Ignition Poker was launched back in 2016, as a substitute for Bovada Poker, for the USA gambling market. Bovada absence was not long, before it returned on American soil. As part of the same poker, both online poker sites and casinos accept American players, but is this offshore poker operator legit ?
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Is Ignition Poker Legal in USA ?
In many other places, you will find affiliates promoting Ignition poker bonus codes, claiming this poker site holds license to operate in USA. This is not true. In reality, it holds license in its home country Costa Rica. However, Ignition accepts USA players from almost all states, exceptions being Nevada, New Jersey, Meryland, Delaware and New York. Not to mention, Washington state, has completely forbidden online poker for real money.
Even though players can play to their own risk, Bodog network is still deemed illegal. No legal protection, no rakeback bonuses and tough player pool, are only few of the reasons, Ignition is maybe not the best place , to spend your poker nights.
Can we consider Ignition Poker Legit ?
Playing in Ignition holds all the risks of unlicenced poker, without the benefits, like soft games, huge rakeback deals , no country restrictions and agent, who can guarantee for your money.
Instead , players from Mexico , Canada and USA are allowed to play in Ignition, but at the cost of ;
- Problems with blocked or refused deposits
- Very slow cash withdrawals
- Withdrawals refused by your bank
- Having your bank account closed for gambling-related transactions
- Your personal data can be at risk due to lack of regulation
- The room could go out of business at any point without prior notice
As you can see, the cons vastly outweight the pros. Currently, Ignition does not have terrible reputation, which for sure to deem it “not legit” poker site , but the risk versus reward ratio is not good.
Are There Legal Poker Sites in USA ?
There are two types of Laws in USA. Federal law states, that there is nothing illegal in playing online poker in sites like Americas Cardroom, for example. However, there are also states laws, which are individual for every state ;
- States like New Jersey and Nevada do not allow ulicensed poker rooms,
- Washington State is the only state to have an outright ban on the playing of online poker.
- Most other states have no laws addressing the legality of playing in poker sites like Americas Cardroom.
Considering all licensed poker sites in USA, Americas Cardroom is as good, as it gets. However, this does not mean, it is fully legal to play there. ACR holds no official license in USA, as it operates offshore from Costa Rica , similarly to Ignition.
Out of the two biggest networks, it is hard to recommend for certain one or the other. Both hold risks, ACR had poker bot scandal not long ago and Bovada (Ignition) had players complaining of the frozer or very slow withdraws.
The conclusion of the matter is, that there is not a single 100% licensed USA poker site, which to be available in all 52 states of America. This holds the risk of the poker site to close doors, before you can withdaw your funds. This is why many USA players, keep choosing to play on poker apps, such as Upoker and Pokerrrr 2.
In this scenario, if you work with reputable poker agent / affiliate, your money will be guaranteed, regardless if the poker room bankrupts or shuts down completely. The amount of private rooms and bad players on poker apps is extraordinary.
Ignition vs Americas Cardroom
For those of you who still want to give Ignition Poker or Americas Cardroom a shot , but do not know which one to chose – check the table below. We have compared both poker sites and added to the comparison, the club based poker apps, we usually recommend to our USA players.
| Comparison | Americas Cardroom (ACR) | Ignition Poker | Poker Apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed | Yes | Yes | No |
| License in USA | No | No | No |
| Interface | Bad | Very Good | Good |
| Customer Service | Normal | Slow | Fast |
| Rake | 5%. | 5% | 5% |
| Free rolls | Many | A few | A few |
| Mobile App | No | No | Yes |
| Poker Formats | NLH, PLO, Blitz , MTT | NLH. PLO, Zone Poker, MTT, PLO8 | NLH, PLO, PLO5, PLO6, 6+, PLO8, MTT, NLH Swap, 6+PLO, OFC |
| Deposit Bonus | 100% Bonus up to $2.000. | 100%, up to $1,000. Zero Bitcoin Fees | Depends on Club |
| Deposit Methods | P2P Transfers, Bank Cards, Crypto, E-wallets | Debit/Credit Card, Bitcoin | Crypto, E-Wallets |
| Rakeback | 0-35% | 0% | 25-65% |
| Skill of Opponents | High | High | Very Low |
Where to Play Online Poker in USA, if not on Ignition ?
As we mentioned multiple times, there is not a single 100% secure online poker site, on American territory. This is why club based apps in USA are very popular. Games run round a clock and traffick in most private games is booming. Of course, playing on poker apps is also risky, if you do not have reputable agent. There are many shady club owners online, who will give unrealistically good rakeback and bonus deals, to get you started.
This is why the GTO thing you can do is, find reputable poker affiliate and ask him about deals on apps. This way, you will play in much softer games than Ignition, with bigger bonuses and without any risk, thanks to your poker agent guaranteeing for your funds. Some of the poker apps you can look at are ;
If you have any other questions regarding Ignition Poker , Bovada , Americas Card Room or any of the poker apps above, do not hesitate to contact us. Follow our Telegram News Channel for the latest poker trends .
How to Play on Ignition ?
To play on Ignition Poker rooms, Just follow this link and register.
