American Online Casinos
Another spectacular success story is that of American casinos — more accurately, the evolution of the U.S. casino industry over the past few decades! It all started with gambling being legal in only two states — roulette, betting, slot machines and poker were only allowed in land-based casinos. Now the tables have turned — online casinos are illegal in only two U.S. states — the resort-esque Hawaii, and the religious Utah.
Many players are now intentionally searching for legal US online casinos - regulated platforms where the player can play safely and responsibly from anywhere in legal jurisdictions.
In fact, since there is no federal law allowing or prohibiting gambling across the whole United States, it is each state that decides if they want gambling in their borders or not. State legislation views online casinos as an added source of budget revenue. Additionally, U.S. players can also gamble in casino halls on cruise ships — same process: make your deposit, grab your welcome bonus, play some of the best slot machines — except it is not done online with dollars; it is done at licensed physical casinos.
Quick Overview
Originally published in online casinos in the United States. Online gambling for real money in the U.S. involves multiple levels of regulation. The best online casinos in the U.S. attain a license from a state, not the federal government, but like all businesses, they must operate under state and federal laws — including the UIGEA, Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and the overall Interstate Wire Act.
In the United States, illegal gambling can lead to fines as high as $10,000 and even imprisonment for organizers. Players must be 18 years old to gamble in U.S. online casinos. If an individual gambles on unlicensed sites, the punishment is usually determined by state law.
When it comes to the available payment methods, American no deposit bonus casinos accept Visa and Maestro bank cards, accept PayPal, ACH Payment, Play+, Cash at Cage, and other online banking alternatives.
How to Obtain an Online Casino License in the U.S.
The best licensing practices in the U.S. gambling industry vary by state, and each jurisdiction has developed its own legal structure:
U.S. State | Gambling Regulator | Types of Licensed Casino Games |
---|---|---|
California | California Gambling Control Commission | Social casinos with slots and table games are licensed — players can win virtual prizes and coins. |
Delaware | The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) | Online casinos, poker, and lotteries have been legal since 2012. |
Illinois | Illinois Gaming Board | Since 2019, residents can bet online on sports and enjoy online slots recreationally. |
Iowa | The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission | Licenses issued for internet betting on virtual sports events. |
Nevada | Nevada Gaming Commission & Nevada Gaming Control Board | Licenses are issued for operating online poker rooms. |
New Hampshire | Gaming Regulatory Oversight Authority & The New Hampshire Lottery | Licenses issued for online casinos (slots, blackjack, craps, roulette, cards), lotteries, horse and dog racing, and online poker. |
New Jersey | New Jersey Casino Control Commission | Licensed casinos offer online poker and traditional games. |
Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board | Since 2019, licenses are issued for interactive casinos offering classic games, poker, slots, and sports betting. |
Rhode Island | Gaming and Athletics, Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation | Licenses available for mobile sports betting platforms. |
West Virginia | State Lottery Commission | In July 2020, West Virginia launched its first licensed online casino, offering traditional gambling games, poker, and online betting. |
Court rulings in Louisiana and the U.S. District Court in 2018 and 2019 that found that federal wire laws did not apply to internet wagering helped joust the expansion of online casinos in the U.S. At that same time, the 2018 Supreme Court repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act allowed each state to set its own measures for licensing and regulating sports wagering.
Consequently, online sportsbook licenses have since been distributed in Colorado, D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
Registration Rules and Player Requirements
To register and make a deposit at a casino, players must be at least 18 years old. That’s pretty much it — there are hardly greater U.S. gambling law requirements for players than that. There is an overall expectation of protection of players rights by regulatory bodies — however, illegally used gambling sites certainly leave gamblers very vulnerable to getting taken advantage of. This gap of protection is becoming an arbitration issue in the industry in the U.S.
Addressing this issue at state level is difficult too, as players are still hard to deter from illegally operating, regardless of the number of times they have been shut down, which is considerably high. In addition to that is the existing issue of problem gambling (ludomania) with clinics across the country specializing in this.
Since registration is straightforward and player requirements are minimal, there is no national exclusion list for self-banned individuals for possibly obvious reasons: it would not be in the gambling business's best interest. However, in states with legal online casinos and betting, it is required that local government operators give self-exclusion options.