All Sites Licensed by Offshore Gaming Regulators
Top Online Casinos for USA Players
Every online casino featured on this page welcomes American players with open arms. As such, we've created a concise but detailed guide of what you can expect from America's best internet casinos.
You will learn about the legality and safety of gambling online from your computer or mobile device. We've also added multiple recommended sites where you can play at legally right now.
Our top suggestions come highly-rated and are among the most trusted names in online gaming. And if you scroll further down this page, you'll find detailed reviews of each site, including their bonuses, payment options, game selection, and more.
The United States online casino industry has faced its challenges over the years, leading many states to legalize their own intrastate online gambling markets. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t safe and reputable offshore sites that welcome US gamblers with open arms.
That’s why our recommended online casinos above all call an overseas home base their permanent residence. Our top sites hold licensing in known offshore gaming jurisdictions such as Curacao, Panama, Costa Rica, or another similar location.
Is Online Casino Gambling Legal in the US?
Yes. It is legal to gamble at online casinos in the US – under certain conditions.
casino that takes paypalFirst, the law allows state legislatures to make their own rules regarding online gambling and casinos. This means each state can decide whether it wants to regulate online gaming (sportsbook, poker, slots, etc.) or outlaw it entirely.
Secondly, the Federal Wire Act (18USC1084) once prohibited all online gambling across the country back in the 1960s, but in 2011, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a statement easing those restrictions to only apply to sports betting.
Today, numerous states have embraced internet gambling laws and regulated their own industries to provide a safe iGaming environment for their constituents. Those states include New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Delaware, Michigan, West Virginia, and Connecticut.
Outside of those states, your best option is to choose a reputable offshore online casino that adheres to all industry standards, uses fair games, and offers secure banking options for American customers. You’ll find several more details below in our online casino legalities section.
How to Choose the Best Online Casino
Choosing where to play is a personal choice based upon your preferences for promotions, banking, mobile usage, and the type/variety of casino games you wish to enjoy. The following list highlights some of the important factors you should consider before joining any one online casino.
- Banking Options – Preferred deposit and withdrawal methods.
- Bonus Offers – Welcome and reload bonuses, promotional codes, terms & conditions.
- Game Selection – Slots, table games, video poker, live dealers, progressive jackpots.
- Mobile Friendliness – Mobile browser testing vs downloadable app.
- Reputation – Certified fair gaming certificates, license numbers, length of operation.
- Customer Service – Live chat, email, phone support availability.
This is not an exhaustive list, but it does cover the major points you should ponder when choosing which casino site suits you best. Reading trusted reviews from other gamblers could also help solidify your final decision.
Online Casino Reviews
Our team of professional reviewers has decades of experience playing at both land-based and online casinos. Armed with that knowledge, we set out to rate the top online casinos and present our findings to you here on this page.
We use a strict set of criteria to compare online casinos so we can separate the good sites from the bad ones. The data we collect is used to create our in-depth reviews, highlighting the pros and cons of each casino.
All site recommendations have been in business for at least one to two years (sometimes longer), they accept American customers, and they welcome new members with a generous bonus. Every operator you see listed here is licensed and regulated by an offshore government.
Fun Online Casino Real Money Games to Play in the UKHow We Test Online Casinos
- Research and Discovery. We start with an internet search looking for new operators to join and review. Then read through gambling forums to see what others are saying about the site.
- Terms and Conditions. Next, we visit the casino website and examine their ToS document for any red flags. If everything looks good so far, we create a new account.
- Account Creation requires supplying accurate information and taking note of the supporting documents needed during the verification process (driver’s license, social security number, etc).
- Depositing money into the new account triggers additional reviews because this is where many sites lose favor. We only recommend casinos that accept US players and offer reasonable deposit minimums ($10 -$25) with various payment types (cryptos preferred).
- Examining Bonuses and Promotions. Any good online casino will offer attractive signup incentives and regular promotions, tournaments, or rewards for loyal patrons.
- Testing Casino Games. We begin playing through the welcome bonus to test out the casino software and evaluate the game selection (slots, blackjack, roulette, etc.). We pay close attention to the RTP rates of each game.
- Cashing Out. Withdrawal testing is essential due to processing times and limits. This step could take up to two weeks to complete since some payment methods (wire transfers) take longer than others (crypto).
- Follow Up. We continue using the casino site as a regular patron for several months to ensure no change in service quality.
- Share Our Findings. After completing all tests, we write up our online casino review with star ratings for categories like game selection, bonuses, mobile friendliness, etc.
- Update Our Rankings. Our top 10 online casinos list changes occasionally as newer sites replace older ones.
Comparison of the Best Online Casinos
After putting these ten online casinos through our gauntlet of testing procedures, three stood out just a little bit higher than the rest. Here's how they measured up against one another in regards to their overall score.
The differences between them are minimal, but every little advantage counts. Ignition Casino won this race thanks to perfect scores in the bonus, game selection, and payment options categories.
Luckily, all three are great online casinos deserving of your time and consideration. If you don't feel any of them are right for you, then be sure to check out the rest of our rankings below.
Types of Online Casino Games
Online casinos feature dozens of different types of games. Most sites specialize in a particular area, such as live dealer games or online slots. Whereas other casinos prefer to build a diverse gaming library containing a little something for everyone.
If you know exactly what type of game you want to play, then use our search filters to hone in on that specific genre. Otherwise, check out the following overview of what online casinos have to offer in their game libraries.
- Of all the game types offered online, digital slot machines are the most popular.
- Table games cover a wide range of titles, including blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps, and poker.
- Progressive Jackpot games offer massive prize payouts that often climb past $1 million.
- Live Dealer games stream real human dealers on video, offering a traditional casino atmosphere.
- Video Poker matches players against a computer using virtual 5-card poker hands.
- Specialty Games encompasses lots of different genres, such as keno, bingo, scratch cards, and dice games.
Some sites excel at providing an abundance of one type of game while neglecting another. If having a wide variety of games to choose from is important, then we suggest joining Bovada Gaming or Ignition Casino.
Other casinos–such as mBit Casino and BetUS – focus almost entirely on slots, with thousands of games to choose from. The key is knowing what types of games you want to play before you join any one site.
It’s worth pointing out that some states have laws restricting certain types of games. For instance, Connecticut only allows social gambling, so their online casino must adhere to those rules. New Jersey, on the other hand, offers a full suite of gambling options within their regulated market.
Therefore, the available game types may vary depending upon which site you join. If you are in Pennsylvania, for example, you might want to check out our .
Are Online Casino Games Legal in the US?
Yes. Provided you play at an online casino that accepts US players and is based outside of the United States, you can definitely engage in online casino gaming.
Offshore online casinos are perfectly legal as long as you are of the legal gambling age (usually 18-21) and are not breaking any state or local laws. We recommend confirming your state’s gambling laws before depositing money into an online casino account.
Even in states with legalized intrastate online casinos (Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia), offshore sites are still permitted because they are not located inside the United States.
It’s a little known loophole that allows Americans to access offshore internet casinos alongside their state-regulated counterparts. The best part is you do not have to choose between them – you can enjoy both!
How We Test Online Casino Games
RNG Games
- We create a new account at the online casino.
- Verify our account via email or phone.
- Check to see if the casino is running any promotions.
- Read the terms and conditions to understand the wagering requirements.
- Browse the game selection to get a sense of what is offered and organize the A-Z or New Game tabs.
- Start playing the games and record the RTP percentages by game type and developer.
- Take notes on any unusual glitches or delays experienced while playing the games.
- Collect the software provider information from the casino footer and cross-reference against known developers (cheat sheet reference).
- Compare RTP rates against industry averages for the respective game types.
- Double-check the casino’s certification of Fairness through a third-party auditor, such as GLI or eCOGRA.
Live Dealer Games
- Create a new account at the live dealer casino and verify it via email or phone.
- Confirm the site accepts American players and has active live dealer tables.
- Check for any ongoing promotions or bonuses that can be used on live dealer games.
- Make note of any contribution percentages towards wagering requirements.
- Begin streaming the live dealer lobby and record the game types being offered.
- Monitor the streaming quality and any buffering issues encountered over the next few days.
- Evaluate the quality of the camera work, audio and visual feedback, and chat functionality.
- Determine if all bets are graded correctly and payouts are distributed immediately.
- See if there are multiple camera angles to choose from or if replays are shown.
- Confirm the parent company operating the live deck is reputable, such as VIG Entertainment or Medialive Casino.
Mobile Optimization
- Visit the online casino website from my mobile browsers list on my smart devices:
- Firefox or Chrome for Android at [casino].
- Firefox or Chrome for iOS at [casino] (Apple does not allow real money gambling apps in its App Store).
- Bookmark the mobile site for future visits and sign in to my account.
- Allow cookies to be saved to my device (optional).
- Evaluate the layout design and intuitiveness of the interface on each device.
- Play several games from each game category (slots, table games, video poker, live dealer games).
- Record the average time it takes to load each game screen and begin play.
- Compare the desktop version to the mobile versions for each game.
- Fill out brief survey asking for thoughts about the mobile platform and submit to management.
Return to Player (RTP) Percentages Explained
Every casino game has a predetermined payout rate that you can find by researching the Return to Player (RTP) percentage. This is one of the most important statistics you need to be aware of because it tells you how much money the player is expected to earn back over time.
For every $100 wagered on a 95% RTP slot machine, the player should receive $95 back in winnings.
However, these RTP rates are calculated over hundreds of thousands of spins or more. In the short term, any game can make or break your bankroll, regardless of its RTP. That’s why responsible bankroll management and good money management skills are so important to your long term success.
Not all RTP rates are created equal. While most games fall between 93%-97%, you can find some rare gems that hit 98%-99.5% RTP. Check out the following lists for general references:
High RTP Games
- Blood Suckers (98%)
- Guns N’ Roses (97.07%)
- Mega Joker (99%)
- Jokerizer (98%)
- Good Girl Bad Girl (97.8%)
Low RTP Games
- Wheel of Fortune (96%)
- Cleopatra (95.1%)
- Quick Draw McKenzie (95.98%)
- Buffalo (98.9%)
- Blazing 7s (96.08%)
Keep in mind that these rates are merely estimates. They are calculated over millions and billions of game plays to determine the average return rate.
In reality, your actual returns could vary widely from these estimates. That’s why banks assume risk-of-loss when partnering with casinos, because losing is a very real possibility – for the player and the casino.
Golden Nugget Casino Tips You Need To Win Big!Another thing to keep in mind is that house edge is simply the inverse of RTP (%). For example, a game with a 97% RTP would have a 3% house edge.
Casino Software & Fairness
Reputable casinos use software certified as fair by third-party companies, such as eCOGRA, Technical Systems Testing (TST), Gaming Labs International (GLI), or iTech Labs. These agencies perform random checks of game outcomes to ensure they are truly random and not manipulated by the software.
The tests also measure average return to player percentages, which are published on theauditreports.com for anyone to view (casino name + audit report). Some of the better online gaming sites will actually link directly to their latest audit report on that site to prove their integrity.
When reading the reports, look for the total number of games tested, the version of the software being used, and the dates covered by the audit. Most reports are annual snapshots and do not reflect daily happenings at the casino. Therefore, you may want to read a few reports to ensure the site stays on the up and up.
Many of the best online casinos use multiple software developers to fill out their game libraries. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the bigger ones:
- RealTime Gaming (RTG) – Known for its realistic sound effects and HD graphics. Popular for unique video poker games and 50+ slot jackpots.
- BetSoft – Cinematic 3D slots with engaging storylines and smooth animation.
- NetEnt – Innovative slots with fun features and high payout rates.
- Evolution – Industry leader in live dealer technology with fantastic streaming quality and dealers.
- Rival Gaming – I-Slots are a combination of slots and role-playing interactive adventures.
- Microgaming – First gaming company to develop online gambling software; creates tons of slots, table games, and video poker.
- Nevada / Playtech / Pragmatic / Saucify / XPro – These are private software and casino companies that cater to the US market.
Exclusive VIP Promotions & Perks
VIP promotions are typically reserved for the biggest spenders who deposit large sums of cash on a consistent basis. Depending on the casino, special perks can include anything from free spins and deposit bonuses to VIP tournament entries and monthly insurance payments.
Unfortunately, online casinos do not publish their VIP program qualifications or benefits. You must sign up and begin playing real money games before getting accepted into their loyalty program. And even then, the exact details of your rewards will remain hidden until you attain a high enough VIP level to receive them.
100% up to ,000 + 200 Free Spins - Our BetMGM Casino Review PADespite these unknowns, all hope is not lost. If you plan to play real money casino games online, it definitely pays to sign up for as many loyalty programs as you can find. That way, you increase your odds of qualifying for exclusive VIP promotions down the road. Read the following reviews for more details about each site’s VIP program.
Online Casino Deposit Bonuses
The first offer most people encounter when visiting an online casino site is a hefty deposit bonus. These match bonuses can seem too good to be true, especially since they tend to max out at 300%, 500%, or even 750% of your deposit amount.
While it is possible to clear the entire balance in playthrough requirements, you’re generally going to have to make a series of deposits to do it. And you always want to read the associated promo code, bonus abuse, and game weight restrictions before accepting any online casino welcome bonus. You can clear smaller bonuses rather quickly compared to larger deals, making them a better place for novice gamblers to start. Study up on the fine details, and soon you’ll be a pro at claiming the right offer at the right time.
Footnote:
- All supscript notations provide a link to an external source.
Payment Methods at US Online Casinos
The best deposit options for US gamblers are cryptocurrencies, namely Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, Bitcoins Cash, and Dogecoin. These digital assets can be transferred instantly between blockchain digital wallets without any fees – provided you use peer-to-peer transaction methods.
Credit cards used by centralized exchanges (CEX) can incur large fees for buying and selling cryptos. Check out our to learn more about the differences and which wallets and exchanges we recommend.
Alternative deposit options – like money orders, bank wire transfers, and cashier’s checks – can take between 4 and 15 business days to clear. Additionally, fees of $30-$50 are common with these payment methods, which eats into your profits. However, they are safer and more convenient than paying with credit cards or sending cash through the mail.
Withdrawals at most casinos must be done using the same method as the initial deposit. Some exceptions are made for cryptocurrencies, money orders, and bank transfers. Always double check the cashier page for any limitations or restrictions regarding your chosen payment method.
Footnotes:
- All supscript notations provide a link to an external source.
- Arrow notation points to changing list → reveals more payment options are available at this casino.
Safest Online Casinos for US Players
Security and safety are paramount concerns that must be addressed by every online casino hoping to earn and maintain the trust of their customers. Reputable sites accomplish this goal through SSL encryption certificates that scramble all communications between the user and server so nobody can intercept the data.
Certified fair gaming certificates are another indication that the casino cares about doing the right thing. These casinos commission third-party agencies, such as eCOGRA or Gaming Labs International (GLI), to randomly test their games for proper randomness and payouts. Audit reports may be found on the casinos’ websites or at www.audITreports.com.
Finally, the length of operation can give you a good idea of how well a casino has treated its customers over the years. Any site still in business after a decade or longer has obviously done something right to stay afloat in a notoriously cutthroat industry. Here are the top five safest online casinos currently in operation:
All five of these online casinos have been in business for nearly two decades and accept American players. They encrypt all communications with DigiCert SHA-256 SSL, which uses 256-bit encryption to foil hackers.
Each casino is also certified by a third party auditor (GLI) for fair gaming and operates a responsible gaming program dedicated to preventing compulsive behaviors. They also publish independent audit reports from GLI for anybody to view.
Gambling Responsibly
Most casinos will require you to supply proof of age (ID) when creating your new account. However, it is imperative that you practice responsible gambling habits regardless of your age.
Never gamble with more money than you can comfortably afford to lose. Always budget a small portion of your disposable income for entertainment purposes, such as eating out at restaurants or going to the movies.
Free Spins BetRivers MI Casino Bonus – Review & Get Yours!If you find yourself chasing losses, Chasing Buzz says, “the only way to win is to stop playing.” We agree wholeheartedly and implore you to follow his advice.
Fortunately, most casinos recognize problem gambling behavior and offer resources for self-exclusion and responsible betting limits. They may also provide direct links to counseling services, such as Gambler Anonymous or the National Council on Problem Gambling.
**If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and needs help, call 1-800-522-4700.
Online Casino Q&A
What is the best online casino?
Since every gambler is looking for something different in an online casino, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one site as the absolute best. However, our editors have compiled a ranking of the based on thorough reviews of hundreds of websites.
Can you win real money on online casinos?
Absolutely. Several reputable companies partner with online casinos to guarantee their payouts. One is eCOGRA, which performs monthly testing on hundreds of games to verify their payouts match the published RTP percentages. You can view their audit reports at www.ecogra.org.
Are online casinos rigged?
No, not if we’re talking about the . These sites rely on random number generators (RNGs) to shuffle digital decks of cards or spin magical wheels of fortune that determine the outcome of your wagers. As long as those RNGs are functioning properly, every player has a fair chance to win.
Are online casinos legal in the US?
Yes. Six states – Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Nevada – have launched regulated online casino markets for residents. However, several offshore casinos also accept customers from the United States and have for years.
Video Poker Games You Can Play Online for Free or Real MoneyHow do online casinos payout?
When you request a withdrawal from an online casino, the processing time varies widely based on the payment method you select. E-wallets usually payout within 24-48 hours, whereas credit cards can take 5-7 business days. Bank transfers and money orders take even longer – up to 15 business days.
Are online casinos safe?
Relatively speaking, yes. When you that you can trust, you’ll want to make sure it utilizes SSL encryption to protect your personal data and communications. You should also check for third-party fairness audits to ensure the games have not been tampered with.
