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Best Poker Sites Allowed in Albania 2024
Albania is a very colorful and unique European country with various cultures and almost 3 million people coexisting on a small piece of land. Historically, Albania went through numerous changes, many of which have affected how the country's gambling market is developing. But how are things with online poker in the country right now? Are Albanian grinders allowed to play it legally? And finally, how to find the best poker sites? This is what we will try to find out in this article.
Best online poker sites for Albanian players
The times when playing online poker in Albania was legal are gone, as the government decided to ban almost any type of gambling activity in 2018. But does it mean regular Albanians can't play at foreign sites? Fortunately for them, it does not. While the 2018 bill covers the operation of online rooms within the country's legislation, international platforms are still available to Albanians as long as the site itself does not restrict access from the country.
In this regard, the only task left for Albanian poker enthusiasts is to find sites allowed in Albania and screen out the most suitable options.
| Rank | Poker Site | Deposit Bonus |
|---|---|---|
1 | up to $600 | |
2 | 40% rakeback | |
3 | up to $2000 | |
5 | up to $1000 |
GGPoker
GGPoker is one of the most reputable brands in the online poker industry with millions of regular users from all over the world enjoying the best it has to offer. Its game library features the most legendary games including Texas Hold'Em and Omaha, as well as less popular, yet notable variations.
Not only is GG Poker not restricted to Albanian players, but it also offers generous bonuses to reward newcomers and loyal customers. Those who have just signed up at GGPoker can count on a 100% match bonus for the first deposit of up to $600 or an alternative of 100 bucks in free tickets that can be used later in the game.
BetOnline
BetOnline is the flagship skin of the US-focused Chico Network. Albanians are welcome to register and enjoy a $1,000 first deposit bonus, a crypto-friendly cashier, and a unique rakeback deal from WPD. We highlight the presence of sports fans from America playing at the tables.
PokerKing
PokerKing is a trusted skin of the Winning Poker Network, rewarding players with a massive welcome bonus of up to $2,000 after registering with us; you will also take part in weekly rake races, the Elite Benefits VIP Program and a profitable rakeback deal from our side. About the traffic, the action starts at NL/PLO2 up to NL/PLO5k, Spin&Go, and high roller MTTs.
How to choose the best online poker site in Albania?
The importance of choosing a poker room that would be both legit and pleasant to use is certainly not to be taken lightly. Therefore, we suggest you pick the site to play on based on these critical aspects:
- Trustworthiness of an operator. Any reliable operator is always open about the licensing authority they work with. If you don't see a banner or it has no link attached to it, leave the website and never provide them with your personal information.
- Game portfolio. Even though the majority of people playing online poker prefer Texas Hold'Em, having an opportunity to choose from a wide game library and explore something new is always a plus.
- User-friendliness. A good-looking and user-friendly design will make it easier to use and navigate and will also be pleasing to the eye, which is especially important if you are planning to choose and stick with one place long-term.
Online poker in Albania
Despite a somewhat edgy jurisdiction regarding Albanian poker laws, in general, a lot of people there still enjoy the game just as much as anywhere else. Since the majority of big international sites allow Albanian users, there are quite many options to choose from.
If you are keen to experience true poker with professional croupiers, watch other people's actions, and fumble chips, you should attend land-based casinos or poker clubs. It goes without saying that Albania is not a casino-oriented country, but the Albanians, as well as other people visiting the country, have a couple of ways to enjoy live games. Grand Casino Tirana, The Regency Casino, and the Albania Poker Club, all of which are situated in the country's capital Tirana, are great places to hit the tables.
Albania legal poker background
Since 1991, Albania had been open to gambling until very recently, when in 2018, the government passed a bill prohibiting almost any activity. While it has hugely affected every casino operator within the country, normal Albanians are still allowed to participate in online gambling without risking breaking the law.
Albanian Gambling Supervision Authority (GSA) is an official governmental authority responsible for setting up and regulating gambling activities in Albania, including poker. Based on the latest law, land-based casinos are only allowed in tourist areas, the lion's share of which are in Tirana.
At the same time, the law has not been as warm to local online casinos, eventually seeing all of them going out of business. As a result, Albanians started looking for other ways of playing in online poker rooms outside the country.
Available deposit and withdrawal methods
As in many other countries with active gambling regulations, players should use electronic payment methods such as e-wallets or even better, cryptocurrencies:
- E-wallets (Neteller, Skrill, ecoPayz, etc.);
- Cryptocurrencies.
The law, however, does not indicate whether or not the winnings received from online poker are subject to taxation. When it comes to winnings received in land-based venues, players must pay an income tax of 13% for the winnings of up to 150 thousand leks and 23% for any amount exceeding 150 thousand leks.
Best Albania poker players
As you already know, Albania is not really a poker nation. Nevertheless, it has given the world a couple of rather talented players.
- Muhamet Perati is the most famous poker player in Albania and, in fact, the most successful, topping the country's list with $620,000 of total live earnings. To this day, Perati continues his career, frequently taking part in various international events.
- Mario Llapi. Taking second place in Albania's all-time money list, Llapi has managed to win almost $330,00 throughout his career.
- Albano Llani. Last seen at the World Series of Poker Circuit in the Czech Republic, Llani completes the top-3 most successful Albanian players with over $280,000 under his belt.
Summary
Overall, the legal situation with poker in the country is far from ideal. For example, local operators cannot launch rooms inside the country, while the license for land-based clubs is still hard to obtain. Nonetheless, Albanians can choose from an abundance of great sites and play the game both for free and for real money.
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