Online poker is becoming more and more popular, but it can still be intimidating for newcomers to the game. Each site has its own rules and might not even be accessible depending on where you live. Add in the fact that many of them force you to risk real money in order to play and it can be off-putting. However, there are plenty of great free-to-play poker games out there for players to try if they aren’t quite ready to risk their hard-earned cash just yet.

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is one of the best sandbox games of all time, which means Rockstar spent plenty of time populating the world with mini-games for players to spend time on. One of the best of these is the poker game that can be played in the in-game casino, which can net you loads of money to use in the game with relatively little effort. The poker available in Grand Theft Auto V is the three-card variety, which might seem strange to newcomers who are mostly used to the Texas Hold’em style, but it can be picked up quickly enough.

Stacked with Daniel Negreanu

Daniel Negreanu is recognized as one of the greatest poker players of all time and helped release this game during the heyday of pro poker. Stacked was released in 2006 and featured a surprisingly robust AI. Despite some of the performance issues and bugs (which were eventually patched out), the game remains one of the best poker video games of all time. Few games before or after have captured the tension of taking on one of the several poker pros who appear in the game.

Prominence Poker

This game is available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms and pits players against AI opponents in the story mode, but for a real challenge players should seek out a table with other human players. With plenty of avatar customization and a solid interpretation of Texas Hold’em rules, there is a lot to enjoy with Prominence Poker. The environment is atmospheric and leans into the underground poker room vibe that the game is built around, so fans of Guy Ritchie movies will feel right at home here.

Appeak Poker

Sometimes simplicity is the best approach, which is how Appeak Poker became one of the most popular free-to-play poker apps on the planet. It doesn’t clutter up the interface with unnecessary images or buttons. Its Play Now button will get you into a game in just a few seconds, so you don’t need to waste any time setting up or trying to learn a new set of rules.

Governor of Poker 3

Governor of Poker 3 is the third in the series and remains the best edition. New players get $30k in chips to get them started, which helps drive the high pots you’ll often see in the game. The wild west aesthetic is a classic poker motif, but it works well here. Plus, there are plenty of in-game tournaments and events that are run alongside the ability to play against friends, so you’ll have lots to do in the game.