Learn everything about playing at an online casino in the United States, and compare the best USA online casinos through our guides, lists, and comparisons.
Casinos are the best places to visit for anyone interested in gambling. Whether you’re someone who enjoys online betting or venturing to a real-life establishment, there’s virtually no end to the opportunities at hand. Online casinos in the US have grown rapidly in popularity over recent years, and with that has come a sharp rise in new, exciting games. These online casino real money games provide the chance to win from the comfort of your home, and you can indulge in slots, blackjack, Mega Wheels, and much more.
Visiting a casino in person is a rather more extravagant experience, particularly if you’ve ever been to Nevada. Although not all casinos can offer such bright lights and wondrous artwork, the end result is always the same - you play to win. Essentially, online casino sites in the US provide similar experiences to those served up at in-house facilities. If anything online casinos are actually easier to enjoy, with players given the freedom to play on the go, no matter what they’re doing.
Despite opposition towards online gambling from the federal government throughout the last three decades, there’s not a single law that specifically prohibits online casino gaming. Moreover, it’s not illegal for players to sign up, register, or play at online casinos. It’s banks that could run into issues over the legality of transactions, not players.
The UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) made it illegal for banks to knowingly process transactions involving real online casino sites. To circumvent this blockade, players can use prepaid debit cards, cryptocurrencies, and other non-traditional banking methods to fund their online casino accounts. It should be noted that the UIGEA doesn’t apply to offshore online casinos as they’re not required to follow US state laws - although the risk that accompanies playing on these platforms is undeniable.
As of 2023, the following states have at least one legal online casino:
Connecticut has finally joined the league of other US states with a legalized online casino presence. This came into effect on October 19, 2021, as online casinos have started operations in the state. This implementation has been overdue since the governor signed House Bill 6451, passing the state’s gambling into law.
The First State got off to a flying start in 2013 as it accompanied New Jersey in opening its first online casinos in the same year. Although web-based casino action hasn’t quite taken off as it has in NJ, the fact that players have the opportunity to at play their favorite online casino platforms is more than what some other states can say.
It’s important to remember that although Delaware bettors can bet on horses from the age of 18, you must be at least 21 years old to wager at online and land-based casinos.
The Delaware Lottery regulates 3 seperate online casinos for residents to play on. Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington are all currently launched and accepting wagers. These online casinos are affiliated with the 3 physical casinos located in the state.
While Delaware is more restrictive than other states, the 3 options available do offer up to a $100 deposit match to residents on their first deposit to get started. Poker is also available on these online casinos, however sports betting must be done in physical locations, conveniently located all over the state.
The framework for online casinos in Michigan was signed off by the governor in 2019, but it wasn’t until 2021 that the state opened up its first online casino USA.
With more than 20 land-based casinos in all, as well as room for around 15 iGaming casino sites, we should see a lot of growth with regards to online casino real money action sooner rather than later. Competing with the likes of Nevada and New Jersey will take some doing, though!
New Jersey, closely behind Nevada, is probably the 2nd most gambling-friendly state in the USA. While they do not have nearly as many physical casinos, they have plenty of online options for all types of gamblers.
Online sports betting began on August 6, 2018, with the launching of Draftkings Sportsbook and many online casinos soon launched afterwards.
As of February 2021, there are more than a dozen active New Jersey online casinos for residents or visitors within New Jersey state lines. These casinos are regulated and overseen by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
By launching the states’ online casino services in mid-2019, Pennsylvania boosted its casino offerings as it already provided land-based casino options. Despite being sluggish off the mark after signing off bills that permitted online wagering in 2017, Pennsylvania is now home to some of the most well-respected online casino platforms like Unibet and BetRivers. Today, players are allowed to play at real online casino sites as well as taking a trip to their nearest in-person casino.
The state of almost 13 million residents legalized PA online casinos in October 2018, and the gross revenue from gambling activities has surpassed New Jersey with the 2nd highest handle in the United States in 2020, behind Nevada.
Because of the steep tax rates, this handle actually generates the most tax revenue in the United States. So you can say at this point, Pennsylvania has made the right decision, and set up a blueprint for new states to enter the industry. Online casinos are regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Having passed a bill that made online casino gaming a legal activity in March 2019, West Virginia has since gone on to new heights by putting in enough effort to supply the best online casino USA action. It was a year before the first online casino reached players’ desktops and mobiles though, as DraftKings hit the states’ servers and started a boom in the online casino market. We’ve since seen BetMGM join in on the fun, while land-based casinos were also granted licenses that permit them to offer online casino services for customers.
West Virginia, similar to other states, requires each online casino to be affiliated with one of its 5 physical casinos. There are 15 licenses available for online casinos in West Virginia, however. Expect much more physical and online casinos to start being built and launched in the near future. The West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates the online casinos in this state.
By playing at a regulated online state casino in the US, customers are ensuring the safety of their information, data, and funds. These casinos are licensed by US authorities that have put in place strict guidelines which these platforms are required to follow if they want to maintain their licenses. Offshore casinos are based outside of the US and have no obligation to follow the rules set out by US regulatory authorities, potentially putting players’ information at risk.
However, this risk is extremely slim. Offshore casinos are usually licensed in Antigua, Curacao, Malta, or another online gambling haven. Therefore, they too must adhere to laws and regulations, but these are often different compared to what US officials recommend.
So, is it safer to play at regulated state online casinos?
The answer is a resounding yes. Sure, some players may prefer to put their funds on a casino site that’s based outside the country and doesn’t need to follow safety guidelines recommended by the various states, but the risk of signing up at a risky offshore online casino remains intact. On top of that, if a player runs into any trouble while playing at an offshore online casino, the regulators are under no obligation to help that particular player.
By playing at offshore online casinos there are no guarantees that everything is above board. Unless players have full faith that the online casino they’re playing at offers the full range of safety regulations (which is almost impossible!) then it’s simply not worth it. In contrast, creating an account at one of the best online casinos USA ensures the safety of customers’ information. The only problem now is that these regulated services are not yet widely available, forcing players across the nation to play at offshore casino sites.
One of the favorites to open up online casino services for residents, Indiana has made some serious steps towards becoming a gambling-friendly state. In 2019, sports betting was approved, while an advanced new system for horse racing wagering was put into action not too long ago. Senator Jon Ford wants to push for new legislation that would permit the use of online gaming facilities, and under his proposal, some profits would return to the state.
Having lost out on large sums of money due to lack of participation in state lotteries and in-house casinos during the pandemic, Maryland could well be the next state to introduce online casino gambling. It appears as though sports betting is the main priority for now, but we’ll keep you posted on any updates regarding Maryland.
Admittedly, the rumors surrounding Nebraska are just that. Rumors. After making land-based casinos legal last year, the natural next step for the state is to pass legislation that legalizes online gambling. Support in the state for online casinos is well reported, and it wouldn’t be a particularly big surprise if senators passed a bill relatively soon - but we’ll have to wait and see.
It’s never easy for senators to get legislation passed, and that challenge becomes clearer when we take a look at New York. Governor Andrew Cuomo has always been stringent in his opposition to online betting of any kind, not least online casinos. However, senators are pushing for the legalization of such practices given players haven’t been allowed to visit their favorite real-life casinos due to COVID-19. Neighboring New Jersey provides ample insight as to what the online casino industry in New York could look like - profit.
There’s not too much to report from Missouri, other than the fact that lawmakers have been pushing hard for sports betting. If any one of the three proposals put forward finds its way into law, then expect senators to shift their focus to online casinos. It will likely be a number of years before it comes to fruition, though.
Open to sites that want to set up their own online casinos, Virginia has suddenly become one of the nations’ most progressive states in terms of changing its attitude towards online betting. After allowing almost half a dozen organizations to set up shop in the state, we’re now awaiting further announcements as more iGaming platforms take advantage of Virginia’s newfound friendliness.
Land-based casino owners will have been pleased to hear that they could apply for online casino licenses, starting from March last year. Although the industry is not yet up and running, Illinois lawmakers enjoyed fantastic success in passing legislation and we should soon see online casino action take flight in the state.
We’ve taken a look at the states that currently offer online casinos and the states that are in the process of, or trying to, open up online casinos. Now, we’ll switch our field of view and gaze over at the states where online casinos probably won’t open, so that players from those states don’t get their hopes up unnecessarily. In each of the following states, there has been no movement or legislation regarding online casinos is in the process of being passed - although some offer retail-only casinos:
US players are not currently able to play at online casinos in quite a few states, some of which have language against gambling within their constitution. Additionally, it’s important to remember that online casino real money gambling is explicitly outlawed in the following states:
Discovering which online casino is a perfect match for your needs is often difficult, not least because of the lack of coverage such sites have in the US. However, we have a very specific list of criteria that online casinos should meet in order to be recommendable for users. These are outlined below:
First of all, the most important aspect of any online casino is licensing. Before creating an account, always examine the licensing details and check whether or not the service is regulated. This applies to both offshore casinos and online casino USA, with the latter often being more reputable and trustworthy for US customers.
The reasoning for looking through licensing details is simple - it’s important to know if your safety is being guaranteed and how secure the site is. If it’s difficult to find licensing credentials, or policies are unclear, consider the site unsafe. Missing simple but crucial details are huge red flags. Licensed casinos are often required to:
Not enough is said about the important role that regulators play in forcing online casinos to constantly improve the fairness of online casino gaming and the safety of customer’s accounts. Third-party regulators, like eCogra or TST, are vital cogs in the machine that powers safe online gambling. ADR, a service set up by eCogra, is an Alternative Dispute Resolution and serves as an impartial adjudication service for disputes. Features such as this are important for players seeking safe and fair online casino sites, and they’re common amongst sites licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority among others.
Look out for the eCogra symbol on an online casino before signing up, as this will give you a solid idea as to whether or not the site is a safe and fair place to enjoy online casino gaming.
Most online casinos advertise welcome bonuses as part of the sign-up process for new customers. In doing so, sites provide players with a slight edge going into their first few days or weeks on the platform. Although they may seem like a really good idea, it’s always important to skim through the T&C’s to make sure you won’t be held to absurd wagering requirements.
Essentially, wagering requirements are the online casinos’ way of making money from your welcome bonus - or any bonus for that matter. Often, players must wager the bonus amount 10x, 20x, 30x, or more. The best promotions are the ones that don’t include any wagering requirements, but these are incredibly rare.
Some popular welcome bonuses are:
Remember, bonuses and deals that have wagering requirements are usually time-limited. This means players are often expected to complete the bonus requirements within a certain amount of time. If not, bonuses can be invalidated and the player will lose out on the full amount.
It’s always a good idea to try and find the best online casino for payment methods. By searching for casino sites that suit your specific needs when it comes to processing transactions, you’re automatically improving the chances of enhancing your experience. Always look for online casinos that have a wide range of banking methods available, including:
Transaction times may vary depending on the payment method selected, but as a general rule of thumb, eWallets are the most efficient way of sending funds to and from an online casino account. Be sure to take fees into account before confirming a withdrawal, too.
More often than not, online casinos allow unregistered users the opportunity to go through the various sections of the site. This gives players insight into what sort of games are available, how many there are, what prizes are up for grabs, and much more. Some games to keep an eye out for are:
Having a keen eye for payout percentages is one of the best tools to have in your armory. Look for online casinos that boast high RTPs (Return To Player), as this will give you an idea of the chance of winning. The higher the RTP percentage, the more you’ll be paid out over time. On average, online casinos payout between 95%-97% across their entire catalog of games. For example:
From this, we can gather that Baccarat is an online casino game with the best RTP rating. It’s worth noting that this is a general overview and not representational of every US online casino.
If an online casino shows that it cares about its player base, it can make a massive difference. Upon looking at the options available, you may be able to test their services by creating an account. For instance, some sites allow users to create accounts without depositing, and from there you can try out the live chat feature. By asking questions it becomes easy to understand how knowledgeable the support members of staff really are.
The key to a solid experience for players is a responsive, helpful, and informative customer support staff. Not only does this provide a great experience for the player in question, but it can be a major boost for online casinos trying to get some extra publicity and attract more customers. Customer support may also be at hand 24/7, which is something that shows true dedication to customers.
Contact methods should include the likes of email, live chat, contact form, telephone, and possibly even by mail. If an online casino can supply each of these, then it’s surely a good choice for both veteran players and rookies.
While most online casinos are supported by desktops, far fewer are available on mobile devices. This is changing rapidly as demand for services on mobile rises with each passing year, and we’re now seeing more online casino sites develop downloadable apps for iOS and Android devices.
It’s worth heading to the Google Play Store or App Store and searching for your preferred app. Casino apps are a great way of enjoying online gaming action on the move, as long as you’re connected to the internet. The selection of games available could be less compared to the desktop version of whatever site you usually use, as many game developers on a lower budget cannot optimize their games for mobile devices.
Payouts, customer support, and payment methods should all be the same for mobile online casinos, making it an all-around brilliant experience - just on a smaller screen.
The quality and the reputation of game developers whose titles are available at online casinos are often overlooked, but we encourage you to research them beforehand. An online casino is nothing without games, which is why it’s always important to do a quick search online for the developers’ names to ensure they haven’t been involved in legal action regarding unfair games or other misbehavior.
Some notable game developer companies include NetEnt, iSoftBet, Play’n GO, Yggdrasil, Microgaming, and IGT. Renowned for their impressive array of slots and progressive jackpots, these developers have made a name for themselves by always striving to improve their releases. So long as more developers aim for, and possess the same motivation for positive behavior, the online casino industry will continue to thrive.
Why play at an online casino if its interface is impossible to use? Flick through all of the menus that you can, make sure loading speeds are up to scratch, and that all the basic features work properly. If all of the base criteria are met, then the likelihood of the online casino being well-run by a talented team is much higher. One other thing you might be able to try is placing demo bets if they’re available. Doing so is a great way of discovering how well the online casino can run a particular game. However, quite a lot of real online casino sites don’t support this feature - but it’s always a major plus if they do.
It’ll stand out like a sore thumb if the site can’t process a simple function, like using the search bar, so always be sure to test the sites’ user-friendliness before jumping on board as a customer.
Signing up at an online casino can seem daunting at first, especially for users that have never used one before. This is primarily the result of the best online casino sites going overboard with promotional advertisements for bonuses and new games, but by the end of this step-by-step guide, you’ll fly through the process of creating an account.
Be sure to have your card details at the ready, along with personal information like an email address, home address, phone number, ID, and a bank statement. Also, it’s worth thinking up a new password that you’ve never used at other sites, for maximum security. Now that you’re ready to begin, let’s get started.
By taking all of the information we’ve provided regarding payment methods, games developers, customer support, and more, you will have everything needed to properly compare online casinos that you’re thinking of joining.
If you’re a mobile gamer, then it’s worth your while checking to see if they offer a downloadable mobile app for either iOS or Android devices. Some sites offer browser versions of their online casino USA, from which mobile players can instead enjoy everything the site has to offer. Remember to visit the Promotions page of each site to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
Head to the online casino of your choice, then click or tap on the “Sign Up” or “Join Now” button, if one is present. From there, the site should greet you with a registration form. This is where those personal details we mentioned earlier become very important.
The first thing the online casino will want is an email address. If you plan on signing up with multiple online casinos, then we recommend creating a separate email address so that your usual one isn’t hit with a barrage of welcome messages and promotions. The site may also ask for your full name, home address and require that a password is set up on this registration form.
If you’d rather not enter your mobile number, then you should click “Skip” when that option appears. Most online casinos don’t make it a necessity, however, if the site forces its users to enter their mobile number you should consider it a red flag.
On some sites, you’ll be asked to confirm your identity through the registration form. In most cases, you’ll need to do this step after completing the form and before depositing or withdrawing funds - which is why we’ve made it step three.
Keep crucial personal details close at hand, as you could be asked for any number of them. The most likely scenario is that the online casino will want to see any one of the following:
In rare cases, you may be asked to take a selfie. This is a normal procedure and many businesses ask their customers to provide a picture of themselves so they can compare it to the form of ID uploaded. Following on from that, the online casino will want to see a bank statement (often no older than three months), or a utility bill of any kind. This information is used to prove your home address is valid.
When taking photos of your ID card, driving license, or passport, always make sure that you’ve taken a clear picture with each corner visible. Otherwise, the online casino might not accept it as valid.
This step is perhaps the easiest aspect of creating an account with an online casino USA. The process is often the same across the vast majority of platforms, and the site should take you to the banking section immediately after, or during, the sign-up process. This is a necessary step to play online casino real money wagers, so it’s handy to keep card details nearby if you want to do more than just play demo games. Some examples of payment methods you can use are:
For rapid transaction times, we recommend that all users register with an eWallet payment method. Doing so ensures that payments to and from your bank are processed in a matter of minutes or hours, rather than days. Some sites may ask that you take a photo that scans the front and back of your credit or debit card, although this is an uncommon practice.
Once you’ve entered your payment method details, simply enter the amount of money you’d like to deposit into your account. Deposits are often processed immediately, whereas withdrawals can take a little longer. After finishing this step you’ll be ready to begin playing at a real online casino!