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Skip the Headaches and Play at a Legitimate Site

• Best Gambling Sites Online
• Best Gambling Sites For Usa Players
• Best Gambling Sites Usa
• Best Gambling Locations Us

GamblingSites.com is perhaps THE most comprehensive online gambling resource. This website is a genuine goldmine for gamblers, with information and expert advice on just about every gambling. Today US players can choose from a handful of online casinos that operate on software platforms developed by Betsoft, WGS Technology, Saucify and Real Time Gaming (RTG). Still, American online casinos.

You’re looking for a legitimate U.S. gambling site, but can’t decide which site to trust with your hard-earned money?

Good news! We’ve been in the online gambling industry for over a decade (several decades, really, if you add all of our experience together), and we’ve spent countless hours to bring you a list of the most legitimate sites.

Here’s what all of these sites have in common:

• 10+ years in the business with strong reputations.
• Attractive promotions for first-time customers.
• Quick money withdrawals (relative to the U.S. market).

Why Bovada Is #1 in the U.S.

#1: Fastest Check Cashouts

Bovada gets 10 times as much traffic as its second best US competitor and still delivers check payouts faster than any of them. Bovada processes check withdrawals in 7 days; many of its competitors take weeks, some more than a month to do the same. (There are other fast options, like the #3-ranked BetOnline, which delivers checks in 14 days.)

#2: Service

An equally important aspect of Bovada’s operations is its customer service. If there ever was an indication of how much a company respects its customers, it’s the level of customer service the company provides. I haven’t found any US-friendly site doing this aspect of the business better (although 5Dimes is a worthy runner-up).

#3: All-In-One

Finally, all parts of Bovada’s business (sportsbook, casino, poker, racebook) are popular. Bovada is best-known for sports betting and casino games, however, even its online poker room has around four times as many players online as the second biggest US poker site. You can access all of their games with one player account.

… But You Should Know This

Bovada is recreational-friendly, perhaps more-so than any other US site. You’ll find few golden opportunities in their sportsbook (read more about their use of dual lines), they have a relatively high overall house edge (especially after recently increasing house edge in video poker games) and their online poker room only has “anonymous” tables.

Although not everyone agrees with me, the recreational-friendly part is an advantage for skilled poker players. Since Bovada appeals to recreational gamblers, you’ll be like a shark among regular fish.

Bovada charges a 4.9% fee for credit card deposits (a lot considering how most sites charge nothing). The impact of the deposit fee is slightly compensated by their welcome bonuses, which are better than average.

All online gamblers look for entertaining games, attractive promotions and aesthetically pleasing software. To have a safe experience, however, you want a site to:

1. Serve its customers with safety and respect,
2. Operate with a reasonable house edge, and
3. Handle money transactions promptly.

Best Gambling Sites Online

Yes, the third point is included in the first point but it’s also such an essential part of the customer experience that it must be mentioned separately. Many online gambling websites operate without an adequate level of service so these points are worth considering. It’s rare to find a combination of all three points.

Bovada fulfills all of the above criteria better than other sites but 5Dimes does well, too. In fact, I’m confident in ranking those two as the best USA gambling websites specifically because they deliver so well in the areas related to safety and trustworthiness. A site without proper customer service and safety measures is not one you should deposit money to, regardless of its promotions and whatnot.

What Are Some Alternative Options?

For Sports Bettors

5Dimes.eu is the best betting site in the US for the following reasons: they’re professional-friendly and offer reduced juice betting lines (in other words, less house edge). Before betting on any game, I recommend taking a look at the odds 5Dimes is offering. They’ve been a reliable sportsbook for over 10+ years — you’ll find few complaints about 5Dimes online, and the ones you find have been resolved quickly.

For poker and casino games, I would go with Bovada. But for sports bettors, it makes the most sense to have an account at 5Dimes.

Another Solid Option

BetOnline.ag is my third suggestion. It’s not significantly better than the others in any area but they’re simply a solid option. Prompt cashout processing, decent poker traffic, good sports betting options and entertaining casino games. Additionally, I’ve had good experiences with their customer service.

For sports bettors, BetOnline is worth signing-up at simply to be able to compare betting lines among a few sites. For poker players, BetOnline may offer some good games every now and then (keep in mind: you can bet on sports and play casino and poker games with the same account, so plenty of gamblers will stumble on the poker games eventually). For casino gamblers, BetOnline has a basic but reliable offering.

BetOnline charges a 6% fee for credit card deposits.

Is It Legal to Play?

The definition of ”gambling” and the laws surrounding vary depending on which state you live in.

In Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey, some forms of online gambling have been legalized and regulated (only state-licensed sites are allowed to operate legally). In other states, it’s likely (although not widely agreed upon) that playing – and certainly operating – online gambling games for real money is illegal.

On a federal level, sports betting is the only form of prohibited gambling via the Wire Act of 1961. For several years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintained that the Wire Act applies to all forms of online gambling, but in December 2011, they corrected that stance by stating that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting – a result of a 13-page memorandum from the Office of Legal Counsel to the Criminal Division of the DOJ (source).

State laws, however, often indirectly prohibit gambling. Or to put it another way: it would be difficult to claim any forms of online gambling legal with absolute certainty in most states (lotteries and such aside). Most state laws indirectly prohibit gambling simply by making all forms of gambling unlawful that have not been made lawful.

Purely based on history, it’s unlikely you’ll get into legal trouble; then again, if something is illegal, you can get into trouble, and someone probably will. Gambling online may be illegal where you live. Contact a local gaming lawyer to get a better idea of your local laws.

Legal Troubles

Industry-changing events have taken place in the online gambling world – mainly concerning online poker – such as the UIGEA and Party Poker’s exit from the US market, or PokerStars’ exit from the US market in 2011.

Those crimes were committed by online poker operators, though, not players. Still, the mere fact that online poker companies were targeted was enough to cast a shadow over the legality of US online poker, and furthermore, players grew more and more worried about one of these sites getting shut down along with the money on their player accounts.

In fact, there is a legitimate reason to worry about dishonest US gambling sites taking your money. Some sites have indeed taken off with the money – a recent example is Lock Poker, which currently may owe its customers over $15 million. I created LegitGamblingSites.com mainly to give more exposure to the sites with strong track records of honest business practices.

The lawmakers, in that regard, have a point about not allowing unlicensed sites to provide online gambling games to US citizens. While that may not be the reason, it’s likely one of them. (If I had to guess, I’d say they’re more concerned about losing out on tax dollars and protecting the interests of brick & mortar casino owners such as Sheldon Adelson, although through the RAWA – Restore America’s Wire Act legislation – he tries to do that by himself.)

How to Move Money Around

Ever since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) became a law, US citizens have had a more difficult time finding a suitable deposit method.

There are only a few left, actually.

The most common deposit method for US citizens is still credit card deposits, out of which VISA is the most widely accepted brand, followed by Mastercard, with American Express being a distant third. Cards must be eligible for both international and online transfers.

The alternative method is to use a money transfer service such as Western Union. Western Union is mostly a deposit-only method. (Bovada is an exception since they only allow you to withdraw money via a check.)

Why to use a money transfer service instead of a credit card?

• A card deposit fails to go through. This happens every now and then, and the only way to know if your card will be accepted is to try. According to various forum reports, Vanilla VISA is declined at most sites while Netspend VISA has been successful.

  Surprisingly, players have had problems with card deposits even at state-licensed sites due to banks like Bank of America outright declining all gambling transactions. Things will likely get better with the new MCC codes for VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Distant which will help casinos to identify gambling transactions more accurately. It’s unclear how much of a help this will be since banks still have the right to decline transfers marked with the new MCC codes, and due to not wanting to violate the UIGEA (according to which they’re prohibited from knowingly processing unlawful gambling transactions), banks may decide it isn’t worth it and keep cancelling transactions even if they were for state-licensed sites.

  This is expected to change once bigger states – perhaps even the biggest of them all, California – join internet gambling, since declining the transactions will then affect such a large percentage of any bank’s customer base.

• You want a faster cashout. While money transfer services cost more (many sites, like Bovada, allow one free check cashout a month), the money is usually delivered to be picked up at a local Western Union location in five days or less.
• You don’t want a check cashout. You need to go to a cashier to cash a check. Most people would rather avoid doing this, especially since banks aren’t allowed to knowingly process online gambling related transactions (unless in Delaware, Nevada or New Jersey, but people have had problems in those states as well).

In general, you’ll have higher transaction costs with money transfer services than with a combination of credit cards and checks. BetOnline and Bovada are the only major USA sites charging for credit card deposits and most allow one free check cashout per month – some, like True Poker, allow a free check withdrawal every seven days.

How to use a credit card/check combination?

1. Enter your credit card details online after which you have the money on your player account instantly.
2. When done playing, order a check cashout, which will take from a week to over a month depending on which site you’re dealing with.
3. Go to your local bank to cash the check.

How to use a money transfer service (like Western Union)?

1. Go to their website or a live Western Union location and send money to the gambling site. (You’ll need to contact the gambling site first to get their transfer details.)
2. When done playing, initiate the withdrawal from your player account.
3. Go to a live location to collect the money.

State-Licensed Sites

As mentioned, Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey have legalized and regulated some forms of real-money online gambling. Delaware started with online poker but has since expanded into casino games as well; Nevada offers online poker games only; New Jersey offers online poker and casino games.

As you can see, not a single one of these states offer online sports betting. In New Jersey – clearly the biggest market of the three – there’s a clause according to which sports betting may be considered to be added in the future.

Requirements

You must be physically located within a state’s boundaries to play at the licensed sites. If you’re currently located in California but live in Nevada, you’re unable to play until you return to Nevada; if you’re currently located in Nevada but live in California, you can play as long as you stay within Nevada’s state boundaries.

Licensed sites have to make sure nobody outside of the state can participate in the games. Geolocation – identifying exactly where a person is located – has been difficult, and there are still people who are unable to play even though they’re located within those states. This is one of the reasons licensed online gambling sites have done financially worse than expected.

Only existing brick & mortar casino owners within those states can apply for licenses, although they can apply together with an existing online gambling site in a software-licensing agreement, like Caesar’s Interactive and 888.com have done. If a poker site kept operating in the US after the UIGEA of 2006, it will be subjected to a ”bad actor” clause in Nevada and be prohibited from operating in the state for now.

Performance

Each state has had a rocky start, although New Jersey is doing OK. In March 2014, they did $11.87 million in revenue, which grew into $13.16 million in March 2015. A growth rate of 14.57% year-over-year is better than nothing, but still a far cry from the $1 billion within the first 7 months of operating Governor Christie expected (New Jersey gambling sites were launched in November 2013). In other words, his expectations were a little over $140 million a month on average, or about ten times the current revenue.

According to PokerScout.com, Nevada’s online poker revenue is going downhill. Year-over-year decrease in revenue of around 44% (from February 2014 to February 2015) is, no matter how you look at it, a disappointing result. Problems with card deposits and geolocation – both of which exist in other states as well – and player liquidity have undoubtedly contributed to the significant decrease. Players have to deal with fewer problems when playing at offshore sites, and as long as that continues, it will be difficult for state-licensed sites to gain major traction.

In Delaware, the state keeps all yearly revenue up to $3.75 million. Since total revenue for 2014 was around $2.1 million, gambling operators have made nothing. The main reason for such a low amount of revenue is Delaware’s population of 0.94 million (in comparison, New Jersey has a population of 8.9 million). Liquidity is important for online poker since you need lots of players to run games at various stakes, in several forms and throughout the day. Delaware is trying to improve its poker liquidity by combining player pools with Nevada but so far there hasn’t been a significant improvement to its online gaming revenue.

If all of the three states were to combine their player pools, it would create a poker economy of around 12 million people, which could add significant liquidity to the games and thus bring in more revenue to each of the states.

Offshore Sites

Gambling sites accepting US customers from outside of the three states are all ”offshore” sites, meaning they operate from outside of the US and have no license to operate within the US. They have obtained a license in some other jurisdictions – such as Antiqua & Barbuda or Panama – but many of those jurisdictions have less-than-stellar reputations.

The disadvantage of gambling at offshore sites is the lack of safety. For an outsider, it’s impossible to know how strict testing measures these sites go through to prove their legitimacy, and hypothetically, if one of them were to disappear from the internet tomorrow along with your money, what could you do about it?

Lock Poker, as already mentioned, is an ongoing example. They’ve now lost their license in Curacao (weirdly, they were able to keep the license easily over a year after refusing to process customer cashouts) and there’s nothing anyone can do to make sure Lock Poker’s customers have their money returned. All we can do is spread the word to the people who are considering signing-up and depositing money to their site.

The best thing you can do is consider the reputation of the site rather than the jurisdiction since all jurisdictions have had dishonest sites. The longer a site has been fully operational, and the fewer complaints it has generated, the better. Essentially, Bovada has been in the online gambling business since 2000 when Bodog.com was founded (the US-friendly operations of Bodog were re-branded as Bovada in 2011), and as mentioned, they’ve achieved an excellent reputation with a high level of customer service.

But there are advantages to playing at an offshore site, too, and you can legitimately argue that the advantages override the disadvantages. Offshore sites place fewer restrictions on customers, need less personal information and have to compete with lots of other sites (within US states, competition is limited) which forces them to be at their best in order to succeed. There are no geolocation issues either.

Safety and legality aside – although obviously, both are big considerations – offshore sites are the better option in almost every area. Since only three states have legalized some forms of real-money online gambling in the US, they’re the only places for internet gambling for around 96.4% of US population.

What’s Next?

US online gambling is in a transitional phase: after a long wait of legalization, three states have done it, mostly with lackluster success. Suggesting geolocation and deposit issues are resolved, revenue streams may grow. With online poker, though, most likely at least one of the bigger states has to legalize it and combine player pools with the others to create a meaningful poker economy.

A federal legalization would create much-needed competition and player pools, which in turn creates a bigger incentive for operators to participate and, in many ways, a better environment for gamblers. If internet gambling was to be legalized nationwide, every operator and their grandmother would want a license. As of now, it’s more beneficial for most operators to stay outside of the US.

I know what you’re thinking. “What does a sports site know about USA online casinos?” Well, considering that most online sportsbooks actually have real money casinos attached, we know quite a bit!

That’s why we’ve created this section about online casino sites to help fans of all types of gambling find some entertainment. It might be during your favorite sport’s off-season or something else, but no matter what it is, real money online casinos are here to help!

Here, we’ve gathered some of the very best US online casinos on the market today. You can head right into the action or keep reading to learn more!

Best Gambling Sites For Usa Players

The rest of this page is going to be dedicated to helping you find the perfect online casino and show you all of what the world of online casinos has to offer.

Why You Should Consider US Online Casinos

If you’re a die-hard sports fan looking for a change of pace, you’ve come to the right place. Most of the US online casinos we recommend double as sportsbooks, so if you have a book you trust, you can switch over and play casino games already. You may also be able to play online poker!

This isn’t true for all sportsbooks and online casinos, though, but we’ll get into that later.

For now, let’s go over a few reasons as to why you should play games at online casino sites.

More Opportunities to Win Money

This one is obvious. If you expand your resume of placing real money wagers, you have the opportunity to win more money. This doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but if you’re a skilled sports bettor, you should have no problem picking up games like blackjack or Texas Holdem.

Playing casino games online gives you that opportunity to pick up some extra dough for your bankroll. If you really put in the time and effort, you can learn about different systems and how to get an edge over the house. Then, you’re really in the running for earning some serious cash.

Burn out Less Often Than Betting on Sports

It’s a well-known fact that if you do something too often, it’s easy to get burned out. If you’re an avid sports bettor placing multiple bets down a day, this can get exhausting with how much you need to keep up with daily.

Make sure you take a break. Go outside, get some fresh air, then try out something new. Check out a few online casino games for money to give yourself a well-deserved break.

There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to sit down and just bet on watching a roulette wheel spin or dice being thrown. Sometimes, a simple break can also help clear your mind and help you stay as sharp as ever.

Fill in the Void of Your Sport Being Off-Season

In 2020, the sports world shut down for a while. This was unprecedented, and not many people were prepared for this. So, in times where your sport of choice is its off-season, or if there is an unexpected pandemic, the best online casinos USA are always there!

There’s no off-season for blackjack tables, roulette wheels, or any other type of online real money casino game. So, if you familiarize yourself with these games now, you will have a better appreciation for them and still have a great source of entertainment!

US Online Casinos vs Sports Betting Sites

This is an excellent question. Most online casino sites and sportsbooks are not that different on the surface. Some of the best real money US online casinos will have them available in addition to the casino. There are many all-in-one casino/sportsbooks out there, such as:

• Bovada
• BetOnline
• Sportsbetting.ag
• BetNow

These sites offer both sports betting options and online casino games.

More often than not, any sportsbooks you come across will have a casino. The opposite is not true, however.

• El Royale Casino
• Vegas Casino Online
• High Country Casino

These casinos listed above do not have a sportsbook option.

The Key Differences

Since sportsbooks and casinos online are very similar, what are some of the differences? Well, the distinctions between the two don’t actually stand out too much. They’re more minor and found on a site-by-site basis.

For example, some sites are owned by the same parent company, so you’ll recognize the following qualities:

• Similar software
• Similar designs
• Similar games
• Similar betting lines

However, some sites are entirely different entities, and that’s where you’ll start finding larger differences in things like which games are offered, how they run, etc.

Look Into Customer Service Teams

One thing that we will say is that many sites use different customer service teams and handle their customer support in different ways. This is a crucial factor you should look for before choosing a real money online casino to use.

How to Utilize USA Online Casino Bonuses

Bonuses are the very lifeblood of casino players! If you’ve been on an online casino of any kind, you’ve probably seen a banner like this:

The best online casinos certainly know how to entice people with large sums of money in the form of bonuses. The question has to be asked, though, “Are these offers too good to be true?”

Watch out for Playthrough Requirements

While a bonus of $5,000, like in the example above, might look enticing on the surface, we need to dig a little deeper before jumping in.

Notice how we have highlighted #8, #10, and #12. You’ll see from point #8 that you will have either a 35x or a 30x playthrough requirement before you can withdraw your winnings. Let’s look at an example of how this works.

Let’s say you chose the second option of a 100% bonus up to $1,000. If you deposit $1,000 and the online casino matches that, you have $2,000 in your account. That means you have the 30x playthrough requirement. Let’s do the math.

$2,000 x 30 = $60,000

This means you have to gamble at least $60,000 in the casino from that initial $2,000 before you can make a withdrawal.

Don’t let this scare you, not all online casino bonuses are this extensive, but we wanted to make sure you were aware of how this works. If you read the terms of conditions and tackle this properly, bonuses at real money online casinos can be an excellent way to get some extra cash. Just make sure that you’re 100% aware of what you’re getting into!

USA Online Casino Gambling by State

Online casinos in the USA are starting up every single day. The casino market in the US is growing as online gambling is becoming more widely accepted across the country.

Here, we are going to examine the online casino sites available in all 50 different states in the US. Simply find your state in the list below to learn about the real money online casinos available in that state.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Different Types of Real Money Online Casinos

Now, we’re going to talk about the different types of online real money casinos you can find today. There are many different options out there, and we’re going to break down the options for you so you can find exactly what you need.

Fast Payout Online Casinos

No one likes waiting for their money. You’re no exception! So, it’s understandable that you want an online casino that pays out your winnings fast. These casinos are the best in the business and are highly rated by our team and customers alike. Click the link to learn more.

Safest USA Online Casinos

If you’re more concerned about the safety of your information more than anything else, then you definitely want to check out our guide to the safest online casinos. These real money casinos have top-of-the-line security features set in place to ensure all of their customers have their information completely secured. Click the link to learn more.

Real Money Casino Games

If you’re looking for a specific real money casino game, we’ve got you covered. Here, we’re going to showcase a few different games that you can find on any of the US online casinos we’ve recommended.

Real Money Slots

Slots are an essential part of almost every casino player’s routine. Finding the best casinos with online slots is easy. Follow the link provided to find more information about the best real money slot casinos.

Real Money Blackjack

Hit me! Okay, don’t actually hit me. But that’s what you’ll be saying when you find the best online blackjack casinos to play at. Follow the link provided to learn all about real money blackjack casinos and get started today!

Other Real Money Casino Games

Live Dealer Casinos

Live dealer casinos are a stunning innovation for the advancement of the online casino industry. If you want an authentic casino experience without actually going to a brick and mortar location, live dealer online casinos are the way to go.

Live dealer casinos online set up real live dealers with webcams and stream them right to your computer. You can play games like blackjack, roulette, craps, and many more with an actual person to interact with! If you’re interested in getting started with a live dealer online casino, follow the link provided to learn more!

Final Thoughts on United States Online Casinos

We hope you’ve found this guide to finding real money online casinos helpful. We hope that you know you can trust our recommendations. We may be The Sports Geek, but we can still provide you with other useful information! We have a great team that’s dedicated to ensuring you find a casino site that best suits your online gambling needs.

If you still need help with anything, or you have a question that isn’t answered in our FAQ section below, feel free to contact us anytime.

USA Real Money Online Casinos FAQ

Just for you guys, we want to take the time to cover a few of the questions we get most often from our visitors about online casinos and real money gambling.

Best Gambling Sites Usa

With so many bonuses out there, the most crucial factor is making sure you choose a legit online casino that will actually protect your money.

Best Gambling Locations Us