Best Real Money Online Casino for US Players
Online gambling is illegal in the US on a federal level. However, some US states allow gamblers to wager and bet on real money online casinos. These states include West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Michigan, and Delaware. We’ll look at the online gambling situation in the US, especially in the states mentioned.
Online Gambling Legislation In The United States
Online gambling is expanding at an exponential rate. Many people enjoy the benefits and convenience offered by online gambling platforms and have opted for it as a reasonable alternative to land-based casinos. According to reports and projections by the Research & Markets group, the online casino industry is expected to grow to a total valuation of $92.9 billion in 2023. It has consistently been growing at an annual rate of 11.6%. There are further projections that advancements in technology caused by Virtual Reality, IoT, and blockchain technology will cause more widespread growth in the online casino industry.
Despite all of the good news about online gambling in the United States, it’s still unable to maintain pace with the rest of the world. You see, online gambling is growing at a faster rate in other parts of the world. Why? Because of the presence of harsh regulations against online gambling in the United States. There are numerous uncertainties about the casino industry in the US and this has discouraged new participants from joining the industry.
In the United States, issues relating to gambling are handled by the Wire Act of 1961. These laws are designed to collaborate with anti-racketeering regulations and were designed before the existence of the internet. As a result, they do not account for digital gambling. In 2011, the Department of Justice (DOJ) gave all states the authority to make their own legislation as regards online gambling. State governments were allowed to legalize this type of gambling activity.
In 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled against the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act which was created in 1992. However, the DOJ finally concluded that the 1961 Wire Act applies to virtual betting. Therefore, states were allowed to legalize such activities within their borders.
What Are The States That Allow Online Gambling?
When you take a close look at online gambling legislation in the United States, it’s quite clear that the activity is allowed in the country. However, only the state governments are in the position to legalize or criminalize these operations.
You need to note that gambling is a broad term that has multiple meanings. In simple terms, it describes a situation where a person wagers on uncertain terms, such as a sporting event, game of skill, game of chance or luck, etc. Not every state in the US supports online gambling. In fact, the list of supporting states is shorter than those who still consider it to be a criminal activity. Even among the states that support online gambling, each region handles the situation differently.
The following states allow residents to wager online and win real money;
Let’s take a look at the situation with online gambling in each state.
New Jersey
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement is responsible for regulating internet gambling in the state. This state is known as a trendsetter in the online casino industry. In 2013, it became the first US state to allow online casinos and wagering. Today, there are dozens of these platforms in the region that also rake in millions of dollars worth of tax monthly. This state allows people to wager on sports, fantasy sports, lotteries, poker, horse racing, and so on.
Pennsylvania
Online gambling in Pennsylvania is regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. This gambling regulator allows players to wager over the same activities as they can in New Jersey. However, online poker is widely accepted in this state. You’ll find several variations of poker in Pennsylvania.
Michigan
It wasn’t until December 2019 that Michigan’s Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, signed the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. This act allowed gamblers within the state to have access to internet gambling services. Since that time, Michigan has taken its place as one of the renowned venues for online slots.
Delaware
Gamblers in Delaware can participate in all forms of internet gambling aside from sports betting. In 2018, Delaware became the second state to legalize online gambling in the US. To regulate such activities, they have come up with the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement.
West Virginia
This is one of the most progressive states in the United States in terms of support for online gambling. It wasn’t until the creation of the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act of 2019 that gambling companies started to support internet wagering on slots, table games, poker, lottery games, etc.
Connecticut
In May 2021, Connecticut became one of the recent regions in the US to legalize online gambling. Now, they support different types of gambling activity through internet-enabled devices. As a result, many new gambling companies have started to spring up here.
How We Review Online Casinos for Real Money
There are hundreds of real money online casinos out there. Each of them offers something different, and players can choose between several alternatives in the market. We’ve compiled a list of the best online casinos that pay real cash. To review each online casino, we have considered various factors. They include the following.
Background & security check
The background of an online casino relates to information about its ownership, the date it was founded, and any groups that it’s affiliated with. It’s essential to ensure that the online gambling platform that you choose comes from a reputable company. They also have to partner with reliable casino gaming providers.
One of the most important things about real money online casinos is their security. Good online casino sites are related and licensed by appropriate regulatory authorities. When you come across online casino sites that are fully licensed, it means that all their activities have been inspected by an independent party. It also means that they meet top online casinos’ guidelines, standards, and requirements.
When a casino is licensed, you can rest assured that you will enjoy fair gameplay and enjoy many real money games. Depending on the security measures they adopt, certain gambling sites may also require players to verify their identity. However, all the personal information submitted by players is protected by top-layer encryption.
To confirm the licenses of online gambling sites, check the certificates displayed at the bottom of their homepage. Ensure that the online casino has SSL encryption to protect your payment details from data breaches and hacks.
Safe and quick deposit methods
Top online casinos are also renowned for offering players convenient methods to deposit funds and withdraw their winnings. When choosing a casino for your real money gambling, you should pick a site with a variety of deposit and withdrawal options. That way, you have a choice between the fastest and most convenient payment methods.
Identify the payment method that you find suitable and see if the casino supports it. If they don’t, you’ll be better off switching to another online casino or payment method. You may also want to check other factors relating to payment methods, such as minimum and maximum deposit or minimum and maximum withdrawals.
Bonus availability
Before signing up for a US online casino, another important thing to check is the bonuses they offer. Top online casinos usually have a long list of bonuses and promotional offers for their users. The most popular kind of bonus that you’re likely to see at almost any casino, without a doubt, is the welcome bonus. This offer is available to new players and it will match your initial deposit amount and offer you free spins in addition.
Occasionally, there may also be other promotional offers, depending on the casino. However, it’s important that you go through the bonus terms and conditions to find out all the fine print, including wagering requirements, expiration dates, or game limitations.
Online casino games
Another essential aspect of a top online casino is the collection of games in their library. Most gamblers have favorite games they like to play. So, it’s important to opt for a casino with an extensive library of games. This way, you can rest assured that you will find something suitable for you.
Most online casinos allow you to browse through their library of games. So, make sure that you verify that the casino games fall into your preferred category.
Customer support
When playing at online casinos, it’s possible that you might encounter certain difficulties or technical issues. Therefore, it’s essential that the gambling site that you settle for offers good customer support in the United States. Look for an online casino that you can easily contact through different channels, including live chat, email, or phone calls. Also, check if they work 24/7.
Asides from the customer support channels that they have, it’s also reasonable to check the quality of their service. You may test the service by placing a random inquiry and waiting for how quickly they would reply to you.
Popular Real Money Casino Games
Online casinos are one of the most lucrative businesses on the internet. Every year, these casinos earn billions of dollars from online gambling. Many players can’t seem to get enough of what they offer, which is why casinos make different games available to players.
While betting at a physical casino can be a really appealing experience, online gambling sites offer too many benefits to be ignored. You now have a chance to enjoy your favorite games with just a few clicks. What’s more? The gaming content keeps growing as more developers join the online casino industry.
Are you looking for real money casino games where you can wager and bet to win lots of money? Or are you interested in playing online casino games with the highest payout percentages? Take a look at the following games.
Online Slots
Without any doubt, slots are one of the most common casino games that you’ll come across in any casino. Why? These games are easy to play and offer players a chance to win real money without any special skills or tactics. The simplicity of these games makes them easy to pick up and play, regardless if you’re a casino newcomer or an experienced player.
It’s by far the most widely represented category of online casino games, and you will find a plethora of slots from the top providers on almost any gambling site.
Gaming providers constantly update their slot libraries to keep players from getting bored. You will find a variety of game titles with different graphics, themes, and gameplay features. Each month you will come across new slot titles – better and smoother than the previous ones.
Blackjack
Blackjack is another common category of casino games. This classic table game has been played for many centuries and it’s become one of the most popular card games in the world. Many online gamblers enjoy playing blackjack because of its simple rules and low casino edge.
This game has made its way to different continents and parts of the world. As a result, there are several variants that take the classic game of 21 and add a twist to it. Blackjack is a game of both luck and skill, and it’s a great choice for gamblers who are interested in high payout percentages and want to challenge themselves with something other than slots.
Roulette
Roulette is one of the classic casino games that you will find at almost any casino. If you want to play for real money, it’s a great choice. Just like blackjack, roulette is a game for diehard casino lovers with simple yet exciting gameplay. In roulette, you need to place bets on where will the ball land on the roulette wheel.
Today, you’ll find multiple software providers, such as NetEnt, Ezugi, Pragmatic Play, and Evolution that have provided several variations of roulette. You may even find some live casino options on real money casinos.
Baccarat
Baccarat may not be one of the most popular real money games you will find on any gambling platform. However, you’ll be surprised by the variety of game titles under this category. Baccarat is a simple card game and many people refer to it as a cousin to poker and blackjack. You’ll find it in most online casinos, and you can enjoy it in both regular and live dealer versions.
Live Dealer Games
Live dealer casino games are usually played in real-time – all gaming sessions and interactions are done in via live stream. They are usually provided by a handful of companies, the most well-known being Evolution, Pragmatic Live, Playtech, and others.
You’ll find that most live dealer games are the same genre as regular games played at online real money casinos, including poker, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. In addition, many providers are experimenting with new formats, such as live dealer game shows and live slots.
During live dealer games, will get to watch a live HD stream of the game session anchored by a professional dealer. These games are streamed up from custom studios with tables that are similar to physical casinos.
Asides from the chance to win real money, live dealer games also allow players to enjoy the ambiance of being in a physical casino.
Safe and Quick Deposit Methods
When playing casino games, most online players are constantly looking for different means to quickly deposit money into their gambling accounts. There are several quick and safe deposit methods that are available. Some of these payment channels support only deposits, while others allow you to withdraw as well. Let’s take a look at the most popular deposit and withdrawal methods that players have access to.
Debit or Credit Cards
Debit or credit cards offer players a simple way to make online transactions to and from a casino. While they are usually slower than other methods, bank cards are usually the safest option and they are widely accepted in almost any online casino in the USA. Most sites accept Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx cards.
E-wallets
Another widely accepted payment method for most real money online casinos is digital wallets, also known as e-wallets. These wallets are similar to regular bank accounts. They help you store your money digitally, making it easily accessible for online payments. Today, there are several digital wallet options.
E-wallets are one of the fastest ways to make online transactions anywhere, and that is especially true when it comes to online casino payments. You can enjoy quick deposits and withdrawals, with some casinos even promising instant payouts.
Of course, PayPal is the most popular e-wallet in the world, but Neteller and Skrill are equally good options.
Online Banking
Some players prefer to do things the old-fashioned way, namely bank transfers. It’s a safe and secure way to transfer larger sums of money online. For example, if you land a huge win and you need to deposit it, online banking is the way to go.
Sure, bank transfers may take longer than e-wallets and other instant payment methods, but these transactions are verified at each end, thus making them more secure.
Another drawback is that there are some casinos that apply fees to bank transfers while not doing that to other payment methods. That’s why we recommend checking out the payment section of your casino of choice to see what are the terms and conditions of each payment method.
Prepaid Cards
These virtual cards exist as an interesting alternative to help players deposit in online casinos. However, they do not support withdrawals. For instance, EntroPay is a virtual card supported by Visa and is only capable of storing a certain amount of funds. They can also be used for deposits in many of the top online casinos that you’ll find on the internet.
Paysafecard is another popular prepaid card. It’s one of the most popular options around the world and is supported by a long list of internet casinos.
How to Use Casino Bonuses to Boost your Real Money Wins
Most online casinos will offer various bonuses to their players. For example, the welcome bonus is a special offer for new players, and it usually contains free spins and/or deposit bonuses. It’s a great way for the casino to attract new players. Other bonuses, however, are aimed to retain the existing players, and they are given on a weekly basis or to celebrate certain seasonal holidays, your birthday, or other occasions.
That being said, there are some things you should bear in mind before you go bonus-crazy! That’s why we have compiled a list of tips that will help you use casino bonuses more wisely and avoid any surprises.
Read terms & conditions
When using casino bonuses, the first thing you should have at the back of your mind is that casino bonus isn’t free money. Yes, you must comply with the house rules on how the casino bonus will be spent. When given promotional offers, many gamblers hurriedly go ahead to start betting and fail to do any research about the type of bonus. This mistake could be detrimental and cause you to lose all the additional money you’ve been given.
Before claiming a bonus, find the Terms & Conditions page of the offer. It will explain all the info you need to know, including the minimum deposit you need to make to activate the offer, its expiration date, eligible games or payment methods, and, most importantly, wagering requirements.
Wagering requirements should be the first thing you check because they make or break a bonus. Basically, it determines how many times you have to play through the bonus amount. If it’s, say, 30x, and you got $100 in bonus money, you will have to make bets worth $3000 (100 x 30) in total in order to cash the bonus winnings out.
You also need to do it within the expiration date if you don’t want your bonus money gone, so we recommend you make sure you can meet it in time, and avoid bonuses that have high wagering requirements
Have a game plan
Once you have studied the terms and conditions of the offer, think about how long your stay at the casino is going to be and will you be able to meet the wagering requirement within the set time. Usually, there will be a list of online casino real money games that contribute to the wagering requirement, so stick to the titles that do that the most.
For example, the T&Cs might state that slots contribute 100%, but other games are worth less. In that case, it wouldn’t make sense to play games that do little or even nothing to all to erase your wagering requirement.
Okay, let’s imagine you have chosen to play slots. What slots should you play? If your bonus includes free spins, that decision is made way simpler – they usually work with just a certain game. However, if you have bonus funds that you can use on any game you want, we recommend picking slots titles that have a high return-to-player rate (RTP).
The choice between high and low volatility games gets more interesting, though. Some players prefer playing low volatility slots to get small and steady wins with their bonus funds, while others seek out high volatility games to have a shot at rarer, but bigger wins – after all, it’s on the house, so why not have fun? Both schools of thought are equally valid, so it’s up to you to choose.
Learn the game
Now, this advice mostly applies to game-specific bonuses. Let’s say you have managed to get a game-specific bonus – the type of bonus that you can only spend on one game title. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the game and its rules. Learn what it takes to earn and lose money under that title.
Also, learn how to bet effectively. Avoid playing with too high expectations. Instead, take your time to learn what you are really up for. By increasing your knowledge of the game title in question, you stand a better chance of winning something lucrative for yourself. However, if you are not familiar with the game title, you may end up wasting a good amount of your capital.
Most legitimate sites have demo versions of most of their game library, so you can try your hand at them without any stress or risk. Simply click on the “Play For Fun” button and learn the gameplay, special features, and strategies before you play for real money.
Play responsibly
Even though bonuses might seem like free money, you have to remember that the primary reason for a casino to exist is to make money. So there’s a reason why online casino sites hand out bonuses, and that’s not because they are charities. It’s done to attract new players and keep them playing. The wagering requirements and expiration dates are designed to create a sense of urgency and make you play a lot of real money casino games in a short time period.
Some players might be deeply affected by the anxiety to fulfill the terms and conditions before they lose the bonus money. That’s why we encourage responsible gambling. No casino bonus is worth more than your health and wellbeing, so if you feel like you’re not having fun anymore, take a break.
If you feel like you are starting to develop unhealthy gambling habits that interfere with your financials, relationships, and real-life responsibilities, then it’s a good decision to stop completely. And, if you or your friends and family think that you have developed a gambling problem, there’s no shame in asking for professional help from the National Gambling Helpline or other organizations.
Playing For Real Money vs. Playing For Free
When gambling on online casino games, gamblers are usually presented with two options – playing for free or playing for real money. Both types of gambling offer players an immersive experience, but it’s important to understand the difference between them to get the most out of your gameplay.
Most online casinos give you a chance to take their games for a test drive completely free. They are called demo games, and they give you all the features except the big one – winning actual cash. It’s a great way to explore new titles, learn the gameplay and test its features before committing to real money games.
Usually, you can access them by hovering over the game thumbnail and pressing “Play for Fun”. Most slots or table games have free versions provided by the developer, but it’s very rare to see a live dealer game that would you let play for free. The reason for that is the costs involved, as they are streamed live with real dealers.
However, if you want to have a chance to win real money, you’ll have to make real money bets. You can do that on any real money gambling site – simply sign up, make a deposit and play any game you want.
Of course, you can win some, but you can also lose some. Some players love that kind of risk, but you should always consider the possibility of losing your cash before playing for real money. That’s why we recommend you to play only with disposable income that won’t affect you negatively if you lose it. Never use funds that are meant for basic necessities, and remember that casino games are merely entertainment, not a way to make money.
