What Are the Best Online Poker Casinos in 2024?
We’ve done extensive research to find you the best online casinos in the UAE that offer online poker for real money. Read our extensive casino reviews to discover the world of online poker UAE so that you can play your favourite online poker games!
Is Playing Poker Online Games Legal In the UAE?
Online gambling is currently prohibited in the UAE, but there are a number of regulated international casinos with gambling licences that accept Emirati casino players.
In fact, UAE players can also try their favourite poker games online on casino VPNs.
Are Poker Online Games Rigged?
The short and sweet answer is no. These online poker games are developed using the latest software technology, which also ensures that each new poker game is random and fair. In addition, these online poker games are regularly tested by independent auditing bodies such as eCOGRA and iTech Labs.
Why Should You Play Poker Online?
One of the prime benefits of playing online poker UAE is that you can enjoy this casino game at your convenience from the comfort of your home. In addition, leading UAE casinos support poker games online on any mobile device.
It’s especially convenient for Emirati casino players, since offline poker is not always possible. Plus, you’ll find a wide variety of poker games online to choose from, from virtual tables to live dealers, up to exciting multi-player tournaments.
How to Play Poker Online With Friends
UAE casino players can register on a wide range of platforms together with their friends and set up an informal poker club where they can try out new games and test their skills. This presents a great chance to play online poker online for real money or for free.
All you have to do to play online poker with friends is to ensure that all your friends have an online account with the casino and then give them the codes to enter the private online poker game.
Are Online Poker and Live Poker Games Different?
Live poker is an innovative take on standard virtual poker games online that comes with a real live dealer presenting the poker game from a studio. Each game is streamed in high-quality video, and UAE players can take a seat at the virtual table to place their bets.
The rules of live poker are the same as online poker, with the main difference being the manner in which the game is presented. It is also common for live dealer poker games to have higher opening blinds and stakes in general.
Lastly, the pace of online poker games online is much faster than live poker, and online players may tend to find the live version a tad tedious.
| The World of Online Poker |
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| Poker online free games were first played in the Internet Relay Chat (IRC), an early online protocol for instant messaging. In 1998, Planet Poker was the first website to offer an online poker room with real-money games. |
Three Important Tips to Know Before Playing Online Poker For Real Money
Before playing online poker for real money, we suggest that you take into account the following tips to ensure a rewarding playing experience.
1. Master All the Rules, Positions, and Poker Hands
Online poker UAE may not be the most complicated online casino game, but it is important for Emirati players to have a good understanding of poker rules, odds, bets, and payouts.
We highly recommend you brush up on poker online rules, find a top casino online, and get comfortable with this exciting game! A good start to playing poker in Dubai is learning the different poker hands, which are a staple rule for most types of poker.
When it comes to table positions and betting, players should master the difference between big and small blinds: small blind refers to the position immediately clockwise from the live dealer’s position (and must pay ⅓ to ⅔ of a big blind), and the big blind is the player that sits two positions clockwise from the live dealer’s position.
2. Ensure You Understand the Key Concepts of a Poker Strategy
A poker strategy is one of the most essential tools to use if you want to learn how to play poker online. Even though poker in Dubai remains a game of chance, a good strategy can improve your odds at landing more winning hands and preserving your bankroll.
Practice is key, so we suggest starting off with a basic strategy and testing this out to see how it works for you. Below are some useful terms that every poker player in the UAE should know.
| Bluff | When you raise a bet on a hand that you know won’t win the game or isn’t the best hand. |
| Fold | When you discard your hand and forfeit your interests in the current pot. Folding your hand requires no further bets, and you can’t win. |
| Check | When you pass the wager onto the player on your left without placing any wager. This can only be done when nobody in the game has made a wager on the current street. For example, a wager has been made on the current street, and your options are to ‘call’, ‘fold’, or ‘raise’. |
| Call | You make a ‘call’ to match or ‘raise’ a wager. The wagering round will end when all players (who haven’t ‘folded’) have placed equal amounts. The player wins the pot if no opponents make a ‘call’ or ‘raise’. |
| Raise | When you ‘raise’, you increase the size of the existing pot. You may make a subsequent ‘raise’ or ‘re-raise’. The player that makes a ‘raise’ after previously making a ‘check’ will make a ‘check-raise’. |
| Limp | When you enter the pot by making a ‘call’ rather than a ‘raise’, it is called to ‘limp’ in. For instance, before the ‘flop’ in Texas Hold ’em, the player that doesn’t ‘raise’ but calls the big blind will be described as ‘limping’ in. |
| Flop/Preflop | The ‘preflop’ happens before the ‘flop’, the first betting round. The ‘flop’ is the second round of betting. For example, the ‘flop’ is when three cards are dealt to each player (face up), where all the cards must be used to construct the five-card hand. |
| Figuring out the odds | When you calculate the odds of the pot. Simply divide the total amount of the money you need to place in to make a ‘call’ by the total size of the current pot. |
3. Choose Your Best Personal Online Poker Variants
There are many online poker variants that UAE players can discover, with battles between you and the video poker computer and intense table games between real players. Each variant offers something unique and a range of rich options, which we’ve compiled in a quick summary.
- Texas Hold ’em: Each player gets two cards dealt to them, and several betting rounds are made where each of the five community cards is then revealed.
- Omaha: Each player is dealt four cards and must use two of their cards with three of the five community cards to get a final hand.
- 7-Card Stud: Has no community cards, and players place bets solely on the cards they’re dealt, resulting in fewer high hands.
- Five Card Draw: Each player is dealt five cards followed by a wagering round, and then up to three cards are discarded. Additional cards will be given back related to as many as were discarded.
| Aiming for that Royal Flush |
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| Texas Hold’em Poker is the most popular variant of poker played in the world and is also known as No-Limit Hold ’em (NLHE), which is then played with no-limit bets. |
How You Can Improve Your Game
When learning how to play poker online, experience is the best tool in your arsenal. Practice as much as possible and learn various strategies as you go along. However, before you start playing online poker for real money, take a look at the following summary of tips.
- Play when you feel like it
Never play poker online when you’re not having fun, as you’re more likely to make bad decisions when playing in a poor emotional state. Always gamble responsibly and never chase your losses!
- Learn and understand the concept of Game Theory Optimal (GTO)
You can use GTO to optimize your gameplay and only play a variation of a poker game once you fully understand the basics to better your skills.
- Play fewer hands and play them aggressively
Once you’ve mastered the basics and the general ebbs and flow of a poker game, you can start taking bigger risks by playing more aggressively.
- Be patient!
In poker, patience is a virtue, so you should know when to wait and when the time is right.
- Analyse your opponents
Analysing your opponents is an important skill, and you should learn it well. Even when playing live poker online, it is important to take note of the different ways in which other players act during the course of a game.
- Practice for free
There are various platforms online with a beginner section where players can learn poker in Dubai for free. Some of the best online casinos in the UAE also supply poker games online that allow free play in demo mode.
- Watch streamers to discover new tips
There are also a great number of poker streamers on platforms such as Twitch where you can watch professionals strategising and playing some of the best poker online.
| The Rise of Professional Poker Players |
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| Veldhuis is part of the PokerStars Team Online, and he has been playing professional poker for over 16 years. He was awarded Streamer of the Year in 2018 at the Global Poker Awards. Somerville was the WSOP Champion of 2011 and was in the final money in the European Tour, World Poker Tour, and in five finals for the WSOP. |
Enjoying Online Poker on Your Mobile Phone
With the leaps and bounds made in mobile casino technologies, UAE players can enjoy a chat, auto-bet, check, and fold automatic commands at online live dealer games anywhere, 24/7. There’s no limit to mobile phone poker variations you can access on the go.
Global Online Poker, Anywhere and Anytime
Poker online remains one of the most sought-after casino games across the globe, making it a staple addition to leading UAE casinos. Emirati players can register at these websites, claim a casino bonus, and start testing out their poker skills today.
Each online casino that we review comes with its unique offerings, tournaments, and poker variants. Check out our top recommended online poker casinos we’ve vetted for you, so you don’t have to. Good luck!
Frequently asked questions
