Many Israel poker players access online poker games as a means of playing poker while under the governmental restrictions of the 1977 Israeli Penal Law 5737. In 2005, the law was used to close down most live poker games around Israel, making Israeli online poker even more popular. Israel does not currently have an explicit ban against Israeli online poker. However, the government is proposing such regulation. Meanwhile, Israel’s poker players access online poker games at some of the larger international poker sites to play poker from Israel.
Israeli online poker sites offer players a variety of deposit options, popular game selections and an easy to navigate site with good customer service for players. Most online poker sites are open to Israeli poker players. A few may not accept Israel poker players due to national restrictions regarding Israel online poker play.
Israel Poker Site Features
The best Israel online poker sites include options for Israeli players like:
- accepting Israeli online poker players
- may offer deposits in Shekels plus other currencies
- Hebrew language game tables
- poker room sites with Hebrew language settings for the player’s account
Israel Poker Game Variations
Most Israel online poker players enjoy popular variations of poker such as Limit and No Limit Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven and Five Card Stud, Five Card Draw and mixed games. A head-to-head face up poker variation is known as Israeli Poker, though its origins are unknown. Israeli Poker plays with the same hand rankings as No Limit Hold’em.
Israeli Poker players receive five face-up cards to begin five columns. The columns create the five-card Israeli poker hand. Deuces play as wild cards. Players place the last card face down to create a showdown. In the showdown, players compare each column and the stronger ranking poker hand wins each column.
Israel Poker Deposit Methods
With the government’s interest in banning Israel online poker sites, more banking institutions and e-wallets are refusing customers from Israel. The most common solution for Israeli poker players is using major credit cards at the larger international sites in order to fund a real money poker account. Sites that accept Israeli players also accept Israeli poker deposit methods like MasterCard and Visa credit cards, especially if the cards are based in an offsite location that is not directly connected to an Israeli bank.
Israel Poker Player Bonuses
Sites accepting Israeli players typically offer bonuses at registration on an initial real money deposit. Israel poker players using credit cards may still claim a poker player bonus if it is available. Israeli poker players may qualify for rakeback bonuses according to the terms of the poker room.
Is Is Legal To Play Online Poker In Israel?
At the moment, there is not a clear national law in Israel that prohibits playing online poker in Israel. However, the police and government have enforced the Israeli Penal Law 5737 for closing down live poker rooms in Israel, though this law does not specifically include online poker. Current legislators are proposing a total ban of Israel online poker sites and online poker play from anywhere within Israel. This would require Internet providers to block any access to an online poker site. Many Israel online poker players take advantage of the unclear status of the national law to access major international poker rooms where Israeli poker players are still welcome.