How To Gamble Online In The USA
Gambling online in the United States is easy. Players accept huge welcome bonuses, then pick from hundreds of casino games for their real money play. If you've never played at a casino site, here is a quick guide to playing casino games online.
How We Rate The Top USA Online Casinos
If you're new to US online casinos, you might not know where to start when choosing a provider. Use the following checklist to decide which online casinos are safe and which sites are the best for your needs. Each player has slightly different wants and needs but the following list should be important to all players.
Safety and Security: Choose a site known for keeping transactions and online betting safe and secure. That means 128-bit or 256-bit encryption. The site also must have a reputation for paying withdrawals reliability and on-time. Avoid sites with a reputation for slow payment or no payment. Avoid casinos which aren't licensed in the USA.
Welcome Bonus: The welcome bonus is promotional cash sites offer to players to test-drive their casino. If a player enjoys the casino's games, they keep playing. From a player's perspective, they get free cash to play select games for entertainment and ease of use. The welcome bonus effectively lowers the house edge, giving you a chance to win real payouts without risking your hard-earned money.
Convenient Deposits: Players want to use their favorite payment method, whether it's a credit card, debit card, web wallet, bank transfer, or cryptocurrency. Credit card users want to stack cashback and rewards with the casino bonus. Thus, US players want casinos that support many banking options, especially their favorite one. Our reviews list all banking methods, along with deposit and withdrawal limits for each.
Game Selection: Once technical factors are out of the way, it's all about the games. Many casino sites use multiple software providers to give a maximum variety of slots and table games. We review the game selection, describing the number and type of games available. You'll want to build a checklist of favorite games to compare against a site's game selection.
Mobile Casino Apps: At least 50% of online players are now mobile players. Legitimate online casinos now feature Android and iPhone apps, or the ability to play mobile casino games in a browser without a download. Either way, mobile players will look for sites that support play on Android and iOS devices on 100% of their game selection.
Fast Withdrawals: When it's time to cash out, players want fast and reliable payouts. Crypto users receive fast, secure payouts within a matter of hours. Those who use credit cards, PayPal, or bank wire transfers take several days. Fast therefore is a relative term, but the key factor is knowing that you'll be paid within a reliable time frame.
Customer Service: The best casinos strive to avoid compatibility concerns and tech issues, but play long enough and issues arise. When they do, you want customer representatives who are knowledgeable, helpful, fluent, polite, and available 24 hours a day. Casinos' support staff should have a toll-free phone number, email address, and live chat feature.
Online Casinos Vs Land-Based Casinos: The Pros And Cons
Online casinos are the ultimate in convenience for US gamblers, especially in the age of mobile casino apps and live dealer games. If you're considering a trip to a land-based casino but want to know whether casinos online are a better option for you, here are factors to consider.
Where Is Online Gambling Legal In The U.S.?: State-By-State Gambling Guide
- Arkansas: In March 2022, Arkansas legalized online sports betting. Online casino regulation is far off, despite the expansion of land-based gambling in recent years.
- Arizona: Online casino betting remains unregulated, so you'll need to play at offshore online casinos. Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law HB 2772 in early 2021, which legalized sports betting in the state's land-based casinos. This allowed 20 sports betting licenses in all.
- California: California lawmakers tried 11 times in a 10 year period to pass an online poker bill, but two groups of tribal casino authorities could not agree on the "Bad Actor" clause that affected PokerStars. Thus, California online gamblers must play at offshore online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks.
- Colorado: Colorado has unregulated online casino betting. To prop up its land-based casino industry, Colorado legalized sports betting in May 20202.
- Connecticut: In May 2021, Connecticut passed land-based sports betting, online casinos, and online poker. In October 2021, online gambling became available through the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods websites.
- Illinois: Illinois doesn't regulate online casinos, so residents still play at offshore casino sites. The state did legalize intrastate online and mobile sportsbooks in 2020. Ten riverboat casinos continue to operate, as well.
- Indiana: Indiana launched online sports betting in 2020 for single-state bettors, but online casinos are not regulated by the state. Indiana casino gamblers must play at offshore casino sites.
- Iowa: Iowa dabbled with online gambling legislation in the past few years, but lawmakers never came close to passing it. Instead, the state passed an online sports betting law with remote registration in January 2020. Since then, land-based casinos can host online sportsbooks.
- Louisiana: Like many other states on this list, Louisiana does not have regulated online casinos. It did license five online sportsbooks connected to land-based casinos. On January 28, 2022, those Sportsbooks went live.
- Maryland: Maryland doesn't have licensed online casinos, but Gov. Larry Hogan signed a sports betting law into effect after a 2020 referendum passed. Maryland will have 60 online sports betting licenses, though no sportsbooks have gone live yet. One is set aside for the FedEx Field, the home stadium of the Washington Commanders.
- Michigan: Michigan legalized online casinos, online poker, and land-based sports betting in December 2019. Sportsbooks launched on March 11, 2020, while online gambling launched on January 22, 2021. Michigan also joined the Multi-State Internet Gambling Association (MSIGA) — known as the Interstate Poker Compact — on April 12, 2022.
- Mississippi: Mississippi was one of the first states to pass legal sports betting, but it's administered much differently than most states. One sportsbook operates, but players must visit a brick-and-mortar casino to make a sports wager. Online casinos and online poker remain unregulated.
- Montana: Online casinos and poker sites remain unregulated in Big Sky Country at the present. Sports betting is allowed, but it must be done at a physical location through a licensed sales agent.
- Nevada: The Silver State is a weird mix of laws. It has legalized online poker, but it doesn't regulate online casinos. Nevada is part of the Interstate Poker Compact, but only one poker website operates. Online casino players must play at offshore casino sites.
- New Hampshire: New Hampshire features online lottery ticket sales and online sports betting. Otherwise, online gambling is unregulated. New Hampshire residents play at offshore online casinos for real money.
- New Jersey: The Garden State currently has the largest online gambling industry in the USA. Atlantic City casinos and New Jersey horse tracks can launch online gambling portals, including online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks. New Jersey is also part of the MSIGA.
- New York: The Empire State has flirted with the regulation of online poker sites in the past, but licensed online casinos don't appear in the cards. New York legalized retail sports betting tied to online and mobile sportsbooks on January 8, 2022.
- Ohio: Gov. Mike DeWine continues to talk about legalizing online gambling but nothing has happened as of yet. Ohio did legalize retail sports betting and online sportsbooks in 2021. The law stipulates up to 25 online Sportsbook sites and 40 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. Liquor license holders can have two sports betting kiosks, though the law has a legal deadline of January 1, 2023 — so stayed tuned.
- Pennsylvania: In October 2018, Pennsylvania passed an omnibus gambling bill for licensed online casinos and poker sites, land-based sports betting and DFS, video lottery terminals (VLTs), and airport tablet betting. Many believe Pennsylvania will join the Interstate Poker Compact, but it's not happened yet.
- Rhode Island: Online gambling remains unregulated, so residents play at offshore online casinos. Rhode Island added retail sports betting in 2019, so bettors can make wagers at the Twin Rivers Casino complex.
- Tennessee: Tennessee doesn't have regulated online casinos and poker sites, so players gamble at offshore gaming sites. As of November 2020, Tennessee has online-only sports betting.
- Virginia: In January 2021, Virginia passed online sports betting. Real money online casino and poker betting takes place at offshore gambling sites.
- Washington DC: Players in the District of Columbia must play casino games and poker events at offshore online casinos and cardrooms. Bettors can make sports bets in two different ways. One, they can use the mobile sports betting apps Gambet from the DC Lottery. Two, they can enter licensed sportsbooks.
- Washington State: Unlike most other US states, the State of Washington strictly bans online gambling, perhaps because it is a global center of the online gaming industry (Steam/Valve, Twitch, Popcap, etc). Residents should be careful when playing online casino games for real money.
- West Virginia: Since the late summer of 2019, bettors in the Mountaineer State can make mobile sports bets. Five land-based casinos also launched online casino games in July 2020.
- Wyoming: Players in the Equality State must play casino games online at offshore gaming sites. Since late 2021, sports bettors could make online wagers at the state's licensed online sportsbooks.
US Online Casino Payment Methods
US online casino players have a wide variety of banking methods. Here is a quick rundown of the broad categories. If you use crypto payments in other online transactions, we recommend choosing Bitcoin or another crypto. They are safe and fast, while casinos offer the biggest bonuses for crypto deposits.
Credit Card Deposits: The best online casinos support Visa and MasterCard deposits. American Express and Discover Card are not universal, but you'll find them at many US online casinos. Credit cards, prepaid cards, and gift cards with the Visa, MasterCard, and Amex brands also work.
Bitcoin Deposits: Because of blockchain technology, Bitcoin is the fastest, safest, most private, and yet most transparent way to fund your casino account. Cryptocurrencies like Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Dash provide similar security.
Ethereum Deposits: Ethereum is a later cryptocurrency that's become popular for deposits at US online casinos. It works faster than Bitcoin and the ability to execute smart contracts.
Web Wallets: Neteller and Skrill are prominent e-wallets that many US online casinos support. Web wallets cost a fee, but provide an additional layer of security and privacy for US players.
PayPal: The official electronic payment method of Ebay is also a deposit option for players enjoying the best USA gambling sites.
Bank Wire Transfers: If you wish to move money from a casino to a bank account, use bank wire transfers. These cost a fee and take a bit longer, but are a secure method for depositing and withdrawing casino funds.
Eco Card Deposits: EcoPayz partners with MasterCard to give MasterCard and Maestro users their own e-wallet service. Eco Card deposits give credit card and debit card users an additional layer of protection.
Peer-to-Peer Services: At some casino sites, players can use peer-to-peer payment services like MatchPay and Person2Person to fund their accounts. MatchPay is important because it helps players transfer funds from Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, and CashApp.
Online Casino Games: US Players' Favorites
Play long enough and Americans will encounter many exotic online casino games. Most of the sites we recommend feature a core of traditional casino games. They also feature lottery and raffle-type games in their specialty games sections. Here is a rundown of the casino games you'll encounter.
Brief Information On Legal US Online Gambling
- Sports Betting: Since a May 14, 2018 ruling by the US Supreme Court, individual US states have the right to legalize sports betting. Land-based casinos now host sportsbooks, if the local state allows it. Online sports betting is also legal (if a state approves), but only if it's handled in one single state. Interstate online sports betting remains illegal. Over 20 US states now have legal sports betting.
- Casinos: Commercial casinos and tribal casinos operate throughout the United States. 18 US states have commercial casinos, 6 others have riverboat casinos, and 31 have tribal casinos. Six US states also have legal online casinos. In the other states, players must gamble online at offshore online casinos.
- Poker: Poker is played at land-based casinos and local poker clubs throughout the USA. Most big casinos have a poker room. Only 7 US states allow legalized online poker. Card players in most other states must play at offshore online cardrooms. Private poker games are left to the individual US states.
- Lottery: At present, 45 US states have lottery betting. Each of these states have its own state lottery. They also are members of the two multi-state lottery associations: Powerball and Mega Millions. Only Alabama, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, and Alaska don't have lottery games.
- Horse Betting: 39 of 50 US states have legalized pari-mutuel betting at horse tracks. Since the 1978 Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, race tracks can broadcast their races to other tracks and accept betting (called simulcasting). Since then, many states have added off-track betting venues — called OTBs.
- Charitable Gaming: 46 states have charitable gambling, though the type of allowed gambling differs greatly between states. Charitable bingo is most common, but also raffles, pull-tabs, poker nights, millionaires clubs, and pickle games are also popular. Hawaii, Utah, Arkansas, and Tennessee are the only states without charitable gambling.
USA Federal Gambling Laws
One reason that US gambling laws are so complicated and confusing is the fact that federal gambling laws are confusing. Players must navigate state and federal gambling laws, due to the Dual Sovereignty clause of the US Constitution. Specifically, three federal laws have a major effect on US online gamblers: The Wire Act, PASPA, and UIGEA. One of those laws no longer applies.
- 1961 Wire Act: Made it illegal to make interstate sports bets over the telephone lines. Used by the FBI to go after organized crime for decades. Later used as a model for the UIGEA, which went after illegal online sportsbooks.
- 1992 PASPA: Law which made it a federal crime to make sports bets in 46 US states. Four states had existing sports betting laws grandfathered in: Nevada, Montana, Oregon, and Delaware. In 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled these exemptions were unconstitutional, due to the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution. Since then, over 20 US states have legalized sports betting.
- 2006 UIGEA: Designed to make illegal over the Internet the same forms of gambling that the Wire Act made illegal for phone lines. Since then, the debate has been on what was illegal under the wire act: just sports betting or also casino gaming and poker. Currently, the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel says UIGEA affects interstate online sports betting, but not online casinos or online poker sites.
Legal US Online Casinos
A handful of US states have legal online casinos. By "legal", we mean that states license certain online casinos themselves, then regulate, audit, and tax those sites. Many unregulated gaming sites also exist. These sites are regulated and audited by offshore online regulatory agencies. For now, let's take a look at the states with legal US online casinos.
- New Jersey: Since 2013, New Jersey has had legal online casinos through world-famous Atlantic City casinos like Borgata, Golden Nugget, and Sportsbook. They partner with top online casino operators.
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania began launching licensed online casino sites through its land-based casinos in 2019. Operators like Parx Casino, SugarHouse Casino, and Hollywood Casino also operate legally.
- Michigan: Michigan launched legal online casinos in 2021 and 2022. Top MI casinos include MGM Detroit, Greektown Casino, and MotorCity Casino.
- West Virginia: Starting in July 2020, West Virginia land-based casinos began launching legal online casino sites. Hollywood Casino Charles Town is a top operator.
- Delaware: Since 2013, Delaware has had legal online casinos. Three racetracks — Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Racecourse — each have their own gaming portal.
- Connecticut: In 2021, Connecticut legalized online casinos. At present, Mohegan Sun operates a site under its own name, while Foxwoods partners with a famous online gaming brand.