Key points
- In peer-to-peer poker you play against other players. The site earns from rake in cash games and fees in tournaments.
- Skill matters over many hands, but short-term results are dominated by variance.
- Liquidity, meaning how many players are at your stakes and formats, decides what games you can actually find.
- Casino poker games such as Casino Hold'em are played against the house, with a fixed house edge.
Formats
| Format | How you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash games | Rake: a percentage of each pot up to a cap | Buy in and leave any time; blinds stay fixed |
| Multi-table tournaments | Buy-in plus fee, for example €10 + €1 | Large fields, top-heavy prizes, long sessions |
| Sit & go | Buy-in plus fee | Starts when the seats fill |
| Fast-fold formats | Rake | You move to a new table after folding |
Rake in numbers
At a table with 5% rake capped at €3, a €40 pot pays €2 rake. A player with a small winning edge can lose overall because of rake, especially at low stakes where the cap rarely applies. A tournament fee of €1 on a €10 buy-in is 9% of what you pay in.
Skill and variance
Better decisions win money from weaker players over many hands. Over a few hundred hands, though, luck dominates. Manage your bankroll so that a bad run does not force you to stop or move up in stakes.
Liquidity and player pools
Some countries restrict player pools to locally licensed sites, which reduces traffic. Check that tables at your stakes are running at the times you play.
Fair play
- Look for published policies on collusion, bots and real-time assistance tools.
- Certified random number generators should be used for the deal.
- Know how the site handles disputes and frozen accounts.
Casino poker vs poker
Casino Hold'em, Three Card Poker and video poker are played against the house with fixed paytables, so the house edge applies whatever your skill. They belong with live casino games. For crypto-funded rooms, see crypto poker.
Licensing
Online poker is licensed nationally. Germany, for example, lists online poker among the products that can be licensed. Check your country in the regulation hub.
Sources
- Europäisches Verbraucherzentrum Deutschland, Welches Online-Glücksspiel ist in Deutschland legal?. Online poker as a licensable product in Germany. Checked 3 November 2026.
Limitations: rake and fee figures are illustrative; each site sets its own.