Best US Online Casinos in 2020
There was a time online casinos flourished in the US, long ago, before 2006. For the years that followed, very few online casinos accepted American players in their real money games. In spite of the rocky history, online casinos have always been the more popular option than brick and mortar casinos because of advantages such as convenience, time saving, money saving, and privacy. And in the US, the online casino situation is changing, albeit slowly.
Finding online casinos today where you can gamble online, and that are US friendly, entails finding the safest, legal gaming sites, and with the most solid reputation for quality casino services and payback rates. This also involves looking at the casino game selection, software, bonuses and promotions. This can be a daunting task when you think about the more than 2,500 casinos in existence on the Internet, but there are pointers. Online casino reviews that you find on this casino site are also an excellent source of information.
Top Rated Online Casinos Accepting USA Players
Are Online Casinos Legal in the United States?
Virtual Casinos saw the light of day in the US as early as the nineties, growing rapidly in popularity and numbers in the mid 2000s. However, come 2006, the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) was passed and some of the largest online casinos in the world left this market as it became near-impossible to process transactions with US financial institutions and banks. Since then, there has been an ongoing struggle to get online casino gambling legalized in various states, some of the strongest arguments being that it will serve as a source of revenue and regulating the industry will protect players. Still, the UIGEA remains rather confusing more many American players. They fail to get that it criminalizes financial transactions, but not playing online casino games.
Presently, Las Vegas and Atlantic City remain hubs for offline gaming at land-based casinos, and the number of online casinos that accept US players is increasing as the use of third party payment processes like eWallets becomes more trustworthy. Some states like Nevada and New Jersey have legalized online poker, while others require consultation: Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon, Louisiana, New York, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Washington is the only state where no form of Internet gambling whatsoever is allowed.
How We Rate Online Casinos
Choosing where to gamble online can be a daunting task because there are literally thousands of online casinos out there on the internet. Not all casino gaming sites are created equally. Some have superb customer support, others not so much. You may find US-facing online casinos that offer significant deposit bonus while some may have wagering requirements.
Here at Best Casinos Online, we pride ourselves on providing you with accurate reviews of the casinos we list. Unlike some other review sites that are only interested in getting players to sign up to a casino, Best Casinos Online employs writers who are avid online casino game players, so you can rest assured the experience you will enjoy when you sign up to a casino through us will be exactly what you expect.
Each of our team members creates an account at the casino so they know how easy or difficult it is to get up and running and how to verify their accounts. Next, they make a real money deposit to see if the casino offers free spins or a deposit bonus and what the wagering requirements are for those casino bonuses. If we tell you a bonus is good, it really is good. Likewise, if you read that a bonus offered by a certain casino will take forever and a day to release into your account that will also be true.
Once an account has been created and a deposit made, our team plays table games and slots to get a feel for how the software runs. They will also play at the casino on a mobile phone or tablet, if this option is available, to see how the casino software works on various platforms.
Finally, our team then cashes out of the casino site and notes how easy the process was and how long it takes to receive their funds, thus completing the cycle.
Our online casino reviews are extremely accurate and we are not afraid to highlight any negative points in those reviews. Can you honestly say other websites do that?
Which Mobile Casinos Accept USA Players?
Mobile devices, which include phones and tablets, have come to offer great opportunities for casino players to enjoying the online gaming experience wherever they are and whenever they want. Many legitimate US casinos are now providing mobile games for money, requiring only that the casino player registers an account and then downloads the games. These games range from Slots to Blackjack, Poker to Roulette, Baccarat, Bingo, and Video Poker, among many others.
As a rule of mobile casinos, speedy internet is necessary. With an iPhone, iPad, or smartphone running on Android or Windows operating systems, new and exciting online casino games are fully hosted and you can play them instantly through the device’s when browser without first downloading them. The web application is also able to take full advantage of touch-screen technology. Some casino gaming websites provide QR codes whose pictures you have to take with your phone or tablet in order to be redirected directly to the mobile casino page that is most relevant to your mobile device. In the end, mobile casinos enable playing on the go.
Playing Real Money Casino Games in the United States
Choosing the right casinos USA involves checking that your preferred deposit casino method is accepted. If the methods you prefer are not supported, it can take you a very long time to manage your banking accounts in order to finally fund the casino account. You make a deposit by going to the banking or cashier page of the casino, then selecting your preferred deposit casinos method from the list of accepted deposits option provided. You then specify the amount you wish to deposit. This is regardless of whether it is a table game, or slot games on a RTG slot machine, or anything in between. If you are going to play online at a casino site, you need to know all of these aspects of deposits.
While every casino is different in the games they offer, you can bet your bottom dollar that every single one of them will offer slot games and slot machines. If they were a casino in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, slots would stretch as far as the eye could see!
The advantage online casinos have over their brick and mortar equivalents is they do not need vast areas of floorspace, meaning they can offer a massive selection of real money slot games. You will find traditional three-reel slots, five-reel slots and even progressive bounty slot games at almost every online casino you find in our reviews, the latter making it possible to win vast sums of money from the comfort of your own home.
Online casino games vary from site to site, but you should always find your favorite table game. Blackjack is a staple game you will find online, often with several different variants such as surrender blackjack, multi-hand blackjack and tables with potentially lucrative side bets.
Roulette fans are usually well catered for, as are Casino Hold’em lovers. Some casinos even spread casino table games including Baccarat, Sic Bo, Keno, bingo, poker, and even virtual scratch cards. Check out our reviews to see the games offered by the different American-facing online casinos.
Other things to look for at deposit casinos, are if the deposits are instantaneous and come free of charge, and how affordable the minimum deposit amount is in relation to your bankroll. The most popular deposit methods for US casinos are American Express (AMEX), MasterCard, Visa, MoneyGRAM, and Western Union. If you have difficulty using your MasterCard to deposit to a United States accepted casino, you do have the option of purchasing a prepaid Mastercard through the MypaylinQ service. You should also look into the casino wagering requirements, which will also help you with your deposit bonus (which can be free spins, or real money to use for play, and much more).
Can You Get A Bonus At Any Online Casino USA?
In short, the answer to this popular question is yes. With so many online casinos to choose from, the sites have to differentiate themselves from one another by offering a variety of bonuses to all their customers.
The most common online casino bonus is a deposit bonus for new customers. Just as the name suggests, this is a bonus offered to new customers making their first deposit online at the casino. Most deposit bonuses are based on a percentage of the initial deposit, so a 100% up to $1,000 would mean the casino matches your first deposit 100% up to a maximum of $1,000. In this example, deposit $100 and a $100 bonus is yours, make a $1,000 deposit for the biggest bonus available.
Real money casinos will often offer you a reload bonus. These are similar to deposit bonuses except they are for customers who have already played at the casino and need to top up their account balance. Reload bonuses tend to be smaller than first deposit bonuses, but are also more frequent.
Some casino offers involve free spins for slot games. You may have to make another deposit or enter a bonus code to receive the free spins. The free spins may be limited to a specific slot machine, but this will be detailed in the terms and conditions; pay attention to them.
All bonuses on every online casino site will have what are known as wagering requirements, sometimes called playthrough requirements. These are put in place to prevent money laundering and to protect the casino from those who gamble online in an attempt to abuse the bonuses offered. These wagering requirements vary greatly from casino to casino so make sure you are aware of what is expected of you. As an example, a casino may offer a bonus with 30-times wagering requirements. This means you have to place wagers worth 30-times the bonus amount before you can withdraw the bonus amount or any winnings derived from that particular bonus. Our reviews will highlight the playthrough requirements, stating if we believe these are fair or not.
You can receive many different bonuses at online casinos. There is a first deposit bonus, in which you can get something when you make your first deposit. You might have to get codes from the deposit casino you are using, or you may see a “send code” prompt when you make your deposit. You might not even need a bonus code, you could just need to claim your free bonus by pressing a button. But any time you can claim an online gambling bonus for a casino site, take it. Cash or free spins, it makes your casino online experience that much better.
How to Cashout Winnings from a US Casino Account?
The best US casinos are those that offer quick or instant cashouts. The first step in the process, for most casinos, involves completing a fax back form. This is a verification form that serves as a casino security feature, as the casino is able to confirm you are who you claim to be. This online form is very easy to complete. You simply log in and request it at the cashier or chat with support and request it via email. When sending it back, you also send a copy of photo ID, proof of address, and copy of credit card. Completion of the ID process means you can now request an online withdrawal.
MoneyGram and Western Union are the fastest cashout methods for US players; they are almost instant payments, taking only a few days for the request to be fully processed. Checks are also a popular online option although they can take even two weeks to be delivered to your address.
What Banking Options Are There For American Online Casino Game Players?
Let us not beat around the bush here, ever since the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, it has become more difficult for residents of the United States to deposit money onto online casinos. This is because the UIGEA prohibits financial institutions from processing deposits and withdrawals to online gambling sites. That is not to say it is impossible to fund your account and receive any winning because the major online casinos still offer several banking methods for U.S. customers.
A common workaround is for the online casino to be hosted on a domain in Europe or elsewhere such as Antigua, which is a popular country for allowing casinos to offer their services to American casino aficionados. This gives the casino the freedom to accept various deposit and withdrawal options.
The most commonly accepted banking option is Visa or MasterCard. While different credit card issuers have their own rules when it comes to allowing their cards to be used for online gambling, this is still by far the most popular choice when it comes to banking options for Americans. This method is also the fastest, but be aware some online casinos do charge a small fee for processing the payments and withdrawals, or set a minimum amount to help cut down on their costs.
E-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller are also widely accepted. With e-wallets, you fund your wallet from your credit card or by bank transfer before using the details of your chosen e-wallet to deposit and withdraw from the casino. This means you do not have to divulge your financial information to the online casino site.
Bank transfers are another popular banking option, especially if you are transferring a larger sum of money. The majority of online casinos will allow you to wire money to and from the site, although this option can have lengthy processing times of up to a fortnight, so bear that in mind.
Surging in popularity is the virtual currency Bitcoin. This cryptocurrency can be bought from online exchanges and then used to deposit or withdraw from a US online casino. Cryptocurrency may sound complicated when you first begin using it, but the entire process is quite simple once you get the hang of it. You should be aware, however, that Bitcoin value is very volatile with one Bitcoin being valued at more than $19,500 on December 17, 2017, as low as $3,500 a year later and back to more than $11,000 six-months later. Make sure you perform your own research before dipping into the world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.
Currency Options for USA Players
All sorts of currencies are accepted by online casinos around the world, but the United States Dollar (USD) is the most widely accepted. Online casino players in the United States can look for those sites whose primary form of currency for deposits and withdrawals is the USD. For online players outside the US, they can opt for these online casinos when they prefer their transactions being processed in USD.
Five Commonly Asked Questions
Why do I have to verify my identity?
All casinos will ask you to submit some identification to comply with the terms of their licence. This is a standard procedure for customers around the world, not only Americans. Some may ask to see your passport or government issued ID, others may ask for a photo of the credit card you are depositing with. Check with the casino’s customer support team for more details.
Is it legal to play online casino games in America?
The internet gambling enforcement act only applies to financial institutions and not the customers themselves. If the online casino is listed on this site, you are able to play at it while residing in the United States.
Do online casinos have a customer support team?
Things rarely go wrong with online casinos but you have the peace of mind that they all have a dedicated team of customer service agents waiting to provide assistance should you need it. Most commonly, this support is offered via email, with Live Chat becoming more popular as you get to type your query in real time. Others have a free telephone number you can call and speak to a customer service representative.
How long will it take to receive my winnings?
The time to receive your winnings varies between casinos and the method you are using to withdraw from. All casinos will have a processing time of between 24-72 hours before they start the ball rolling. Then it is up to the different card issuers, e-wallet providers, or your bank. Industry standards seem to be around 48-hours for credit cards and e-wallets, instant for Bitcoin, and up to 15 days for bank transfers and checks. Again, these times differ greatly and are not set in stone.
Are online casinos safe and fair?
While there are no doubt some unscrupulous online casinos out there on the internet, all the casinos you read about on Best Casinos Online have been full researched and tested by our team. Major online casino operators use software provided by some massive companies who have been in business for decades; you do not last long in this industry if you gain a poor reputation.
Look for casinos that have software provided by the likes of Microgaming, Real Time Gaming (RGT), Playtech, NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Scientific Games and NYX Gaming among others as these are huge, legitimate companies.