Legal Online Casinos In United States

Legal Online Casinos In United States Average ratng: 5,4/10 232 reviews

Online casinos that accept US players. Players in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Delaware and West Virginia can all play some form of real money online casino games. And players in 49 states (excl. WA) can access sweepstakes casinos, which you can play for free or cash prizes.Here’s a brief look at each state’s top online casino and bonus offers. To date, New Jersey online casinos – like the Hard Rock casino – are active, as are those in Delaware and Pennsylvania (i.e. The Sugarhouse online casino). West Virginia online casinos and Michigan online casinos have recently launched, as well. Legal Online Casino Deposit Methods. Online casinos in the United States accept a range of convenient deposit methods that are generally pretty straightforward and easy to use. The exact list of funding methods varies from state to state and amongst operators, but the list below offers some of the most common ways to deposit and withdraw at.

  1. Which Payment Methods Are Available For US Players?Not All Banking Methods Are Available To US Players Because Of Complex US Gambling Law. However, You’ll Find Credit And Debit Cards Such As VISA, C...
  2. Do Legal Online Casinos Accept Players From The US?Yes, All Our Recommended Legal Online Casinos Accept Players From The US. However, We Still Suggest That You Check The Gambling Regulation For The...
  3. See Full List On Legalgambling.net
  4. What Online Casinos Are Legal In Us
  5. Best Casino In United States
  6. What Kinds Of Games Can I Play At Top Legal US Online Casinos?Our Recommended Sites Cater For All Players, Including Those Who Love Slots, Table Games, And Live Dealer Games. You’ll Also Find Slots And Games F...

The first big question you have to answer when you choose to bet online is where you’ll play. Run a search on Google and you’ll find hundreds of options. There’s a massive variety in aspects as simple as whether or not residents of United States may join, which games are offered, how quickly withdrawals are paid and so on. Invest a little effort now in choosing where you play and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the games later.

Your country of residence will always play a role in determining which options are available to you. Even on the interconnected world of the internet, the complex array of international gaming laws impacts how sites operate, who they accept and which games they offer. US online casino sites cater specifically to American tastes and operate in a manner designed to navigate the legal landscape here in the USA.

With that in mind, I’ve listed the best US-friendly casinos above. These are the best in my opinion because they excel in all the key areas: safety, game selection, withdrawals and deposits. Playing at an online casino should be easy and fun, not an exercise in patience. The sites that you see on this page have always provided me with a positive experience.

The most important consideration always has been and always will be safety. There’s no need to gamble with your money before you even see a table. There are too many quality sites out there for you to ever feel obligated to play somewhere that doesn’t provide you with the same level of quality that you’d see at a major casino in Las Vegas.

When we discuss the United States in particular, federal gaming laws play a role in determining where to play. Gambling laws in the United States are vague, poorly written, sporadically enforced and oftentimes contradictory. Further complicating matters, individual states have their own laws that don’t always line up with laws at the national level.

Some casinos sites no longer accept customers from the USA as a result. For them, it’s just not worth dealing with the complicated legal situation. The good news is that the US is still a multi-billion dollar online gambling market and plenty of respectable sites are happy to walk the legal minefield in the US. We’ll go into more detail on that later. For now, know that my recommendations are all quality sites that are happy to take players from the United States.

How to Find an Online Casino in the United States

Online gambling is an unregulated industry in most US states. In some ways, this is a good thing because operators are free from onerous regulations and taxes. The barriers to entry are low and anyone with a good business idea can give it an honest shot. However, a lack of regulation makes it difficult for players to sort the good from the bad. It’s not like you can visit your state’s gaming commission and find a list of state-licensed gambling sites.

Finding a legitimate casino is a matter of research. If you understand the industry like I do, it’s not too much trouble to run a little due diligence to see if a site actually pays players, runs fair games and operates in good faith. If you’re new to the game, this may be a tall order. You can always just take my word for it but if you want to go it alone, here’s what you need to do.

First of all, the most effective way to find safe US casino sites is to compile information from a variety of sources. Casinos reviews from other websites are always good for reading a different perspective. People all have their own ideas about what separates the good from the bad.

Another couple of options are to ask your friends or visit gambling discussion forums for recommendations. These “word of mouth” resources tend to be unbiased because they have no financial interest in telling you where to play. Ask around enough and eventually you’ll start to see some casinos named more often than others. Those will usually be your best bet.

I wouldn’t recommend relying too much on one source because you never know what someone’s motivations may be. Certain review websites simply recommend whoever pays the most and I’ve even seen casinos send “shills” to discussion forums for the sole purpose of talking up the brand or trashing competitors. Compiling information from multiple sources will give you a more balanced perspective.

Real Money Deposits

If you have any intention of gambling for real money, you’re going to have to make a deposit at some point. Depositing to a casino site is just like paying for something online. The difference is that you’re not actually paying for anything. The money that you deposit is simply moved to your betting account for you to use however you wish.

Deposits have always been a little tricky for US casino sites because banking regulations are all over the place when it comes to online casinos. Over the years, different deposit methods for US players have come and gone, but a few have remained in action for the long haul.

One of the easiest methods for funding your account is the simple Visa debit card or credit card. Funding your casino account with a credit card is basically the same as buying something online. All you have to do is fill out your information and choose an amount to deposit. Your casino account will then be credited with real money.

The only problem with credit cards for US players is that some banks block all transactions to gambling sites. This doesn’t happen to everybody, but we do get reports of it from time to time. The best way to get around this issue is to either try a different card or try a different deposit method.

Some online casinos also accept wire transfers as a deposit method. Wire transfers are super-fast but they require a little work since you actually have to request the transfer from your bank. However, this deposit method is perfect for high rollers who need to make large deposits.

One other deposit method that has become popular in recent years is the cash transfer. Many US-facing casinos let you deposit by visiting a Western Union or MoneyGram station to send them cash. This does require you to get up and leave the house, but it is fairly fast and it gets the job done. Plus it comes in handy if you don’t want to give your banking information to the casino.

Getting Paid

In the excitement of finding a casino and gambling it up, people tend to overlook the most important consideration of all: getting paid. The same legal issues that affect deposits also impact withdrawals. Some casino sites have proven much more dedicated than others when it comes to making sure their customers are promptly paid their winnings.

In the United States, the two most common withdrawal methods are paper checks and electronic bank transfers. The paper check is the most popular option of the two these days because it’s so reliable. You log in to your betting account, request a payout and a paper check shows up at your front door a few days later. It may not be as convenient as getting paid via PayPal, but companies like PayPal are reluctant to process gambling transactions in the US where banking laws are always changing.

Larger withdrawals are often processed via wire transfers straight to your bank account. This option is more expensive on the casino’s side, so it tends to be reserved for larger withdrawals. If you do have the option to receive a wire transfer, that’s usually the best. It’s the fastest, it goes straight to your bank account and you never have to leave the house to complete the deposit like you would with a check.

US casino sites typically contract third party payment processors to help get players paid. The best US casinos keep more than one payment processor under contract at any time so that if one gets shut down by US authorities, another one is ready to take its place and prevent any interruption of service for the players.

One thing I like to do is research the payment history of gambling sites. If you research discussion forums and talk to other players, you can get a pretty good idea of how quickly a site tends to pay its players. Any US-facing site that consistently pays players within a couple weeks is doing a good job under the circumstances.

What I don’t like to see is a history of delayed payments or bounced checks. These issues indicate a lack of advance planning and professionalism. Yes, these sites do work in an unfavorable legal environment but that’s the choice they make to serve the world’s largest gambling market. Getting paid should never be a hassle. Getting paid is the entire point of gambling in the first place.

The sites that you see on this page are all very strong in this area. The best USA casinos have been processing payments to US-based players for years. Other sites may have good excuses for payment issues, but that’s just not good enough. If a site can’t pay everyone on time, it’s simply not worth it. The sites that I recommend don’t offer excuses; they pay their customers.

The Legal Situation

Playing or wagering at an online casino is not considered a crime in the United States at the federal level. The laws that are on the books are all directed towards banking institutions and the casino sites themselves. Mind you, I’m not a lawyer but I have researched the subject to death. Never once have I been able to dig up a story about someone going to jail anywhere in the US for playing at an online casino.

Which Payment Methods Are Available For US Players?Not All Banking Methods Are Available To US Players Because Of Complex US Gambling Law. However, You’ll Find Credit And Debit Cards Such As VISA, C...

The closest I could find was a case from 2003 in which a man from North Dakota paid a $500 fine for betting on sports online. He was charged under an ancient state law but never fought the charges. It is said he won more than $100,000 betting on sports, and that may have attracted the attention of authorities looking for drug dealers. He was charged, paid the fine and sent on his way. It’s worth noting that this happened over 10 years ago and since then, I’ve never found a person who got in trouble under any federal OR state law for online gambling.

The only time you would run into problems is if you decided to start your own online casino. It would not be a good idea to start your own betting site and accept wagers from other people. The government regularly indicts individuals who open online casinos and take wagers from Americans. Don’t do that.

In 2006, a piece of legislation called the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed in an effort to crack down on online gambling. Poor news reporting led people to believe that the UIGEA had criminalized online gambling. This isn’t true. What the UIGEA did was target the banking industry and make it illegal to knowingly process payments for unregulated betting sites.

Many in the banking industry publicly opposed the UIGEA, calling it burdensome and unworkable. With billions of financial transactions processed every day in the US, it nearly impossible to single out transactions bound for offshore casinos.

The UIGEA was passed anyways and the banks comply the best they can. This is why the occasional deposit to an online casino is declined even though the player has the funds to cover the deposit. Some transactions are successfully blocked. Most transactions are processed just fine, but don’t be surprised or alarmed if your credit card deposit is declined. All you need to do is try a different card or use a different deposit method.

It’s always best to check the law for yourself, but the shortest answer is that you’ll be fine placing bets at any US online casino site. We’ve all placed countless bets on the internet and so have millions of other US citizens.

United States online casinos make up the most profitable sector of the entire US online gambling industry. It is projected to be a 60 billion dollar industry by the year 2021. There are currently two states in America that have legalized state-regulated online casinos: New Jersey and Delaware.

Several states have gotten in line behind them and are gearing up to follow suit. The online powerhouses of the industry are currently still located in the offshore gambling jurisdictions that provide the regulation that they require. Offshore online casinos that accept players from the US are commonly thought to be illegal, however, that is not the case at all.

The primary reason that we have created this guide covering US friendly online casinos is to inform American citizens about the legal and safe way to enjoy online casino gambling entertainment. We will provide information about the legal status of US online casino gambling, as well as insight into the industry. After that, we jump into all the various games you can find at USA online casinos and provide brief descriptions of what you can expect to find. You can find our US friendly online casino reviews for more insight into the brands we recommend.

Are USA Online Casinos Legal for Americans to use?

Yes. USA Online Casinos are legal to use by Americans, with the exception of those residing in WA or CT. These states are the only ones to pass a law that would specifically restrict the act of placing a bet online, and those restrictions have yet to be enforced. Most other states haven’t even addressed online gambling with the exception of a few territories that have legalized it at a state level. There are no US online gambling laws applicable to online casino gambling that would criminalize the bettor at the federal level. There are a few federal laws that are relevant to the industry in general, and we felt they were worth mentioning.

The first one is the Federal Wire Act. It was written in 1961 as a way to combat organized crime throughout the country. It makes accepting bets over wired communications like telegraphs, illegal. In 2011, the Department of Justice issued a formal opinion on the legality of the law. They stipulated that the contents of the law were to apply over the internet as “wired communications” which would effectively make it illegal for operators to set up online gambling websites within the US.

There was one important detail, however. In that same formal opinion, it was deemed that the law would only apply to US based online sports gambling and no other sub-sector of online gambling, including U.S. online casinos. This provided each individual state with the authority to determine whether they want to prohibit or allow state-licensed online casino gambling within their borders. As of this writing, New Jersey and Delaware have both launched online casino gambling initiatives that are regulated by the state.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has a very misleading name. The UIGEA bill adds a layer of federal oversight to the payment processors that deal with online gambling companies. It forces them to scrutinize their regulation and require that the operators follow correct customer reliability guidelines. It makes accepting payments from unregulated online gambling websites illegal, which was already illegal. It does not work to make placing bets at U.S.A. online casinos illegal. All that being said, there are no federal or state laws (with the exception of WA and CT) that make it a crime to engage in online casino gambling for real money at legally sanctioned offshore online casinos that are licensed to accept American players.

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Trusted Online Casinos That Accept American Players

The sites that are listed below are the epitome of legality and customer reliability. We have taken them through our process of inspection that is overseen by industry specialists with decades of experience. These sites have been found to be located in globally respected online gambling jurisdictions with updated compliance certifications and the proper licenses that cover each of the games that they offer. They are outside of US federal jurisdiction and have excellent customer reviews from third party websites. These are our endorsed USA online casinos.

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What Games Are Available At U.S. Casino Websites?

When you arrive at your chosen online casino destination you will notice that the types of USA online casino games that are available are broken down into categories on the menu in order to make them more easily accessed. You will see all manner of “slots”, “table games”, “specialty games”, “video poker”, and “live dealer” games available in categories bearing those names. Within each of these sections there are numerous variations of the games that are listed within them. Below we organize the games in this guide the same way the U.S.A. online casinos do for a more clear understanding. We cover most of the games, but certainly not all of them. Explore these sections for yourself for a more complete look at their offerings.

  • Slots: Slots usually make up the bulk of any online casino menu, and includes the following types of games; 3-Reel Online Slots, 5-Reel Online Slots, Video Slots and 3D-Slots, among others. Our USA online slots page will provide more insight into your options.
  • Blackjack: As one of the most popular casino games at both land based and online casinos, you will typically find several variations of this game available on the menu. Learn how to play online from our USA online blackjack games page.
  • Baccarat: This game is actually more popular than many realize, and for those who are new to the game, playing online provides the perfect environment to learn how to play without risking any real money until you’ve learned the ropes. Get more information from our guide to playing USA online baccarat.
  • Roulette: Another incredibly popular casino game both online and offline, you will find multiple variations of this game available including American Roulette, European Roulette and more exotic versions such as Diamond Roulette. Learn more from our page dedicated to USA online roulette games.
  • Keno: Keno is usually found under the ‘specialty games’ category along with scratchoff games, pull tabs and sometimes bingo. It is a lottery type game that is easy for anyone to play. Get a closer look at this game and what it entails from our guide to playing USA online keno.
  • Video Poker: For those of us who like playing poker but shy away from live games in the poker room, video poker is the perfect match. You’ll find a variety of themed video poker games available to play that are nearly identical to the ones found in land based casinos. Our guide to USA online video poker will provide you with additional information.
  • Live-Dealer Games: Advanced web streaming technology combined with live croupiers allows players to enjoy the convenience of online casino access when playing select casino games with a live dealer. Learn more about this technologically advanced option that is rapidly gaining momentum within the US gambling market from our guide to playing USA live dealer games online.

Online Casino Game FAQs

Can I Play USA Online Casinos Games On My Mobile Device?

You can play each of the games that we have discussed in this guide from any mobile device on the market that has access to the internet and an updated browser. Mobile casinos are web based, mobile optimized applications that run on advanced HTML5 coding that allows the providers of these games to host them domestically rather than rely on the popular app stores like the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store. Responsive technology allows the games to automatically accommodate the operating system and dimensions of the smartphone or tablet you are using to play.

What Is A Random Number Generator?

A Random Number Generator is an advanced algorithm designed to replicate complete statistical randomness to the nearest possible degree. Online gambling providers are required to have theirs updated routinely by software companies not financially associated with them. Once their RNG’s have passed these inspections they are awarded compliance certifications. Those RNG compliance certifications are checked by their regulating bodies and independent fair play organizations like eCOGRA for validity and are posted publically.

See Full List On Legalgambling.net

Bonuses And Promotions – What Can I Expect?

There are several promotions designed to attract patronage at online casino websites. The top-tier websites in the industry all make sure to offer multiple bonuses to many different types of games within their libraries. You will typically see refer-a-friend bonuses, bonuses that are made for special online gambling events, or specific to games that they specialize in. The one promotion that you will undoubtedly always see is the Welcome Bonus. This is usually structured as a deposit match bonus where online gambling providers will add money to your account’s value based on the amount of your initial deposit. At some providers, you will be able to use this bonus more than once, making it more lucrative to make your deposits with them than their competitors.

What Are Wagering Requirements?

Best Casino In United States

Wagering requirements are the way that online casinos ensure that people don’t just sign up, take their money, and run. As we mentioned in the previous section about bonuses, you will usually be granted a welcome bonus for your first deposit, which results in the online casino operator essentially just giving you money to gamble with. If you try and withdrawal that money without making any bets just to take the money and run, the operator will deduct the amount that was awarded to you in bonuses funds and send you the rest deducting only a small fee of service. Wagering requirements typically entail a designated level of play through that must be satisfied in order to benefit from the bonus money. Most casinos require a 30x – 40x play through of eligible games before any bonus funds or associated winnings can be withdrawn.

State Regulated Online Casinos vs Legal Offshore Casinos – What Is The Difference?

The main difference between state licensed and offshore licensed casinos is simply where their base of operations exists. Of the two sates currently offering state licensed online casino gambling as of this writing, both of them only allow players who are physically located within their borders to access their online casino websites. Geo tracking software is utilized to enforce this policy.

Licensed offshore casinos do not carry this requirement, and hence enjoy a much larger customer base that spans across the United States and around the globe. The range of offerings, bonuses and quality is aligning more and more between the two types of markets, with US based online casinos beginning to operate more competitively with the offshore brands. State licensed online casinos are only accessible by players who are present in the state in which they operate, whereas offshore online casinos are accessible by players from most US states as well as many nations around the world.

State Specific USA Online Casinos

Following you will find quick access links to get information about US friendly online casinos by state. These pages will provide insight into regional gambling laws and how they intersect with the casino market in each state. You will find valuable information relevant to each state including recommendations for legally sanctioned, secure online casinos that accept players from each respective territory.

Alabama Online CasinosMontana Online Casinos
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Arkansas Online CasinosNew Hampshire Online Casinos
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Colorado Online CasinosNew Mexico Online Casinos
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Delaware Online CasinosNorth Carolina Online Casinos
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Hawaii Online CasinosOklahoma Online Casinos
Idaho Online CasinosOregon Online Casinos
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Indiana Online CasinosRhode Island Online Casinos
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Kansas Online CasinosSouth Dakota Online Casinos
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Maine Online CasinosUtah Online Casinos
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