Online poker games using play-money dont fall under the category of gambling because fake currency or chips, which have no intrinsic value, are used by players to take part in a game. As a result, nothing of actual value is won or lost. While some play-money poker games may be intended for the sole purpose of entertainment, some may be used by beginners to understand the basic rules, strategies, and structure of a poker game and to become accustomed to online poker software. Advanced players may also use play-money games to sharpen key skills and to experiment with new strategies.

The play style in play-money poker is often very loose and aggressive, and its main difference from real-money poker is in the preflop strategies. Loose preflop-play is common in play-money games, while real-money players will play tighter preflop and only see the flop with certain hands since they dont want to risk losing money. There are also some similarities between play-money and real-money poker. For example, the only difference between multi-table play-money tournaments and large Freerolls is that Freerolls include real prize money.

Experts do not recommend playing online poker with play-money if youre thinking of playing serious poker later on. Thats because winning a play-money poker game becomes very easy since nobody actually cares about winning or losing. Becoming accustomed to that style of play environment will reflect in real money games where everybody on the table will play to win the pot, maneuvering the game in the most unexpected directions.