-in in Texas Hold’em with two eight off-suit in the pocket.

The obvious downside to legal online gambling at online poker sites or in the casinos is that when you loose, you’re loosing your real hard-earned money. And of course the flip side of that is true, when you win big in a legal real money poker game, you get to leave the casino or online poker game with real money as well.

One problem that casinos and online poker sites that offer legal real money gambling face is the people with gambling addictions. Gambling addictions are quite prevalent in society, and there are a lot of resources to help those who think they might have a real money gambling problem.

• The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)
1-800-572-4700 – 24-hour Confidential National Hotline
http://www.ncpgambling.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

• The Sedona Method: How to Let Go and Stop Gambling Addiction.
http://www.sedona.com/html/Gambling.aspx

• IStoppedGambling.com: I Stopped Gambling – So Can You!
http://www.istoppedgambling.com/

• HelpGuide.Org: A trusted non-profit resource for gambling addiction and problem gambling.
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/gambling_addiction.htm