Online Poker Illegal In Usa?

Currently the only legal markets are in Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan. Online poker went live in Michigan on January 29, 2021. West Virginia has passed legislation authorizing online poker but no sites are live there yet.
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Can you play online poker for real money in USA?

US poker sites ranked by traffic – Last Updated: December 16, 2022 at 3:33 am GMT

Poker Site	7 Day avg	Online	Cash	24 H Peak	Last Week	Play Now
WSOP/888 US	300		607	609	704,658,630,652,705,595,570,578,639,606,633,719,367,725	Play Now
PokerStars NJ	85	55540	12	186	462,433,400,426,521,364,352,445,397,375,404,443,344,331	Play Now
PartyPoker NJ					0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0	Play Now
PokerStars MI	170		326	368
BetMGM MI	100		15	192
WSOP MI	60		118	143
PokerStars PA	200		436	503	1101,1071,1041,1083,1166,926,943,959,985,1058,1012,1059,932,841	Play Now
WSOP PA	60		145	158
BetMGM PA	55		76	95
WSOP US	300		607	609	704,658,630,652,705,595,570,578,639,606,633,719,367,725	Play Now

There are currently 5 states that offer legal online poker for real money in the United States – New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Delaware, Pennsylvania joined this group when PokerStars went live in the state on Nov.4, 2019. Michigan followed in 2021 when PokerStars went live in January followed shortly by BetMGM in March.
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Why did the US ban online poker?

Why is online poker banned in the U.S.? The nation is known by the laws they own. These laws act as builders of the country and the other times; these laws result in significant distress amongst the masses. The U.S., known as the superpower all over the world, who leads the world in technological development for artificial intelligence, robotics and for introducing various leading online platforms, has banned playing poker online.

• In here, the article will explain to you what are reasons or grounds on which the States has banned online poker and why this made many people start playing at offshore websites such as,
• Reason Why Poker Is Banned In The U.S.
• Here are some facets that answer the question of why: Like all the other leisure activities, poker held a place on land with casinos.

Until 2005 when the secretory of North Dakota sent a bill seeking permission to validate an online poker platform. In response to the bill, the Department of Justice refused the proposal stating that poker ‘maybe’ illegal as it is gambling itself and ‘might’ violate the Federal Wire Act.

The Federal Wire Act of 1961, restraints acts of betting in various types by stating, Anyone who is involved in the process of betting or gambling, or anyone found to be part of sports betting should be liable to get fined under the act and will have to face imprisonment of two more years. This involves credit as well as a debit of money through the account of a person from any betting source.

It was from 2005 that poker seeking legality online became an issue in America. On 13th October 2006, the then-President George Bush, officially signed bill SAFE Port Act, regarding the U.S. security which had a provision known as Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

1. This law stated that any sort of betting or involvement of money as wages or receiving or transmission of funds through any online portal was unlawful and doing so will be a violation of the law, thus illegal in the states.
2. Under the law, all the online poker sites were banned, and the founder/owner of the sites was made to pay a fine and imprisoned.

Some poker sites could sail through the law like Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker by working within America, whereas places like Party Poker had to shut down. The online poker platforms allowed the players from the states and also outside the rules to try their hand.

Invasion of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):

Poker Party Alliance (PPA) sheltered millions of poker players under their alliance, making it difficult for the laws to be followed. Thus, in September 2010, the Washington Supreme Court passed a law which said playing poker online is a serious crime.

Following the ordinance passed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in April 2011, shut down major poker sites Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker and seized their bank accounts. They were accused of being a violation the UIGEA by involving financial transactions with the U.S. banks and making a profit out of the money invested.

In the year 2011, the PPA alliance brought defences stating the online buying and selling of lottery tickets is not a violation of the Federal Wire Act. Thus, declaring online poker does not disobey the terms in the Wire Act of betting on any sporting event.

1. With no defences against the PPA representation, in the year 2012, the federal judge in New York stated that poker is not gambling as it is a matter of skill not of chance.
2. Currently, three states in the United States allow online poker, which includes; Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey.
3. Because of this, many gamblers from US tend to play at Asian online casinos such as,

If you want to see more websites accepting US players, visit of Asian casinos. The United States still fails to consider poker online being just a transaction of lottery tickets, and thus the legality of online poker is still a ban in most of the states.
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Can I legally gamble online in the US?

Federal Regulation – In the 1990s, when the World Wide Web was growing rapidly in popularity, online gambling appeared to represent an end-run around government control and prohibition. A site operator needed only to establish the business in a friendly offshore jurisdiction such as the Bahamas and begin taking bets.

Anyone with access to a web browser could find the site and place wagers by credit card. Confronted with this blatant challenge to American policies, the Department of Justice and Congress explored the applicability of current law and the desirability of new regulation for online gambling. In exploring whether an offshore Internet gambling business taking bets from Americans violated federal law, attention was focused on the Wire Act, 18 U.S.C.

§ 1084 (2000), The operator of a wagering business is at risk of being fined and imprisoned under the Wire Act if the operator knowingly uses a “wire communication facility” to transmit information related to wagering on “any sporting event or contest.” 18 U.S.C.

• § 1084(a),
• An exception exists if that act is legal in both the source and destination locations of the transmission.
• § 1084(b),
• The Wire Act’s definition of “wire communication facility” appears to embrace the nation’s entire telecommunications infrastructure, and therefore probably applies to online gambling.

See § 1081, The Department of Justice maintains that, under the Wire Act, all Internet gambling by bettors in the United States is illegal.U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Hearing on Establishing Consistent Enforcement Policies in the Context of Online Wagers, 110th Cong., Nov.14, 2007 (testimony of Catherine Hanaway, U.S.

Attorney (E.D. Mo.), Dept. of Justice). The Fifth Circuit disagreed, ruling that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting, not other types of gambling. In re MasterCard Int’l Inc., 313 F.3d 257 (5th Cir.2002). In 2006, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which made it illegal for wagering businesses to knowingly accept payment in connection with unlawful Internet gambling (though it does not itself make Internet gambling illegal).109 Pub.L.109-347, Title VIII (Oct.13, 2006) (codified at 31 U.S.C.

§§ 5301, 5361–67). It also authorizes the Federal Reserve System to create regulations that prohibit financial transaction providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) from accepting those payments. See 31 U.S.C. § 5363(4). This Act, along with threats of prosecution under the Wire Act from the Department of Justice, has caused several Internet gambling businesses to withdraw from the U.S.

1. Market. In response, House Representatives introduced multiple bills in 2007 to soften federal Internet gambling law.
2. If passed, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act and the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act would license, regulate, and tax Internet gambling businesses rather than prohibit them from taking bets from the United States.

Alternatively, the Skill Game Protection Act would clarify the Wire Act to exempt certain games such as poker and chess.
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Does a VPN work for online poker?

Can I use a VPN to play online poker? – Yes, you can use a VPN to play online poker, A VPN will change your IP address and let you bypass geo-blocks as well as ensure your online security. Just be aware that using a VPN might be against poker website’s Terms of Use and your account might get suspended.
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Can US citizens play on PokerStars?

Can I play on PokerStars in the USA? – The PokerStars website is available in the United States, but only players in a handful of states can access the real money games listed there. This isn’t because PokerStars doesn’t want you at the tables. The poker site is active in almost all the US states that have legalised online poker.
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In which states online poker is allowed?

Real money gaming is taking off in India. Card games like poker are today no longer restricted to the confines of home games or played during lazy afternoons at kitty parties. Today these games are thriving businesses that employ hundreds if not thousands of people. With the proliferation of companies offering online poker services, there has been a massive boom in poker’s popularity, and hordes of players have taken up the game professionally. Still, while poker is widely accepted as a skill game, the definite legal answer to the question “is playing poker for real money legal in India” varies from state to state. The view on the legality of the sport varies from state to state since the Indian constitution has entrusted the Indian states with the power of framing laws on gambling and betting for the respective states. The Public Gambling Act, 1867, prohibits running or being in charge of a public gambling house and provides that games of mere skill are exempt from the application of the Act. Some of the states have adopted this Central law. Online poker is legal in most states in the country. Still, there are a few exceptions like Gujarat, Assam, and Orissa, where the peculiar wordings of the state laws have cast doubt on offline and online poker’s legality. Indian laws have thus classified games into ‘game of skill’ and ‘game of chance’ and three crucial decisions of the Supreme Court have defined the basis for and set the legal precedent to permit gaming and gambling in India – > In 1957, the Supreme Court, while hearing the RMD Chamarbaugwala vs. Union of India case, asserted that games involving a certain level of skill wouldn’t be considered gambling. > In 1967, while hearing the State of Andhra Pradesh vs.K. Satyanarayana, the Supreme Court ruled that rummy is a game of skill, irrespective of the format, venue and stakes involved. The court allowed establishments offering games of skill to collect a small fee for the same. > In 1996, the Supreme Court ruled that horse racing is a game of skill and not gambling. Handing out this verdict in the case of K.R. Lakshmanan vs. State of Tamil Nadu, the three-judge bench upheld the 1967 judgment and stated that games that involved a substantial degree of skill fall within the definition of ‘games of mere skill.’ > In December 2019, the Supreme Court upheld the April 30 ruling of the Bombay High Court, which asserted that fantasy gaming site Dream11 hosted games of skill and did not amount to gambling. Dismissing the three Special Leave Petitions (SLP) filed by Gurdeep Singh Sachar, Union of India and State of Maharashtra, the Apex Court also rejected the GST evasion charges against Dream11, upholding the 18% GST paid by the company as correct. By doing so, the Supreme Court settled once and for all the issue of the legality of fantasy games. Two significant decisions of the High Courts of Karnataka and Calcutta have also strengthened the legal grounds for offline and online poker in India. In 2013, the High Court of Karnataka observed that if played as a game of skill, poker can be allowed to be played at recreational clubs and doesn’t require a license. Furthermore, law enforcement authorities cannot interfere with such operations. The Calcutta High Court also, in 2015, directed police and state authorities not to interfere in poker games conducted in clubs. This same judgment was reiterated by the Jalpaiguri Bench of the Calcutta High Court in October 2019 that upheld the legal view that poker is a game of skill and does not fall under the definition of gambling. All forms of real money gaming, including poker, rummy, and fantasy sports, are legally banned in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Telangana was one of the biggest markets for online rummy until June 2017, when the state government issued two ordinances to place a blanket ban on all forms of real money gaming. In 2017-end, the government enforced the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities Amendment Bill 2017, which got the approval of the state governor and the President of India in October 2018. Two years later, Andhra Pradesh followed the footsteps of Telangana. On September 25, 2020, the government passed an ordinance amending the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974, making all forms of real money online gaming a punishable offense. On November 21, 2020, Tamil Nadu also enforced an ordinance that amended the Tamil Nadu Gaming Act, 1930, Chennai City Police Act, 1888, and the Tamil Nadu District Police Act, 1859, and deemed playing real-money games including poker, rummy, and fantasy sports punishable by a fine and imprisonment. Karnataka has now indicated that it may soon follow suit. In November 2020, the state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the state government was considering to bring in an ordinance to ban online games. The state High Court has asked the government to respond to a PIL demanding a blanket ban on all kinds of gambling and betting activities, and the matter will be heard on January 12, 2021. Let’s take a closer look at specific laws concerning the legality of poker in major states. Assam Residents of the state are prohibited from playing online poker for stakes. The state’s stance on gambling is dictated by the Assam’s Game and Betting Act 1970 that considers games of skill like poker or rummy to be gambling and illegal. Andhra Pradesh Poker, rummy, fantasy sports, and all other real-money online games are legally banned in Andhra Pradesh. The state government announced a ban on all forms of real money online games on September 2, 2020. On September 25, the state government passed an ordinance to amend the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act 1974. The ordinance deems indulging in real money online gambling in the state an offense punishable by six months to two years of imprisonment. The ordinance came into force with immediate effect, making Andhra Pradesh the second Indian state, after Telangana, in banning all forms of real money online gaming. Renamed the Andhra Pradesh Gaming (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, the government of YS Jaganmohan Reddy has prohibited the following: 1. Collection or soliciting of bets 2. Receipt or distribution of winning or prizes in money or otherwise in respect of any wager or bet 3. Any act which is intended to aid, induce, solicit or facilitate wagering or betting or such collection, soliciting, receipt or distribution 4. Any act of risking money or playing stakes or otherwise on the result of a game or an event, including on a game of skill. Karnataka In a landmark observation, the Karnataka High Court on October 8, 2013, in the Indian Poker Association (IPA) vs. State of Karnataka case, ruled that if played as a game of skill, poker can be permitted in recreational clubs and doesn’t require a license for the same. However, the order had limited applicability in defining poker as a game of skill and allows for poker to be played only for recreational purposes. Nonetheless, since the Public Gambling Act of 1867 does not talk about online gambling, the Karnataka High Court ruling set a favorable legal precedent for the poker industry. Therefore, poker and other real-money online games like rummy and fantasy sports are currently not considered illegal in Karnataka. However, the Karnataka government has publicly announced its intention of banning real-money gaming in the state. In November 2020, state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the state government was considering promulgating an ordinance to ban all real-money online games. Subsequently, a PIL was filed by Sharada D.R demanding a blanket ban on all kinds of gambling and betting activities. The petitioner underlined the dire need for regulating online gambling. The petitioner questioned why the state government had not created any regulatory regime for the same. The High Court has asked the state government to respond to the PIL, and the matter is scheduled for hearing on January 12, 2021. Goa Goa is one of only two Indian states that legally permit casinos. The Goa, Daman, and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976 dictates the state’s gambling laws and has provisions for offshore casinos while permitting land-based casinos only at Five-Star hotels. There is a thriving casino industry in the coastal state dominated by six offshore casinos. Hospitality and casino major Delta Corp alone owns and operates three casinos, namely, Casino Deltin Royale, Casino Deltin JAQK, and Deltin Caravela. The company also owns the land-based casino hotel, Deltin Suites. Two offshore casinos, Pride I and Pride II, are operated by the Pride Group, while the Golden Globe Hotel Pvt. Ltd that used to own Casino Maharaja, boosted its presence in Goa by launching its newest vessel, Big Daddy, in 2019. All the offshore casinos are moored on River Mandovi, and the Goa Government has envisaged moving offshore casinos to land in the near future in the under-construction Mopa Airport complex. The government’s casino policy has been in the works over the past few years. The government has been giving six-month extensions to offshore casinos to operate from River Mandovi. In the wake of rising local demand and political discussion on moving the casinos from their current location, the government has explored the possibility of temporarily relocating the offshore casinos to Aguada Bay. Still, the plan has been met with wide-scale opposition. The government’s recent endeavor to move some offshore casinos to the Veerem side of the river has also been largely opposed. The government in 2020 banned all Goa locals from entering casinos. Online poker is legal in Goa, and several top online poker sites, including Adda52, PokerBaazi, and Spartan Poker, are operating live poker rooms on-board offshore casinos. These poker rooms frequently host live poker tournaments and dominate the domestic live poker sector. Gujarat Gujarat is one of the Indian states where the matter regarding the legality of playing poker for stakes in currently sub judice. In 2017, the Gujarat police raided poker clubs in Surat and Ahmedabad and forcibly shut them. The Gujarat High Court subsequently rejected the civil petition filed by KN Suresh and his Indian Poker Association (IPA) that sought poker to be recognized as a game of skill. The High Court also ruled that poker amounts to gambling and cannot be permitted. Suresh’s appeal against the decision is now pending before the court. Similar petitions were filed by other stakeholders, namely Aman Chhabra, Hotel Ramada, and Dominance Games Pvt. Ltd. The High Court’s decision has taken a toll on online poker in Gujarat as well. Baadshah Gaming and PokerStars India were among the first sites to stop accepting players residing in Gujarat. Currently, most popular online poker sites like Adda52 and PokerBaazi do not accept Gujarat residents’ membership requests. In April 2019, the state police approached the State Home Department to amend the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act and introduce new legislation to ban all forms of online gambling in the state, including poker. Kerala Online rummy is illegal in Kerala. However, other skill games like poker and fantasy sports continue to be offered in the state. Previously, the Kerala Gaming Act, 1960 exempted games that predominantly involved skill from the Act’s provisions. A plea submitted by film director Pauly Vadakkan to the Kerala High Court petitioned real-money gaming platforms regulation. The petition also asked for online betting and gambling, particularly online rummy, to be declared illegal. On February 9, Kerala’s state government told the Kerala High Court (HC) that the government had proposed to regulate online rummy by issuing a notification under the Kerala Gaming Act. The notification proposed to remove the special exemption given to online rummy under the Gaming Act. On February 27, the Kerala government issued a notification declaring online rummy illegal in the state. Maharashtra The Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887, deems it an offense to run a gaming house but is ambiguous on offline poker and online poker’s legality. For this reason, poker is considered legal in Maharashtra. However, in 2016, after Maharashtra police raided an apartment and arrested a big group playing poker, the issue found its way into the Bombay High Court. In March 2018, while hearing a writ petition against the arrest, the Bombay HC ruled that playing the game of poker amounts to gambling and that poker is a game of pure chance, not involving skills. Furthermore, web-based betting is a prohibited offense in Maharashtra under the ‘Bombay Wager Act, 2017, effectively making real-money poker illegal in Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu is the most recent Southern state in India to ban online gaming in 2020. On November 6, 2020, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced that the state government was considering placing a complete ban on real-money online games. The government made the decision under strong political pressure after incidents of several suicide cases by youths who had lost their money to gaming. A proposal to promulgate an ordinance by amending the Tamil Nadu Gaming Act, 1930 (Tamil Nadu Act III of 1930), Chennai City Police Act, 1888 (Tamil Nadu Act III of 1888), and the Tamil Nadu District Police Act, 1859 (Tamil Nadu Act XXIV of 1859) was submitted to Governor, Banwarilal Purohit. On November 21, Governor Purohit promulgated the ordinance banning all forms of online gaming. The salient features of the ordinance are –

Those found playing real money games will be punished with a ₹5,000 fine and six months imprisonment. Those offering such online games in the state would be considered as running a common gaming house and would be punished with a fine of ₹10,000 and two years’ imprisonment. Electronic transfer of funds used for wagering and betting, distributing the winnings, prize money, etc., are banned. All persons running the company which conducts online gaming by wagering and betting for state residents would be punished.

The ordinance was challenged by Haryana-based online game portal Junglee Games India Private Limited and its CEO Rahul Nandkumar Bhardwaj who filed a PIL at the Madras High Court. However, on December 7, the High Court denied the request for an interim stay on the ban.

1. The court has instead directed the State government to respond to the petition, and the state government has to file its response by December 21, 2020.
2. With the ordinance in place, all forms of real-money gaming, including poker, rummy, and fantasy sports, are legally prohibited in Tamil Nadu.
3. Nagaland Poker is considered a skill game in Nagaland, where the government has enforced the Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion & Regulation of Online Games of Skill Act and Rules, 2016, aka Nagaland Act.

The legislation prohibits gambling involving games of chance. Under the Act, the government has issued online skill game licenses to several online operators. Orissa Orissa is one of the states where online poker is considered illegal. The state prohibits the same through the provisos of the Orissa (Prevention of) Gaming Act -1955 that does not make any exception for games of skill.

Sikkim Online gambling that includes online poker is legal in Sikkim under the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Rules 2009. The state government can issue licenses to operators seeking to offer online gambling services to the state. In April 2014, the Union Home Ministry gave its nod to the Sikkim government to regulate online betting activities as long as this did not extend to include services offered in other states and Union Territories in India.

On July 30, 2015, the Sikkim government amended and passed the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2015. The bill entailed certain conditions for online and offline gaming, including a ban on locals from entering the casinos in the state.

Telangana Telangana was one of the biggest markets for online gaming, especially rummy, until June 2017, when the state government issued two ordinances quickly to place a blanket ban on all forms of real money gaming. The government followed this up by bringing in the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities Amendment Bill 2017, bolstering real-money gaming prohibition.

Online rummy operators were hit the hardest, and three rummy operators challenged the ordinances and the bill. Despite the legal challenges, the bill passed through the state legislative assembly and was subsequently approved by the state governor and President of India in October 2018.

• With this, games of skill like offline and online poker and rummy are not only considered illegal.
• Still, they are a punishable offense in the state, allowing concerned authorities to detain any individual who has committed an “offense” under the Gaming Act for up to 12 months without bail or trial.
• West Bengal When it comes to offering a legal umbrella to poker, West Bengal provides a clear judicial diktat for real money gaming.

The mind sport derives its legal basis from the West Bengal Gambling and Prize Competitions Act, 1957, section 2 (1) (b), which explicitly excludes games like poker, rummy, bridge, and nap from the ambit of gambling. This fact was acknowledged by the Calcutta High Court in June 2015 when, after hearing a writ petition by KN Suresh, the High Court had directed police and other state authorities not to interfere in poker games conducted in poker clubs.
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Does FBI know about online gambling in the US?

Law Enforcement Implications of Illegal Online Gambling | Federal Bureau of Investigation Statement for the Record Good afternoon Chairman Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings, and members of the committee. I am pleased to appear before you today to discuss online gambling and the potential criminal activity which could arise within it.

The Department of Justice takes seriously the issue of illegal gambling, including illegal online gambling, and has carefully used its limited resources to focus its investigation and prosecutions of Internet gambling on those groups engaged in egregious criminal conduct. This includes conduct tied to organized crime, including La Cosa Nostra; conduct that is part of a larger criminal scheme; and/or conduct that includes locating at least part of the gambling/collection operation within the United States.

The Department of Justice continues to successfully investigate and prosecute illegal Internet gambling. In addition to the Department of Justice’s own work in this area, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) works hard to establish and maintain strong partnerships with both public and private entities in order to combat illegal gaming.

• One of our priorities has been to work with private sector partners, like the American Gaming Association, to publicize our Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
• The IC3 is an online tool which allows the public to report tips about suspected online criminal activity, including within the illegal gambling sector.

This initiative also leverages the IC3 network to address transnational organized crime (TOC) groups that use illegal gambling as a way to finance violent and illicit activities. The FBI has also been successful in investigating, and the Department of Justice has been successful in prosecuting, such illegal gambling rings.

1. In 2014-2015, there were four federal trials in Oklahoma City of individuals involved in an online gambling scheme involving Legendz Sports.
2. To date in this prosecution through pleas and convictions at trial, a total of 23 individuals and two companies have been convicted for their involvement in this illegal online gambling operation.

Of these convictions, 20 individuals and two companies have been convicted of RICO conspiracy. The evidence proved these individuals conspired with others from 2003 to 2013 to run Legendz Sports, an international criminal operation that ran online and telephone gambling services based out of Panama City, Panama.

1. The illegal activity involved racketeering conspiracy, operation of an illegal gambling business, and money laundering conspiracy.
2. Legendz Sports took more than $1 billion in illegal wagers, mostly from gamblers in the United States who were betting on American sporting events.
3. The proceeds were then funneled from the U.S.

to Panama. This is just one example of how the FBI has worked in conjunction with other federal law enforcement officials, such as the IRS, and state and local law enforcement partners to find those individuals who engage in illicit gambling and end their operations.

In its law enforcement efforts, the Department of Justice is mindful of technological advances and the ever-changing online landscape, and there are several ways in which online gambling can give rise to potential criminal activity. We suspect online casinos, like physical casinos, are potentially susceptible to criminal schemes and money laundering schemes because of the possibility of criminal actors hiding their identity.

Online gambling could provide criminal actors with the potential to be anonymous to an even greater extent than in physical casinos. Using online tools, like TOR networks and Virtual Private Networks, criminal actors could conceal their identity, location, and true gambling activity.

1. Criminal actors could fraudulently manipulate games and conspire with others to use their online gambling accounts to transfer criminally derived funds to each other.
2. A “private tournament or game” could create a platform allowing one person to transfer funds to another person.
3. Once the private tournament is created, the criminal actor could raise their bet to the maximum permitted bet and then fold or intentionally lose.

The movement of funds, which appears as gambling winnings to one and gambling losses to the other, is simply a transfer of criminally derived funds. Or the manipulation of a game by co-conspirators could have been a fraudulent scheme intended to steal funds from unsuspecting gamblers.

• One of the goals of criminals who generate revenue from criminal activity is to launder their proceeds through our financial systems to make the funds appear legitimate.
• Criminal actors use numerous methods to launder their proceeds.
• One of those methods is through the use of casinos.
• Internet-based casinos, like physical casinos, can be used to launder criminal proceeds.

A person’s online gambling account can be funded through various methods. Some of these methods include prepaid cards, debit cards, credit cards, previous gambling winnings, or in-person presence at a physical casino. An individual wishing to launder criminal proceeds by funding their online gambling account at the casino could structure their transactions in efforts to evade regulatory reporting.

1. A criminal actor could additionally use cash generated from criminal activity to purchase numerous prepaid debit cards.
2. The criminal actor could then use these prepaid debit cards to fund their online gambling account.
3. The Department of Justice and the FBI continue to use all available tools to detect such illegal activity.

For example, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) regulations applicable to physical casinos also apply to legal online casinos. These Bank Secrecy Act regulations are designed to detect money laundering activity. Bank Secrecy Act regulations also require casinos to file BSA Reports when the casino detects suspicious funding or gaming activity.

The FBI reviews these reports regularly in coordination with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. In the age of the Internet, what used to be a crime conducted by local bookies on street corners can now operate as an international criminal enterprise. Working with the Department of Justice and our federal partners, the FBI is committed to bringing criminals to justice no matter where they operate.

Thank you again for the opportunity to appear today. I now look forward to any questions you might have. : Law Enforcement Implications of Illegal Online Gambling | Federal Bureau of Investigation
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Is it legal to play poker online?

Currently the only legal markets are in Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan. Online poker went live in Michigan on January 29, 2021. West Virginia has passed legislation authorizing online poker but no sites are live there yet.
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What is the punishment for online gambling in the US?

What Are Examples of Federal Gambling Charges? – Federal criminal charges for gambling became a major topic in the mid-2000s and early 2010s, as online gambling and sports betting drastically increased in popularity. Not only were there larger pools of capital and funds seized by the FBI but also debate over the illegality of online gambling.

1. Many people believed the online games to be different from other illegal gambling organizations and further felt there should be room to legalize online games.
2. The FBI and DOJ disagreed.
3. Poker, sports betting, and blackjack were played across the internet, and when the FBI did crack down on the various websites and hosts of these games, there were several high profile gambling cases in federal court.

Of course, there are still significant criminal cases for offline gambling.

The first federal conviction for online gambling was back in 2000. The defendant, Jay Cohen, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for his role as owner and operator of World Sports Exchange, a bookmaker that took online wagers and bets on a multitude of sports.

However, while this case directly addressed the issue of illegal gambling, the law used to prosecute Cohen was the federal Wager Wire Law. Rather than convict Cohen for a gambling crime, the government charged and convicted Cohen for the use of a wire or telephone communication to commit a crime.

Three individuals and a Florida corporation were convicted of federal gambling crimes for running an international, online gambling enterprise. In a period of 10 years, the enterprise took more than $1 billion in illegal wagers through online platforms and websites. Most of the betting was conducted in the United States and derived from American residents, drawing the attention of federal agents.

The IRS, U.S. Marshalls, and FBI handled an investigation into the gambling enterprise and the case was eventually tried in Oklahoma by a lawyer form the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and two Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Due to the scale and proliferation of the online activity, the defendants were also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and federal racketeering charges.

One of the biggest busts for the FBI and other federal agencies under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act happened in 2006. The defendant ran an online betting business that took over $3.3 billion in illegal sports wagers. In addition to charges under the federal gambling laws, the infamous defendant James Giordano was also indicted on a number of other enterprise and corruption charges.

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Why can’t I gamble online in the US?

Federal laws around gambling in the US – Generally speaking, gambling is not illegal in the US. That’s because there is no federal law banning gambling throughout the country. That said, the full story is a lot more complicated. The US does have specific laws, such as the Federal Wire Act of 1961, that prohibit gambling that takes place across state lines.

So, placing a bet in a single state might be fine, but placing a bet with a bookie located in the next state over would be considered illegal. On top of that, sports betting was until recently extremely limited because of the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act passed in 1992. That law didn’t make sports betting illegal, per se, but it prevented states that didn’t already allow sports gambling from legalizing it in the future.

The Supreme Court overturned that federal law in 2018, once again allowing states to make their own legislative decisions about whether or not to allow sportsbooks. Online gambling is also a can of worms. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 makes it illegal to operate an online gambling website anywhere in the US.
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Can PokerStars detect VPN?

Can PokerStars detect I am using a VPN? – Yes, there’s a slight chance that PokerStars will detect your VPN activity. In this case, your account might get frozen or banned.
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Can gambling sites detect VPN?

3. Getting your account frozen or terminated – If a gambling site finds out that you’re using a VPN, and it’s clear that using a VPN is against their terms of service, they will freeze and sometimes even terminate your account, This means you can’t access your account anymore and you won’t be able to cash out any winnings.
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Can I play PokerStars using VPN?

Can you play PokerStars with a VPN? – Yes, you can use a VPN to access PokerStars and play casino games there, However, this is a breach of the Terms of Service and could get you banned if you are caught. That’s why it’s crucial to utilize the best PokerStars VPNs able to avoid detection.
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Is PokerStars ever coming back to USA?

Can I play PokerStars in the US? – Yes, PokerStars is available in the US, but only in a handful of states at this point. Only players physically present in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania can play online poker on PokerStars US.
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Is 888 poker legal in US?

Is my real money safe at 888 poker? – It’s 100% legal to play and enjoy real money poker games from the comforts of home, or on the go anywhere in New Jersey. It didn’t take long before Delaware and Nevada followed suit. Now, anyone of legal age living in New Jersey, or simply visiting is welcome to play real money online poker games, and compete for massive pots.

We use PGP protocols and SSL (secure socket layer) encryption technology with public and private key encryption to safeguard all account information, and deposits. Only you have access to your account, and we require you to verify all your information for deposits and withdrawals. All your credit card information is secured on our watertight servers using sophisticated firewall protection.

Your money is as safe at 888poker NJ as it is at your local bank. We maintain detailed logs of all player deposits, and you can access your account information at any time.
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Why is PokerStars shut down?

Domain name seizure – On April 15, 2011, the Department of Justice seized the,com internet addresses of the three online gambling sites, a total of five URLs : Pokerstars.com, Fulltiltpoker.com, Absolutepoker.com, Ultimatebet.com and UB.com. On April 15, 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York seized and shut down Pokerstars.com and several of its competitors’ sites, alleging that the sites were violating federal bank fraud and money laundering laws.

On April 20, 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s office returned control of the Pokerstars.com domain name to the company in order “to facilitate the withdrawal of U.S. players’ funds held in account with the companies.” On July 10, 2012, PokerStars, asserting the Government had insufficient grounds on which to base the charges, filed motions to dismiss the charges against them.

On July 31, 2012, the US government dismissed with prejudice all civil complaints against PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker after reaching a settlement with PokerStars which includes PokerStars acquiring Full Tilt. Under the terms of the settlement, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker admitted no wrongdoing for their past U.S.

Activities. The U.S. Government acknowledged both companies can apply for licenses to operate online gaming in the U.S. when a legal framework for such licenses is offered. The settlement terms also called for PokerStars to acquire certain assets of Full Tilt Poker from the Government. On August 9, 2012, PokerStars paid $225 million to the U.S.

Department of Justice, consummating the asset transfer of Full Tilt Poker, Full Tilt Poker was successfully relaunched on November 6, 2012.
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Can I play Texas Holdem online for money?

You can play poker online for real money in the United States as long as you’re outside of banned online gambling states like Washington. If you’re looking for where to play online poker from the USA, or which casino sites accept US players, check out the poker websites above.
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Can Texas residents gamble online?

Bonuses to Watch for When Texas Online Casinos Launch – If and when online casinos launch in Texas, you’ll want to keep your eye out for all the various bonus offers. Most top online gambling sites and mobile apps offer solid bonuses or incentives for new users.

• These aren’t scams or empty promotions – they include real money you can use to play with, sometimes for nothing in return.
• Matched deposit is a popular one, especially for users making sizable first-time deposits.
• The online casino will match whatever you put in up to a certain amount, usually around $500.

So you’re doubling your money right from the start. Some of these offers come with a stipulation that the player will have to wager a certain amount, known as a playthrough requirement, before they can access the funds from the matched deposit. Free spins are another good one for slot machine players.

• These are essentially credits for the player to use on online slot machines without having to risk any of their own money.
• The number of spins and required action from the user vary from casino to casino, so read the terms and conditions carefully.
• Refer-a-friend bonuses kick in if the player finds an acquaintance who also wants to play online casino games.

They can give the friend a code to input upon signup and the player who referred them will get a bonus deposit added to their account. However, they might not have access to the bonus funds until their friend wagers a specific amount. Tradition is strong in Texas, and that tradition still has a lot of sway, especially when it comes to gambling laws.

The Lone Star State outlawed gambling entirely at certain points during its history, and while an increasing number of jurisdictions have embraced new gambling options, Texas remains largely resistant. Texas has a state lottery as well as pari-mutuel horse racing tracks, and is one of the few remaining jurisdictions with greyhound racing.

Most other gaming options are banned, and those that do exist do so on the periphery of state law. The two Native American casinos only operate due to federal law giving recognized tribes autonomy to offer gaming options on their sovereign lands. The Gulf Coast cruise boats that leave from the Texas shores can only take wagers when in international waters.

• Most of these venues are multiple-hour drives for the vast majority of the state.
• Charitable gambling, as well as social gambling, are also legal, but that is a far cry from a growing number of states with full-time brick-and-mortar (or online) gaming options.
• The only other major offerings are via “eight-liners,” devices that mirror slot machines but can only offer non-cash prizes that are worth less than $5.

Legal gaming options via the internet are nonexistent in Texas. There are no legal options for online and mobile sports betting, iCasinos, slots, blackjack, poker or any other option. The state-sanctioned lottery was the last major gambling development, and there doesn’t appear to be another significant entity coming in the future.

Texas settlers have gambled since before it became a republic and long before it joined the United States. The millions of modern-day Texas residents, like their neighbors in the other 49 states, still enjoy a pull of a slot machine or a hand of blackjack. But public taboo, and decades of recent tradition keep Texas gambling largely illegal.

There may come a time when Texas warms up to legal gambling, for now it remains one of the more restrictive jurisdictions in America.
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Can I play online poker if I live in Texas?

Frequently Asked Questions – Playing poker in Texas over the internet is pretty enjoyable, and we’d like to remove any doubts or concerns you have about it. To this end, we’ve presented below some of the most common questions and answers related to online poker in Texas.

✅ Are there any Texas-licensed internet poker sites? No, Texas has not established any legalized framework for online poker licensure. Live casino poker is viewed by industry experts as a precursor to state-regulated virtual gambling, and Texas is weak in this department with only a single tribal casino location offering poker within its borders.

TX political leadership tends to be quite conservative, and so it will likely be quite a while before internet sites for poker appear that are approved by the Texas authorities. ✅ Is online poker legal to play in Texas? It absolutely is legal to play online poker in Texas.

1. Despite the fact that there are no licensed online cardrooms that have received the OK of state leaders in Austin, there are many offshore rooms that cater to Texans.
2. They’re based in jurisdictions where online gaming is totally legal, and they happily welcome residents of the state through their virtual doors.

There’s nothing in the Texas legal codes that makes playing a crime as long as you do it in a private place. Furthermore, with the 2011 reevaluation of the Wire Act by the Department of Justice, there’s nothing at the federal level banning this activity either unless the DoJ is able to persuade an appellate court to overturn the decision in a case where New Hampshire prevailed against the Department’s attempt to change the rules.

✅ Is PokerStars legal in Texas? It’s perfectly legitimate to play on PokerStars from Texas, but unfortunately, it’s not possible to do so except for play money. You see, PokerStars was one of the companies hit the hardest by Black Friday in 2011, and as part of the resolution of the case, it agreed to stop doing business in America except in those states where it has gone through the appropriate regulatory approval (like New Jersey).

Thus, Texas citizens are unable to play at the world’s leading online poker provider, which is true of the majority of the U.S. population as well. ✅ Is Ignition Poker legal in Texas? Yes, the Ignition Poker Casino room operates under well-understood trade rules by which foreign companies are allowed equal access to the markets of the signatory countries.

• Thus, despite the restrictive banking and financial regulations sponsored by busybodies in Washington, D.C., the firm most likely considers its operations to be in full compliance with the law.
• Needless to say, you can enjoy the services of Ignition Casino Poker from the Lone Star State.
• ✅ Is BetOnline legal in Texas? Yes.

BetOnline bases its international and multi-jurisdictional betting platform on World Trade Organization rulings that have found the United States to be in violation of its treaty obligations by going after offshore gaming entities. BoL accepts customers from 49 of the 50 states, Texas not the least among them.

✅ Is Global Poker legal in the State of Texas? We have our criticisms of Global’s claims that its enterprise is completely legal in Texas and the remainder of the United States. While there isn’t really enough space in this FAQ to go into detail on this subject, we have prepared a review of Global that discusses the problems we see with the firm’s business model.

✅ What is the Texas minimum age for gambling? The lowest age at which someone is allowed to gamble in Texas is 21 for most types of gaming, including poker, although individuals are allowed to participate in charitable bingo, purchase lottery tickets, and engage in pari-mutuel racetrack betting at 18.

• Online, the rules are a bit different.
• Most sites will let you sign up as long as you’re at least 18 because they can’t effectively monitor the relevant age restrictions in thousands of areas around the globe.
• It’s up to you to ensure that you’re in compliance with local law.
• ✅ Is it possible for me to run my own internet-based gambling business in Texas? It would be extremely foolish to try to set up an illegal online betting service inside the State of Texas.

In 2013, investigators pulled the plug on an international sports betting ring that was headquartered in North Texas and allegedly booked more than $5 billion in sports bets. Eighteen men were arrested in connection with this enterprise, Importantly, none of the people charged in the case were ordinary bettors; it was those actually running the organization who were the targets.

1. Unless you like to be in the crosshairs of state and federal law enforcement, it would behoove you to avoid getting mixed up in the illicit online gambling industry.
2. ✅ How are poker winnings treated for tax purposes? Texas is one of the few states in the Union without any individual state income tax.

Still, the Internal Revenue Service wants its cut of whatever profits you make while playing card games online. How to properly prepare the paperwork for your gambling earnings is a question that’s best addressed by a competent tax attorney or certified public accountant.

✅ Are there any Mac-compatible internet poker rooms? Yes, many of our recommended sites have dedicated poker client downloads for Mac computers. Among them are Ignition Casino and Sportsbetting.ag. Even at rooms that don’t specifically cater to Mac users, you may find web-based interfaces that work with any modern browser software, including Safari and other popular Mac packages.

Windows emulation software, like Crossover Mac, is another option. Learn more about this topic in our roundup of the best Mac poker sites, ✅ Are there mobile-friendly online poker halls? Mobile gaming is a big moneymaker for all kinds of entertainment companies, and online poker firms are no exception.

• Some sites have apps that you must install to your smart device while others include mobile compatibility through their web-play interfaces.
• Among the poker rooms that make it easy to play from your phone or tablet are Ignition, Sportsbetting.ag, and Everygame.
• However, be aware that most mobile poker solutions only carry a restricted menu of games, so you’ll want to download the desktop program to sample the full gameplay experience.

✅ Are there any licensed live cardrooms in Texas? Through loopholes in the existing state gambling laws, a few membership-based private cardrooms have started to appear across the state. In some localities, they’re even licensed by the local authorities.

1. This is true in Houston, which the Post Oak Poker Club calls home,
2. These clubs charge membership fees rather than rake and, in most cases, are cheaper than playing in a traditional casino.
3. Their legality has come into question, though, and decisions by state lawmakers, the courts, and the attorney general may have an impact on whether or not they can continue to operate going forward.

✅ What is a Dallas straddle? A Dallas straddle, much like any other straddle, is a bet that someone can make preflop before cards have been dealt. It’s typically two times the size of the big blind, but some venues allow players to Dallas straddle for any amount that they wish.

1. Only the player on the button can make a Dallas straddle.
2. What’s unique about this type of straddle is that the straddler gets “absolute last action” preflop.
3. This means that as long as there’s a bet or raise and any other player remains who has not folded, called, or re-raised, the action skips over the straddler.

He or she only acts after everyone else has completed their decisions. For example, let’s say the button makes a Dallas straddle to $8 in a $2/$4 NL game. The action starts at UTG – to the left of the big blind like normal – and it folds around to the cutoff who makes it $20 to go.

The person on the dealer button would normally act next, but in this case, because they straddled, the turn of play bypasses them and goes to the small blind instead. Let us suppose that the small blind calls the $18 back to him, and then the big blind re-raises to $60. Now the cutoff folds. Instead of being the dealer’s play, the action skips him yet again, and the small blind must decide whether or not to put the additional $40 into the pot, fold, or four-bet.

If the small blind either folds or calls, then the dealer position gets to make his moves. If the small blind four-bets, then the action is on the big blind, and if the bb player re-raises again, then the small blind will have decide first before the player on the button.

✅ What is Ultimate Texas Hold’em? Ultimate Texas Hold’em isn’t a traditional form of peer-to-peer poker but rather a casino table game in which the player competes against the dealer. It does resemble normal Texas Hold’em in that the player makes an ante and a blind bet (an equal amount for each), after which he receives two hole cards.

After examining the two down cards, the player has the option to make a Play bet for three or four times the size of the ante. It’s the player’s choice to put down either three or four units extra. Alternately, the player can check. Following this decision, the dealer reveals three community cards face up.

• Now the player can make a Play bet of twice the size of the ante or check.
• However, if a Play wager was already made “preflop,” then the player can only check.
• Next, the dealer places two more community cards face up on the table.
• The player now must either fold (losing all bets) or make a Play bet equal to the ante amount.

If a Play bet was already placed earlier in the hand, then the player does not make another one. Now, the showdown takes place. Both the player and the dealer make the best five-card hands using any combination of their hole cards and the face-up community cards.

Ante and Play bets are paid out to the player if he wins. If the dealer wins, they are forfeit to the house. In case both hand strengths are equal, these bets will be graded a push. An exception to the above system occurs if the dealer doesn’t make at least one pair, in which case the Ante bet pushes regardless of the player’s holding.

The Blind bet is collected by the dealer should the player lose. However, if the player prevails in the hand, then the Blind bet rewards him according to the strength of his hand:

Royal Flush: 500 to 1 Straight Flush: 50 to 1 Four of a Kind: 10 to 1 Full House: 3 to 1 Flush: 3 to 2 Straight: 1 to 1 Lower Than a Straight: Push

There’s usually an optional Trips side bet. This bet pays out if the player has at least trips regardless of whether he wins or loses against the dealer. The exact amount the Trips bet pays depends on the strength of the hand. The paytable employed varies from casino to casino, but payoffs of 3 to 1 for three of a kind and 50 to 1 for a royal flush are standard.
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What is the best online poker site for real money in USA?

Editor’s Choice

Rank	Poker Site	Players
1	GGPoker	87871
2	888poker
3	PokerStars	55540

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What poker sites allow US players?

The linked sites offer opportunities to learn and enjoy poker by providing articles, odds, and play money games. Card Player recommends these poker sites for those purposes only: Americas Cardroom, Bovada Poker, BetOnline, Global Poker, Ignition Casino, Black Chip Poker, Sports Betting Poker, NLOP Online Poker.

Rank	Poker Site		Best Sign-Up Bonus
1		Americas Cardroom More Info	ACR will supercharge your bankroll with a 100% match bonus (up to $2,000); you’ll get 20 days of Free Cash (up to $50); you’ll get an entry into $250 New Depositor Freeroll.	Free Download
2		Bovada Poker More Info	Play at Bovada Poker and get 100% up to $500 initial deposit bonus!	Free Download
3		BetOnline More Info	Get a 100% up to $2,500 (Industry Leading) initial deposit bonus!	Free Download
4		Global Poker More Info	The new home of online poker in the US! Global Poker provides players a disruptive, social, online poker experience which is revolutionizing the way the game is played.	Free Download
5		Ignition Casino More Info	Offering US players a fully loaded poker room, Ignition also has hundreds of casino games, including Single-Deck Blackjack, European Roulette and Baccarat. With easy navigation, state-of-the-art software, fast payouts, 24/7 customer service, and mobile	Free Download
6		Black Chip Poker More Info	In May of 2012, Black Chip Poker moved onto the Winning Poker Network and has since dramatically increased its overall promotional and tournament offerings for its growing player base.	Free Download
7		Sports Betting Poker More Info	Join the most exciting poker room online now! SportsBetting Poker always bring you the most intense nail-biting poker tournaments and ring games! Their tournaments include a wide variety of guarantees and great promotions.	Free Download
8		NLOP Online Poker More Info	Whether you are just learning about poker or are an experienced player, Card Player Poker offers something for everyone. Win $700 Weekly! No deposits, no risk on this free poker site!	Free Download

As a US citizen, you are subject to the laws of the country, state, city and other legal entity (collectively “Jurisdiction”) in which you reside and/or from which you access the Site. Playing at the Site may not be legal for residents of, or persons present in certain Jurisdictions and it is your responsibility to determine the laws of thereof.

We make no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the lawfulness of your participation at these sites. You agree that clicking on the link to the Site does not constitute an offer, solicitation or invitation by us to play in any Jurisdiction in which such activities are prohibited or restricted.

Further, you understand and accept that Card Player is unable to provide any third party assurances; you agree that we are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused by or in connection with your participation at the Sites.
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