Best Online CasinosLegal Casinos Sites in the US

Real Money vs. Social Casinos

Playing at social casinos poses no real risks as no real money bets are involved. However, this also means that you won't be able to win cash prizes. At real money gambling sites, you wager actual currency and get the chance to win attractive potential rewards.

Social casinos are available in most US states, and they are the perfect starting point for newbies. Real money platforms, on the other hand, have been legalized in just a few states and are typically suitable for players with more experience.

US Online Casinos for Real Money

Real money casino sites have been legalized in Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, and, most recently, Rhode Island. To operate, any such platform needs to obtain a valid license from the corresponding state-specific gambling regulator. The best online casinos for real money give you a chance to place actual currency bets, claim attractive bonuses, and win generous potential prizes.

Social and Sweepstake Casinos

Unlike their real money counterpart, social casino sites are legal in pretty much every state. Most of them also operate as sweepstakes platforms, which means you can earn sweep coins or purchase virtual currency such as gold coins to play slots and table games and potentially win real money prizes. However, the extent of these potential winnings is far more limited than those at real money online casinos.

How We Rate Legal Casinos

Behind each of our recommendations is an extensive rating process backed up by the long-term experience of our reviewers. We carry out a 6-part assessment, including essential factors like licensing, available casino games, fair bonuses, simple and fast withdrawals, quality software, and mobile optimization.

These are things you should check before signing up to a casino site to make sure that you're safe as a player. You can also throw anything else you deem important in the mix. Luckily, we found that the top online casinos offer a wide variety of perks for their clients, so you're bound to find the right platform for you.

Popular Casino Games

The selection of games can make or break an online casino, and while quantity is important, quality is even more crucial. Statistically, slots represent the most popular category, with thousands of options to choose from. These recommended platforms feature some of the best online slots for players from the country, including exclusive in-house built games.

Besides slots, the best casino sites offer online blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker games. There are also other options, such as craps, Casino War, and sic bo, to name a few. You can play live dealer games powered by leading software providers like Evolution and Ezugi. There's enough variety to satisfy the preferences of all kinds of gamblers.

Realistic Bonuses

A bonus is only as good as its terms and conditions, and as we like to say, if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. That's why you should always read the fine print and pay special attention to things like playthrough rate and validity period.

The platforms listed in this article feature online casino bonuses with attainable wagering requirements. You can claim sign-up offers available for first-time players only, as well as other regular promotions. Most of them also offer referral bonuses and rewarding loyalty programs with many perks and benefits.

Verified Apps

Legal online casinos support verified apps for iOS and Android devices. We’ve tested these platforms across numerous devices, and they’ve proven to be reliable, with fast loading times, plenty of games, and fair bonuses. As per user reviews on the Apple Store and Google Play, you won’t face any significant issues or glitches.

The best casino apps are regularly updated to get rid of any problems reported by players. Everything is nicely optimized for smaller screens, and there are many excellent features to make for a smooth experience. For optimal performance, you should also use the latest version of your OS.

Well-known Payment Options

Reputable online gambling sites work with safe payment methods, including debit and credit cards, digital wallets, electronic checks, online banking, and more. You can choose between well-known options like PayPal, Visa, VIP Preferred, and Trustly. Any site using Neteller or crypto is not legal, but online casinos that accept Venmo are more than fine.

While all payment methods are eligible for deposits, the same is not valid for withdrawals. If you prefer using a particular option, we suggest checking if it's accepted upfront. Now, if you're looking for quick withdrawals, the fastest paying online casinos usually work with e-wallets like PayPal, which, depending on the platform, take between 1-3 days complete a transaction.

Authorities That Regulate Online Casinos

Consider a casino’s license as its law-binding guarantee to follow a fair gambling policy. You can find it by checking the site’s footer or its terms and conditions. Every state has its own licensing authority and a different set of regulations and requirements for a platform to qualify as legal. Here’s a list of the official gambling regulators in the 6 states with legal online casinos:

Another thing licensed online casinos have in common is that they’re using the latest SSL encryption technology provided by companies like DigiCert and Cloudflare. This means that your personal details and financial information are properly protected and managed. Last but not least, every licensed gambling site offers a fair chance of potential winnings over time.

Customer Service

Nothing's more frustrating than an unresponsive support team. Whether you have a question about withdrawals or an issue with a mobile app, it's important that you can get your query resolved quickly. We review multiple lines of contact of all the casinos we recommend to our readers.

The best US online casinos are available through several contact methods, including live chat, email, and phone. If you're looking for reliable 24/7 customer service, we recommend you go for platforms like BetRivers and Borgata online casino. Both sites scored highly on this criterion.

Online Gambling Laws and Regulations

Gambling laws in the US are primarily state-based. Every state is allowed to determine the legality of various gambling activities, such as online casinos, poker, and sports betting. Federal laws also play a role, such as the Federal Wire Act of 1961, originally aimed at preventing interstate sports betting, which has influenced the landscape of online gambling throughout the last decades.

A major turning point came with "Black Friday" in 2011 when the Department of Justice shut down prominent poker websites, enforcing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). This crackdown highlighted the need for clearer regulation, leading to laws like the Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, which provides frameworks for states to enforce their own gambling laws.

The Legal Online Casino Landscape in 2024

As of writing this article, online gambling is legal in several states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. You already know that each of them has its laws, regulations, and licensing authorities. If you want to learn more, check our dedicated guides below:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Michigan
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• Rhode Island

Future Legal States - Upcoming Legislations

Currently, online gambling is legal in New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island. Still, we expect to see some updates in the following months and years. Missouri, for example, is about to vote on its wagering initiative on the November 5 ballot. If it passes, retail and digital sports betting will be legalized in the state. Here's a few more details:

• New York: The Gaming Facility Location Board has extended the deadline for prospective downstate New York casino applicants to June 27, 2025, which pushed the timeline for approval back to Dec. 31, 2025. This will significantly delay the introduction of online casino gambling in New York.
• Ohio: Sen. Niraj Antani filed a bill seeking to legalize Ohio online casinos. The legislation would allow Ohio’s 11 casinos and racinos to offer one online casino app per license holder. It's widely believed that the bill won't pass, but it's a step towards legalizing internet gambling in the future.
• Maryland: Maryland lawmakers concluded their 2024 legislative session on April 10 with a bill to legalize online casinos excluded from the final legislative agenda. That comes on the heels of the bill being left out of the state budget earlier in the month.

Responsible Gaming

If you or someone you know is affected by problem gambling, there’s a variety of free resources and tools at your disposal regardless of the state you’re in. You can call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or reach out to one of the following organizations:

• Help by State
• National Council on Problem Gambling
• Gamblers Anonymous
• Gam-Anon

While player awareness of responsible gambling resources is on the rise, rates of compulsive gambling remain stable. There's no shame in getting help if you notice that you're starting to chase losses, find yourself preoccupied with playing, or see that it's starting to affect your job and relationships.

Blacklisted Online Casinos

If you see that an online casino is not licensed by any state, playing there could put you at risk of having your winnings withheld or having your personal data misused. That's why you should always check the footer of a site you're considering for the logo of the regional licensing authority.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 made all gambling operators without a state license illegal in the US. Offshore casinos are somewhat of a gray area, but playing at them exposes you to the risks we mentioned. This is our list of offshore casinos you should avoid:

• Bovada
• Wild Casino
• Leo Vegas
• MyBookie
• Ignition
• El Royale

Please keep in mind that this is not a complete overview of all offshore casino sites. If you know an illegal platform you'd like us to add to this list, feel free to contact us at any time.