FAQ
Poker Frequently Asked Questions – Quick Help
Starting-off as a fresh new face in the on-line poker arena can be a fairly tough and daunting task. Finding answers one can trust to be accurate and enlightening in your hunt for a reputable on-line poker site can quickly turn into a quagmire of confusion and contradicting terms. This alone can make it extremely difficult choose the best one from the multitude of available poker rooms, all offering a variety of bonus options, multiple stake levels, and numerous banking options to continue funding your hobby.
In order for new poker players to truly enjoy their hobby in a stress free frame of mind, there may be a couple of other areas they wish to ensure they don’t accidentally fall foul of, firstly the UK regulated market and its laws, and secondly how does taxes affect my winnings.
The compilation of FAQ below attempts to answer many of the most pertinent questions new poker players within the UK borders may and should require answers on before starting-off on their journey to becoming a poker pro.
Can I Legally Play Online Poker Legally within UK Borders?
Unequivocally, Yes! Engaging in playing online poker is 100% within the law, even offering unlimited stakes. However, importantly remain safe and stick with a large UK verified and licensed poker website of good reputation and standing, known to deliver an excellent level of client services via professional knowledgeable service staff. All UKGC licensed poker operators are required to utilise independent organisations to assist with client complaint resolutions.
From What Age Can I Legally Start Playing Online Poker?
The strictly enforced UK laws dictate a player must be at least 18 years of age or older to legally engage in placing wagers on either online or land-based poker games. Any reputable poker room will first verify any player’s age and identity before allowing him or her to play for real cash.
By Law, Are Poker Winnings Subject to Local Taxes?
UK laws state any income generated from casino activities not considered a professional gambling occupation are exempt of any form of taxes! The law considers playing poker for fun not to be a professional occupation and any incomes generated will subsequently not be subject to taxation. However, in contrast, the winnings professional gamblers receive can under certain circumstances be perceived as payment, which could be subject to a tax liability. To offset costs, the UK tax laws raise 25% tax from the licensed casino operators themselves.
Who Enforces Gambling Regulations Within the UK?
All forms of casino gambling, be it online or land-based, falls under the regulatory control of the United Kingdom Gaming Commission or UKGC. The UKGC, established as part of the Gambling Act 2005 received its full powers in 2007 to take over specified responsibilities from Britain’s Gaming Board. The Gaming Commission grew to one of the most effective and powerful such entities in the UK and as such controls the issuing and removal of gaming licences, voiding bets, instituting company fines, conduct site inspections, and numerous other duties.
Which Site Do I Join and Are They Trustworthy?
While new in the online poker game the best course of action is to choose from one of the larger sites since they come with a thoroughly vetted, well-established reputation. After compiling a shortlist of sites that meet your personal requirements, take the time to go through the site, check if their banking and payment options suit your needs, read member reviews to confirm the quality of their customer support service and trustworthiness. Lastly, in the reviews check on their poker room availability to ensure that offer the poker game type you prefer to play.
Are Poker Sites Safe or Rigged?
Due to the regular audits and inspections by the UKGC it is not possible for legitimately licensed poker sites to be rigged, the same cannot be said for any sites not vetted by the UKGC. This is another reason for keeping your choice of poker site within the confines of a UKGC licensed casino operator. Due to its strict and heavily enforced regulations any site falling under the licensing and jurisdiction of the UKGC will remain safe and above board in their operations and dealings.
Where Do I Start If I Want to Play for Real Money?
This is one of the easiest parts of the process; simply navigate over to the poker site you have chosen and vetted and register a valid player account. In doing so the site will request you to verify your identity and age, where after you might perhaps do a last check by engaging in a couple of free games. Finally, start funding your bankroll by transacting a deposit into your player account at your chosen site, choose a poker room and start your poker adventure.
Which Poker Variants Are the Most Popular and Profitable?
Considering the overall recorded traffic volumes in poker rooms within the UK it is clearly apparent that poker variants such as Texas Hold’em as well as Omaha enjoy a clear advantage as far as player numbers go, and as such are the two variants most often seen offered in online poker rooms. Insofar as the profitability of poker games are concerned there are no particular games offering higher profit margins than others, it is mostly up to the strategy and skill level of each player. That considered, Texas Hold‘em creates a very solid case for itself with its easy to understand and learn rules & regulations, but firstly you’ll need to consider which games you personally like best.
Which Poker Variant Offers the Best Possible Winning Opportunity?
Websites specialising in poker statistics show the odds of winning at all variants of games; however, once again the answer would depend on your personal preferences, strategies, skills, and varies from table to table and game variant to game variant. The most logical place to start the journey of making money at playing poker, is a ring or cash game where players simply enter and leave without the requirement of remaining seated through an entire game, it will also be one of the best places to start off employing your newly learnt strategies.