To play online poker, you must first download poker software to your computer. This software requires a small amount of memory and should not take very long to download. There are also no download versions of the game you can play at any poker site, but these do not offer all of the features of the full download. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a quick start game, these can be very useful. They will help you choose a game, stakes, and number of players and will instantly seat you in the game.

Another big difference between online and live games is the speed of play. The pace of play in online games is much faster, which artificially affects the short-term results. You can log as many hands as 10 times more hands compared to live games. While this difference may seem negligible, it can have a huge impact on your overall poker experience.

Depending on your country of residence, there may be restrictions on online poker. Certain states may not allow you to play poker online, and there are only a few licensed sites in the US. However, these websites are increasingly increasing their anti-fraud measures, which can include checking player’s computers for IP addresses. This can help the website to identify multiple players from a single location, which can lead to collusion and illegal activity.

However, online poker is legal in some states, including New York. The state government’s Office of Online Poker Regulation and Supervision has published a report that shows that online poker has increased by nearly 20% in 2017. As of the beginning of 2018, there are several different online poker sites in the U.S. This includes PokerStars, BetMGM, and the WSOP, which provides interstate online poker in four states.