How To Find Out If Someone Is Online Gambling
First and foremost: you can legally gamble online in the USA. Gambling laws are constantly changing on a state-by-state basis, but here’s what you need to remember: while running your own casino, sportsbook, or poker room inside the United States is not legal, individual U.S. residents will not be prosecuted for making online bets. Most importantly, all of GambleOnline’s recommended casinos are licensed, safe and secure.
Start a journal that allows you to jot down your fears, your stresses and your problems. Your journal can also allow you to reflect on good days, progress in your gambling addiction recovery, and memories you want to keep a record of. A few minutes of writing every day is therapeutic for many people. Playing the online roulette game can be something that people want to do on a regular basis. Now, they can play the online roulette game from wherever they need to go for business or pleasure. All they need is a laptop or cell phone to access the Internet, and they will be all set to have an exciting experience gambling online.
In this guide, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about gambling online in the US. Readers will learn about US gambling laws, see an FAQ with common questions answered, and view a timeline of online gambling laws in the USA.
2020’s Best Online Gambling Sites for US Players
GambleOnline.co’s US Online Gambling Informational Quick Menu:
- Best Online USA Casinos: Many sites specialize one aspect of online gambling; casino, sports betting or poker, but what is the best online gambling site that offers all 3 types of online gambling?
- Is Online Gambling Legal in the US? Online gambling legislation can be confusing but we cover that in this section.
- State-by-State Gambling Laws: We provide in-depth US state-by-state online gambling guides for all 50 states.
- Online Gambling USA FAQ: We answer frequently asked questions about the US online gambling industry.
- US Online Gambling History: A quick review of the history of online gambling in the United States.
- Sources: A trusted list of US online gambling resources we used to research for this page.
Best Online USA Casinos
- Bovada — With a great offering of table games, live dealers, sports betting, and poker, Bovada is our top recommended all-in-one gambling site.
- Café Casino — Cafe features a 500%, $5000 welcome bonus for new players and every casino game in instant play form.
- BetOnline – BetOnline offers online slots, poker, eSports, and live in-play sports betting, all with a $1000 welcome bonus.
- Planet7 – Planet 7 Casino has fast payouts with Bitcoin, free spins, VIP promos, progressive bonuses, and all the casino games you want.
- Slots.lv — Slots LV gives players a choice between $1000, 200% welcome bonus and a $1500, 300% Bitcoin bonus along with slots tournaments, table games, and live dealers.
The majority of these casinos accept players from all states, though some state-by-state restrictions apply. Click on the links below to continue reading for specific state-based recommendations for each site. As you can see, you’ll find plenty of good online casinos that accept US players. It’s not quite as easy to find a reliable US online casino that has sports betting and a poker room, though.
State-by-State Online Gambling Laws
A growing number of US states have regulated online gambling. Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey were quick to legalize and license online betting sites. Pennsylvania came later, while California and other states dithered over the process. Most are waiting to see whether the US Department of Justice will ban online gambling. But even states like Texas allow for legal sweepstakes casino like Chumba Casino, so the picture is complicated.
Looking for more information about online gambling in your state? Click on your state below to get an overview of its gambling laws and sites that allow real money gambling from its residents, or see our recommended casino for each state on the right.
| State Laws | Recommended Casino |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Bovada |
| Alaska | Bovada |
| Arizona | Bovada |
| Arkansas | Bovada |
| California | Bovada |
| Colorado | Bovada |
| Conneticut | Bovada |
| Delaware | Café Casino |
| Florida | Bovada |
| Georgia | Bovada |
| Hawaii | Bovada |
| Idaho | Bovada |
| Illinois | Bovada |
| Indiana | Bovada |
| Iowa | Bovada |
| Kansas | Bovada |
| Kentucky | Bovada |
| Louisiana | Bovada |
| Maine | Bovada |
| Maryland | BetOnline |
| Massachusetts | Bovada |
| Michigan | Bovada |
| Minnesota | Bovada |
| Mississippi | Bovada |
| Missouri | Bovada |
| Montana | Bovada |
| Nebraska | Bovada |
| Nevada | Café Casino |
| New Hampshire | Bovada |
| New Jersey | BetOnline |
| New Mexico | Bovada |
| New York | Bovada |
| North Carolina | Bovada |
| North Dakota | Bovada |
| Ohio | Bovada |
| Oklahoma | Bovada |
| Oregon | Bovada |
| Pennsylvania | Bovada |
| Rhode Island | Bovada |
| South Carolina | Bovada |
| South Dakota | Bovada |
| Tennessee | Bovada |
| Texas | Bovada |
| Utah | Bovada |
| Vermont | Bovada |
| Virginia | Bovada |
| Washington | Bovada |
| West Virginia | Bovada |
| Wisconsin | Bovada |
| Wyoming | Bovada |
US legislators continue to fight over whether to ban or regulate online gambling. Some states have passed laws to make online gambling illegal. If you’re concerned about the legality of online poker, online slots, or table games in your region, read our state reviews.
Online Gambling USA FAQ
Is online gambling legal in the US?
Many US residents are confused over the legality of US online casinos — and for good reason. The United States is a patchwork of federal, state, and local gambling laws. The answer varies depending on where you live. Currently, states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire are suing the US Department of Justice to determine whether the federal government can ban online casinos, poker rooms, and lottery sites.
Which states have legal online gambling sites?
States such as Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey have already begun offering legal USA online gambling, and many more states will soon follow. You will not be prosecuted for betting at an offshore online casino. You cannot run your own online casino in the United States, and betting at US-based online casinos varies by state laws. However, you are definitively good to go in terms of betting at offshore online casinos.
How long will it be until the United States has legalized online gambling?
JPMorgan Chase believes as many as 20 US states will have legal online gambling by 2025, though the US’s largest financial institution adjusted this prediction down since then. to read our updates for the latest in legal US online casinos and poker.
What are the age requirements for online betting?
Each state and jurisdiction has a different requirement, but most online casinos have an age limit of 18 and over.
Can I register with more than one casino or sportsbook?
Absolutely. Many players test multiple casinos or sportsbooks before settling on a favorite. Some players shop for welcome bonuses, so they join dozens of online casinos.
Where can I play online casino games for free?
You can play online casino games for free anywhere in the United States. Create a players account, download the casino software, and play in practice mode if you want to enjoy free US online casino games.
Is online gambling as safe and fair as land-based casinos?
If you play at online gambling sites licensed in the UK, Gibraltar, Malta, Kahnawake, or a few other countries, the games are as safe and fair as any brick-and-mortar casino. It’s important that you find safe and fair online gambling sites. Read our recommendations on the best online casinos and poker sites.
History of Online Gambling in the United States
September 13th, 1961 | Federal Wire Act Passed
President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Federal Wire Act of 1961, which was intended to target illegal bookies. However, the US government has (incorrectly) tried to say this law applies to online gambling as well.
October 28, 1992 | PASPA Becomes Law
President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), a sports betting ban.
October 13th, 2006 | UIGEA Becomes Law
George W. Bush signs into law the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). UIGEA makes it illegal for banks or credit card companies to process any online financial transactions for the purpose of Internet gambling.
Friday, April 15th, 2011 | Black Friday Rocks US Online Poker
Dubbed Black Friday, the FBI and Department of Justice seized major gambling sites’ domains and indicted 11 executives with money laundering, fraud, and violating the UIGEA.
December 23rd, 2011 | US Justice Department Reverses Wire Act Opinion
The US Department of Justice reversed their opinion of the Wire Act stating that the Wire Act only applied to online sports betting. Online poker, fantasy sports betting, and real money casino games are deemed legal.
June 28th, 2012 | Delaware Legalizes Online Gambling
Delaware passed the Delaware Gambling Competitiveness Act to become the first US state to legalize online gambling.
February 22nd, 2013 | Nevada Legalizes Online Gambling
Nevada’s Governor Brian Sandoval signed an online gambling bill, legalizing online poker.
November 26th, 2013 | Delaware Legalizes Online Gambling
Online gambling became legal in New Jersey on this day making NJ the third US state to legalize gambling online. Gov. Chris Christie signed into law online casinos and poker sites.
October 26th, 2017 | Pennsylvania Legalizes Online Gambling
The Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill to legalize online casino games, online poker, online sports betting and daily fantasy sports. PA became the fourth state to legalize online gambling.
May 14th, 2018 | Supreme Court Repeals PASPA
The United States Supreme Court ruled to repeal PASPA.
January 23, 2019 | US Justice Department Reverses Wire Act Decision
The US Department of Justice reversed its December 23, 2011 opinion on online gambling and the Wire Act. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told states and gaming companies to comply by June 14, 2019. New Hampshire and New Jersey sued the DOJ.
March 29, 2019 | Illinois Legalizes Sports Betting
Illinois legalized sports betting with the “Sports Wagering Act”.
May 6, 2019| Montana Legalizes Sports Betting
Montana legalized sports betting. Gov. Steve Bullock’s veto failed to override the House and Senate votes.
June 4, 2019 | Tennessee Legalizes Sports Betting
Tennessee legalized sports betting with the “Tennessee Sports Gaming Act”.
June 12, 2019 | New Hampshire Legalizes Sports Betting
New Hampshire legalized sports betting when Governor Chris Sununu signed the bill into law.
July 26, 2019 | North Carolina Legalizes Sports Betting
North Carolina legalized sports betting on tribal casino lands with Gov. Roy Cooper’s signature.
August 27, 2019 | Oregon Legalizes Sports Betting
Oregon became the 11th state outside of Nevada to accept a legal single-game sports bets.
August 29, 2019 | West Virginia Legalizes Sports Betting
West Virginia legalized sports betting and online wagering. DraftKings and FanDuel launch sportsbooks.
September 23, 2019 | Senate Pushes Forward on Federal Sports Betting Bill
Senator Mitt Romney and Senator Chuck Schumer are reportedly working to reintroduce a federal sports betting bill
November 5, 2019 | Colorado Voters Approve Legal Sports Betting
Colorado becomes the 18th state to officially legalize sports betting since May of 2018
Sources:
Welcome to GambleOnline.co – one of the world’s leading guides to online casino gambling. Since 2008 we’ve been on a mission to inform and help players who are new to online gambling learn how to safely gamble online for real money. We want Americans to know they can play online without fear of prosecution or fines.
At GambleOnline.co we believe information is power. That’s why we’ve created comprehensive lists to cover all forms of online gambling. Keep reading and you’ll learn:
- Which online casinos and betting sites are legitimate and trustworthy
- How to safely deposit and cash out winnings when you win big
- How bonuses and signup offers work – which offers to take advantage of, and which to avoid
- Tips and strategies to make you a wiser and more informed online gambler
Best Online Casinos 2020
How to Gamble Online for Real Money – Getting Started
Gambling online can be overwhelming at first. Most newcomers to online gambling have concerns about finding trustworthy online casinos, poker sites & sportsbooks. They don’t know how to safely deposit and cash out winnings. Our comprehensive casino guide will provide you with a realistic view of depositing and withdrawing money for the purposes of online gambling, plus an honest and up-to-date list of the best online gambling sites for real money.
1. How to Gamble Online: Choosing a Real Money Casino / Online Gambling Site
There are a lot of reputable and safe gambling sites, but there are just as many bad ones that you should avoid at all costs. We’ve reviewed over 100 online gambling sites and have narrowed the list down to the best sites based on country/region, type of gambling, and deposit/payment option.
Gambling is Better With Bitcoin. Learn How to Get Started!Best Online Gambling Sites by Country/Region
Due to the differences in gambling laws and regulations around the world, we recommend that you first try selecting online casinos based on your jurisdiction. We’ve created regional guides for some of the most most internet-savvy countries in the world.
Top Sites by Type of Online Gambling
How To Find Out If Someone Is Gambling Online
There are a variety of safe and legitimate ways to gamble online and win real money. You can play real money casino games, bet on sports, play poker against other real players, and even enjoy a game of bingo from the comfort of your home. But unlike your typical Las Vegas casino that has casino games, live poker games, and a sportsbook under one roof, most real money online gambling sites tend to specialize in one form of gambling or another. This makes the sites eligible for play in more jurisdictions worldwide.
Where to Gamble Online: Follow These 5 Tips to Find the Best Real Money Online Gambling Site for You
- Choose an online casino, poker site or sportsbook with a good reputation and positive reviews
- Make sure the site accepts players from your country
- Before you sign up, deposit, or accept free bonus money, read the site’s terms and conditions
- Look for trust signals such as licensing information, 3rd party software audit reports (which ensure fairness), and SSL data encryption
- Make sure the site is not on our list of gambling sites to avoid
2. How to Gamble Online: Setting up an Account at a Real Money Casino, Poker Site or Sportsbook
All legitimate gambling sites allow you to register for a free account before you deposit any money. This allows you to test out the site’s games and features before you make a deposit. When you sign up:
- Use a new (free) email address to sign up at gambling sites. Online gambling operators love to send promotional emails. If you decide to try a few different sites, you won’t have to worry about your primary email address getting clogged with online gambling offers.
- If you’re even considering online gambling for real money, make sure to use your actual information when you sign up. When you go to deposit money the personal information you provided needs to match your credit card or other payment methods.
- Some gambling sites, especially online casinos, require verification forms like scans of a driver’s license, credit card, and/or a utility bill. These are for your safety, so it’s a good idea to have them on file before you make a deposit.
3. How to Gamble Online: Making a Real Money Deposit at an Online Casino
Once you’ve found an online gambling site you like and tested it out by signing up for a free account, you’re probably ready to gamble online for real money. Here is a breakdown of the most popular deposit methods. For a complete list with more information see our Online Gambling Deposits guide.
Gambleonline.co’s recommended deposit methods for gambling online:
- Debit or Credit Card – Visa and Mastercard are the easiest ways to deposit at an online gambling site (even in the U.S.)
- E-wallets – Secure e-wallets (like Paypal) act as an intermediary between your bank and online gambling transactions. Unfortunately for US gamblers, there are no recommended e-wallets at this time. For non-US residents, the most popular gambling e-wallets are Neteller and Skrill.
- Prepaid Cards – As an alternative to using your personal credit or debit card, prepaid debit cards
are a solid option. The downside is the transaction fee for loading funds onto the card.
Online Gambling Risks – Things to Watch For
Anyone interested in gambling online should first have a solid understanding of the downside, risks, and frustrations of online gambling before depositing any money.
A few of the major fears associated with gambling online are cheating by the house, hackers gaining access to your account, and not getting paid your winnings. These are all legitimate concerns but are not nearly as common as problems such as slow payments, cash out restrictions, and the outrageous requirements of many promotional offers.
Slow Payments
Another issue that plagues the online gaming world is slow payments. A common complaint is that online gambling sites are quick to approve your deposit but slow to pay your winnings.
Much of the problem of slow payments has to do with what country you live. If you live in a country that considers online gambling illegal, it’s going to take longer to get paid.
That’s because the gaming site has to find a company to process your payment in a way that will be accepted by your local bank. They try their best to disguise the fact that the check or bank wire is coming from an offshore gambling website.
If you live in a country with legal online gambling, there’s little excuse for slow payments. Whenever possible, you should play at gambling sites with a reputation for fast payments.
Cash Out Restrictions
Another frustrating issue facing players is when a gambling site limits the amount of winnings you can cash out at one time. For instance, many online casinos limit the amount you can cash out at $3,000 per week. So, if you hit a $15,000 jackpot you’re going to have to wait a minimum of 5 weeks to cash out all your winnings.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t play at a site because of cash out restrictions. But you should be aware of them beforehand. Just make sure to read the gambling site’s terms and conditions in advance so you know exactly what to expect.
Outrageous Bonus Requirements
Online gambling bonuses used to be highly competitive and even lucrative for players. But these days, many bonuses are simply too-good-to-be-true. That’s especially true when it comes to casino bonuses that promise things like “200% up to $5000” in free money.
On such a bonus you could deposit $2,500 and get another $5,000 free, for a total bankroll of $7,500. Sounds great. But what they don’t tell you is that you have to wager the deposit + bonus 20 times ($7,500 x 20 = $150,000 in wagers).
How To Tell If Someone Is Online Gambling
Oh, and if you use the bonus money to play blackjack, craps, roulette, or just about anything else besides slot machines, the casino can take your bonus and any winnings away from you.
And to top it off, the bonus is just to play with. The casino is going to deduct it from your balance when you cash out.
Sound outrageous? Well, that’s just the type of terms and conditions many bonuses have nowadays.
So before you accept a bonus make sure to read and understand the bonus terms and conditions fully. To learn more about different types of bonus offers and which ones are best to accept, check out the article How Gambling Bonuses Work.
Summary:
- The main risk of gambling online in a country where it’s illegal is not the criminal prosecution, but losing money when the gambling site or payment service is shut down unexpectedly.
- Slow payments are usually a frustrating part of gambling online from a country where it is not legalized. Players with legal gambling options shouldn’t tolerate slow payments.
- Always read the gambling site’s terms and conditions to find information about payout restrictions and other frustrating things. If you’re uncomfortable with the terms, find another site with more player-friendly ones.
- Never accept a bonus without first understanding the terms and conditions.
Online Gambling FAQ
How do your online casino reviews work?
We analyze a site based on its deposit options, welcome bonus, licensing, reputation, withdrawal limits, payout times, software, game selection, mobile gambling, and customer support. Our reviews contain sections on each subject, so you get a comprehensive idea of the casino site’s pros and cons. You’ll get a bonus rating, an idea of the credit cards, web wallets, and crypto-currencies you can use on each betting site.
For instance, if we discuss Jackpot City, we’ll tell you it uses NetEnt, Microgaming, and Evolution Gaming software. Readers can see reviews for sites using Playtech, RealTime Gaming, Betsoft, and Rival Gaming software. This gives players an idea of the online slots, table games, video poker, keno, and scratch card games that betting sites offer.
Which nationalities should read Gamble Online?
Our reviews are useful for players around the globe. Many of the online casinos we review are active in the North American gaming section. Casino players in the United States will find reviews for US-friendly betting sites that have U.S. payment methods and games that Americans prefer. Canadian players will be find Canadian online casino site reviews with payment methods (Interac) useful and games preferred in the Great White North.
More About GambleOnline.co
Opportunities to make money bring out the best worst in people. As a billion-dollar-a-year industry, online gaming is no exception. The fact that there are hundreds of online casinos, poker rooms, sports books, and bingo halls operating makes it incredibly difficult to separate the good guys from the bad guys. That’s why we started GambleOnline.co – to give players the online gambling guide we wished we would have had.
The team at GambleOnline.co has well over 10 years experience with online gambling. Here you’ll learn specific steps to protect yourself when gambling money online for the first time. The advice presented here is meant to educate you on all of the legitimate ways to gamble online, the legality of online gambling, and tips for keeping your personal information secure. GambleOnline.co is written and maintained by gambling expert Kevin King and his team of professional writers.