Bitcoin poker sites are responsible for American poker players, and others around the world, returning to virtual tables in large numbers. If you happened to hold an account at PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and/or Absolute Poker on April 15 of 2011, and you live in the United States, you remember all too well what happens when you finance your online gambling account with a currency that is recognized and regulated by a government entity. Tens of thousands of US and international poker players had their accounts frozen when the United States Department of Justice issued an indictment against the three largest online poker websites in that country. The US DOJ accused those web operators of illegal banking practices, and though not one single poker player has ever been charged with any illegal activity in that case, all player funds were frozen. What does that history lesson have to do with Bitcoin poker? Only everything.

Bitcoin poker sites offer many alternative and traditional banking methods, but the virtual currency that is the Bitcoin appears perfectly made for the Internet, and even more well-suited for online poker players. Whether your game Is Texas Hold 'Em or Omaha, the decentralized nature of Bitcoins is truly a beautiful thing. It is not based on precious metals like gold or silver, or any other physical product or object. The currency works as a basic agreement between you and any other person or company that agrees to use it as a means of determining value. This peer-to-peer virtual currency currently has no purchasing fees, and cannot be taxed or regulated by any government. That means the horrific Black Friday poker site shut-down which happened in 2011 will never claim online poker player accounts which have been opened in Bitcoins.

Bitcoin poker is slowly reversing much of the damage done to the online poker industry after that 2011 DOJ ruling. When then amateur Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker after qualifying in a $40 satellite tournament, Internet poker exploded. There were 839 players in the Main Event Hold 'Em tournament championship that year, and the next year Moneymaker's Internet qualifying success tripled that number to 2,576 entrants. And though the WSOP is played in a physical setting, gamblers at virtual tables flocked to online poker sites in the hopes of duplicating Moneymaker's success. By 2006 WSOP Main Event entries had increased to 8,773 players, and online poker was big business. But that all changed in 2011, with the result that many US poker players actually moved out of the country so they could legally continue enjoying pot limit, no limit, Hold 'Em, Stud and other forms of their favorite poker games without running afoul of legislators.

That is why Bitcoin poker sites which honor this ingenious and unique new currency model are so important to the online gambling community. Each different state in the US has the opportunity to develop its own piece of legislation regarding the legalities of online poker. And every country seems to have a different idea about what is and is not legal for online poker players regarding the banking option they choose, and how payment processes should be regulated. But Bitcoin online poker creates an even playing field across all jurisdictions and physical boundaries. Governed by no central regulating authority, and based on no physical product or resource, the Bitcoin business model is attracting poker players back to the Internet now that they can safely play, knowing that their accounts cannot be frozen or touched in any way.

And when you identify legitimate offshore websites and poker rooms which have obtained legal online gambling licensing and offer Bitcoin poker, you receive the benefits of a reputable and trustworthy online poker experience. (Don't worry about spending hours surfing the web, we identify the top Bitcoin poker rooms right here on our website.) Bitcoin online poker also means no processing fees when you make a withdrawal, and Bitcoin transactions are processed in minutes or hours, not days or weeks like traditional poker room withdrawals. As the Bitcoin virtual currency model grows in popularity, and it is exploding right now, more websites will begin to honor this convenient, safe and secure deposit and withdrawal method. As they do, we will review and recommend those legal Bitcoin poker sites which deliver the best experience, the biggest welcome bonuses, a wide variety of table stakes and access to your favorite poker games. Whether Hold 'Em, Seven Stud or Crazy Pineapple is your game, we recommend the sites below for the best Bitcoin poker the Internet has to offer.

Bitcoin.org - go to website to learn anything and everything about bitcoin.

Coinbase - highest rated digital wallet where you can buy and sell bitcoins.

Bitcoin Talk - most popular forum community for bitcoin enthusiasts.