Finding the best online casino can be quite an uphill battle, especially when there are so many to sift through. How do you know if you’ve hit on a safe and secure site, how do you know if they’ll pay out your winnings, is it really the best choice out there?
Don’t worry, our guide will take you through the process of finding the best US online casinos and answer all your questions. We’ll show you what to look out for, how to tell if it’s a rogue site and how only the very best of the bunch make it to our list of recommended US sites.
Our team of industry experts review each site meticulously
All of the recommended sites are fully licensed, safe and secure
We compare bonuses and promotions and update offers regularly
Take a look at the best US online casinos:
As we mentioned, only the best US online casinos make it onto our list of recommended sites. We put every casino through a stringent vetting process and only those who score consistently high will make it. We try to find a range of sites to suit all types of players.
To ensure the best online gambling experience, our criteria checklist for the best US online casinos includes safety, banking, withdrawals, security, bonuses, reputation, games, software and overall performance. Let’s take a look in more detail:
Top of the checklist for any player must be the licensing status of their chosen online site. All reputable online casinos will be licensed and regulated by an official gaming authority. Look out for the licensing details at the footer of the casino’s website and/or within the general terms and conditions.
In the US, players may find sites licensed by Costa Rica, Panama or Curacao and for those wishing to register with casinos outside of the states you should be looking for licenses held with MGA, UKGC or KGC that regulate under the strictest of guidelines
Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
Founded 2001. Adheres to European laws promoting safe and responsible gambling
United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC)
Founded in 2005. Follows strict guidelines in protecting the vulnerable by promoting fair and safe gambling
Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC)
Founded in 1996. Licensing authority for gaming activity from and within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake
Registering with an online casino requires players to share sensitive data and financial information along with depositing your hard-earned dollars. It is important for you to feel protected and secure when conducting online transactions.
For the safety aspect, the online casino must be licensed by a recognized authority. For the best US online casinos to pass all of our security tests they must tick off the following while on the flip side is a list of red flags to watch out for and at all costs avoid.
The best US online casinos offer a diverse and wide range of casino games which are provided by top quality software providers. All reputable casinos are subject to third party auditors e.g., eCOGRA, iTech Labs, who monitor RNG (Random Number Generator) and RTP (Return To Player) stats for compliance with fair gaming protocol.
Powering this wealth of diverse and popular online casino games are some of the world’s top class software developers. Here are a few of the industry giants you can expect to find at the best US online casinos:
| SOFTWARE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Evolution | Renowned leader in the development of the best live casino platforms, pioneers of live game shows such as Crazy Time, Monopoly, Deal or No Deal |
| Big Time Gaming | Recognized for development of the revolutionary Megaways reel mechanism enabling up to 117,649 ways to win which has been licensed for integration into hundreds of slot machines |
| NetEnt | Creator of legendary slots like Starburst and the record-breaking progressive jackpot Mega Fortune, features in 200+ online casinos around the world |
| Playtech | Second only to Evolution for live gaming platforms, has developed over 700 slots and offers table games, bingo and sports betting, opened the world’s biggest independent online poker school |
| Microgaming | Pioneers of the world’s first online casino software, a wealth of casino games including several branded slots for instance, Jurassic World and record-breaking progressives such as Mega Moolah |
As the online casino industry is such a competitive market, operators will change and update their bonus offers on a regular basis to appeal to the next potential customer. This is where new players can capitalize on tempting deals and bag a welcome bonus fit for a king.
Online casinos demanding 50x wagering requirements or above plus short ‘valid for’ time limits are not worth your time, money or energy and should be avoided at all costs
However, there are also plenty of unscrupulous sites as we mentioned earlier and the grass is not always greener. Some bonus offers are really not as good as they first seem, scratch below the surface to find extremely high wagering requirements with nigh on impossible playthrough conditions.
Our team of experts vet every bonus and promotion offered by an online casino, they want to make sure that all players get a fair crack at the whip. Those that make it onto our top ranking list will offer a mixture of bonuses including deposit matches and cashback offers.
The best US online casinos will offer multiple trusted and reliable payment methods that are recognized within the iGaming community. Methods can vary slightly from country to country but generally there are a few favorites which are widely available at most online casinos:
The UIGEA prohibits gambling businesses from knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager that involves the use of the Internet and that is unlawful under any federal or state law. (2)
FDIC.gov
Since the adoption of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, payment methods for US players have become rather limited resulting in some online casinos rejecting payments via credit/debit cards like American Express, Visa and MasterCard but there are alternative options available and players just need to check the methods prior to depositing.
It’s sad to say but some online casinos are not as player-friendly as we’d like. In fact, they’re downright unfriendly, unsafe and insecure. We know this as they may offer unfair bonus terms and conditions, take months to pay out winnings or not pay out at all.
These unsavory sites make it straight to the top of our blacklisted casino list:
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Gambling laws in the US are complex and rather a ‘grey’ area for all concerned. The laws work on both a federal and state level, technically there’s no defined federal law against online gambling, however, individual states are allowed to implement their own regulations.
Fortunately, where states do impose gambling laws, they target online operators rather than the players, for instance, the adoption of the UIGEA made it illegal for businesses and financial institutions to process payments from unlawful online gambling.
Considering the popularity of land-based casinos across the US it is strange to discover an inconsistent framework, however, times are evolving and gradually more states are moving to legalize online gambling.
Signing up with one of the best US online casinos is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Browse our list of recommended sites and choose your favorite. Follow our 5-step guide:
Follow the link for your chosen casino, click ‘sign up’
Complete the registration with your personal details
Choose your username and password
Choose your country of residence and currency
Tick the box to agree t’s & c’s and confirm you are 18yrs+
It’s worth a mention that you need to submit the correct information for your phone number and email address as either or both could be used to send verification links to activate your new casino account.
The best US online casinos will also require you to submit documentation to verify your age and identity. This is a standard process and must be completed prior to withdrawals. The last step to remember at sign up is to claim the welcome bonus.
Yes, dependent on the state you’re playing in. We recommend checking state law before gambling online. Technically there is no federal law against online gambling, however, states are able to impose their own regulations.
That’s a tricky question to answer! It depends on your personal preferences and particular gameplay. Browse through our list of the best US online casinos to find the one which suits your needs the most.
You will find an extensive variety across the different sites, for example slots including classics and progressive jackpots, video poker, table games and live dealer games plus many variants on the old classics.
No. All reputable online casinos are subject to third party auditors who monitor the RTP and RNG stats to ensure compliance with fair gaming protocol. You can expect to find endorsements by eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI.
Yes. All of the best US online casinos are licensed and regulated by an official gaming authority. The sites will also utilize the latest encryption technology to safeguard all data and financial transactions.
The best US online casinos will offer multiple payment methods including Visa debit/credit cards, Western Union, Bitcoin, Bank Transfers, MasterCard. Since the enforcement of UIGEA, some operators may refuse certain card transactions, however, they will always offer an alternative.
Yes of course. Look out for the welcome offer which is usually a deposit match bonus plus free spins. You can also find other promotions like cashback, reloads, no deposits, bonus spins and VIP programs with loyalty points to collect from every time you wager on your favorite game.
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