Montana has been crowned by Gambling.com as the Most Poker-Mad State ahead of the conclusion of the 2025 World Series of Poker later this month (July 15-16). Montana has 24 poker rooms and a small population of 1.14 million, topping the table with 2.11 poker rooms per 100,000 residents.
Synonymous with gambling and seen as the poker capital of the world, Nevada surprisingly misses out on the top spot in our most poker-mad state rankings. Known as the Granite State, New Hampshire rounds out the podium places with 0.99 poker rooms per 100,000 residents.
The Cowboy State of Wyoming is #4, with a score of 0.51 poker rooms per 100,000 residents. Although the state only has three poker rooms, its small population means it ranks near the top of our list.
Texas has 84 poker rooms, the most out of any state. However, its huge population of 31.2 million means it’s towards the bottom of the Top 10 (#9). Michigan is next, with 0.26 poker rooms per 100,000 residents.
Poker rooms have long been part of the United States’ gaming culture. From the Las Vegas card rooms to smaller local venues scattered across the country, poker remains a popular pastime and competitive sport. Poker in the U.S. evolved from earlier European gambling games, gaining popularity in the early 19th century, particularly in the Mississippi River region.
Taking place at arguably the home of gambling, Las Vegas, the 2025 World Series of Poker offers an array of tournaments with various buy-ins and formats that attract professionals and amateurs alike. Concluding on July 16, the world famous competition inspired Gambling.com to find out which states are the most poker-mad.
Our findings may surprise you.
To work out which states are most poker-mad, the Gambling.com team researched how many poker rooms each state has, along with its population. The team then calculated the number of poker rooms per 100,000 residents and ranked them from most to least per capita, resulting in the Treasure State of Montana coming out on top. Please see the findings below:
Montana Goes All In: A State Mad About Poker
The state of Montana has been crowned by Gambling.com as the Most Poker-Mad State. With 24 poker rooms and a small population of 1.14 million, it resulted in an impressive score of 2.11 poker rooms per 100,000 residents. This is far ahead of the next nearest state, Nevada.
We have already proven that Montana loves bingo, but they also clearly enjoy the game of poker. In Billings, Helena, Bozeman and Missoula, a number of poker rooms offer games for players.
Although Nevada doesn’t occupy the top spot, it is not surprising that the state where Las Vegas and Reno are located is near the top of our rankings. Synonymous with gambling and seen by many as the poker capital of the world, Nevada is #2 in our most poker-mad state rankings. The reason why Nevada misses out on top spot is due to its larger population, with 3.2 million residents and 37 poker rooms, which works out at 1.13 poker rooms per 100,00 residents.
Known as the Granite State, New Hampshire rounds out the podium places for our most poker-mad state rankings. Bordering Vermont and Maine, New Hampshire has poker rooms in many locations, including Hampton, Salem and Rochester. With a small population of 1.4 million and 14 poker rooms, New Hampshire has 0.99 poker rooms per 100,000 residents.
Poker States: Hot on the Heels of the Top Three
The Cowboy State of Wyoming is #4 with a score of 0.51 poker rooms per 100,000 residents. Although the state only has three poker rooms, its small population means the state ranks near the top of our list.
The rest of the Top 10 features Washington at #5 with 0.48, Oregon at #6 (0.47) and North Dakota at #7 (0.38). Tied for #8 are Mississippi and Texas with 0.27 poker rooms per 100,000 residents each.
Texas has 84 poker rooms – the most of any state, but with its huge population of 31.2 million, it languishes near the bottom of our Top 10 list. Michigan rounds out the Top 10 – 0.26 poker rooms per 100,000 residents.
California & New York Not Poker Fans
The large states of California and New York missed out on a Top 10 spot. The Golden State was tied for #15, despite having the second most number of poker rooms with 60. Meanwhile the Empire State is down in a lowly #T36. The main contributing factor to both of these states’ low rankings is their large populations. However, New York does only have five poker rooms.
https://www.gambling.com/us/news/montana-deals-itself-top-hand-ahead-of-las-vegas-poker-classic
