Welcome to BestUSCasinos.org! Before you venture any further, we’d like to tell you who we are, why we exist, and what we can do for you. Simply put, we exist as a resource for anyone who would like to know more about the casino industry in the United States – both online and offline.
New USA Online Casinos. We are always on the lookout for new online casinos for USA players. Before posting our casino review, our expert team will go to these online casinos and actually play, just so we know if it is an online casino we can recommend. Below you will our new recommended online casino. One might think that the land-based casino capital of the US would be the online casino leader. However, the Silver State has only a limited presence in the online sphere. In fact, the sum total of online gambling in Nevada boils down to a single online poker site. At this point, only WSOP NV is active in the state.
Our site features over 1,500+ expert written pages to help Americans find everything they need to know about casinos across the country. Below you’ll find our current recommendations of the best sites for US players, that all offer safe & secure games and have been online for over 10 years:
The Top US Online Casinos & Gambling Sites of 2020
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History of US Online Casinos
The origins of US online casinos has almost nothing to do with the United States itself. In fact, a combination of two of the most obscure nations—Antigua & Barbuda and the Isle of Man—helped created the online casino industry that we are familiar with today. In 1994, Antigua & Barbuda passed an Act that would allow for the licensing of online gambling organizations within the country’s borders. This Act was passed in direct response to Isle of Man-based software company Microgaming creating some of the first casino software.
If you flash forward a few years to 1996, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established and served the purpose of licensing and regulating online gaming the world over. The reason for the regulation was to introduce a bit of transparency into the industry, as many people found it difficult to believe that online casinos were not rigged to scam players. Nowadays, there are many regulatory bodies that all serve this same purpose.
By the end of the 20th century’s final decade, online casinos and the industry as a whole was bringing in annual revenue well over $800 million. During the 1990s, many online casinos meant to serve a US audience began popping up and becoming popular. Before long, however, certain moves on the part of the US government made online gambling incredibly more difficult and, in many ways, risky.
Legal Status of Online Casinos in the United States
When online casino first came into existence in the 1990s, they were offered in the United States just as freely as they were in most other parts of the world. After some time, however, the laws surrounding US online gambling — and more specifically the banking involved with US friendly online casinos — became more restrictive and monitored.
State By State Online Gambling Sites & Laws | |||
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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 | Puerto Rico | Rhode Island |
South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas |
Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington |
West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | Washington DC |
Thanks to some political trickery, certain laws were put into place that made it, in so many words, “illegal” to gamble online. Thanks to legislation such as UIGEA, playing real money casino games online was more difficult than it had ever been. With that being said, there are plenty of deposit and withdrawal options for US-based players. Even though there are rumors leading people to believe that playing real money casino games online is an illegal activity, the fact of the matter is that no one has ever been arrested or prosecuted.
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Still, even as the number of laws grow, there is no singular piece of legislation that makes it illegal for one to gamble online in the United States. In fact, certain states have in-state online casino networks that are controlled and regulated by the state government. Some might argue that right now is the best time for online casinos accepting US players, though many people might tell you otherwise. There have been many half-truths and outright lies spread with regard to online gambling in the United States, and some of them still persist today. Regardless of these, it is important to know that there are plenty of real money online casino options for most every American.
Depositing real money to an online casino player account can be done in a number of different ways. Whether it be a credit/debit card deposit, direct bank transfer, or paper check deposit, there really are no shortage of ways by which you can fund a player account at an online casino. A few years ago the number of deposit methods offered to US players was extremely limited, but that much has opened up considerably such that executing a deposit is as easy as possible. When it comes to withdrawing your winnings, this too is something that cannot really be any easier. Most reputable online casinos have made it a standard practice to ensure that you have your winnings in-hand in less than a week’s time.
Functionality and Compatibility of USA Online Casinos
Thanks to technological advances and many other contributors, there has not only never been a better time to gamble online in the United States, there have never been more avenues by which you are able to gamble online. First and foremost, you cannot go anywhere nowadays without someone being just seconds away from playing their favorite casino game or betting on their favorite sports team by way of their smartphone or tablet. iPhones, Androids, Blackberries, and just about any other type of phone supports online casinos that provide real money games to players in the United States. Mobile gaming has taken hold of the online casino industry and is revolutionizing the way in which people play their favorite casino games.
Some sites have incredibly advanced mobile platforms while others are just getting their feet wet, but the fact of the matter is that most every online casino nowadays has some sort of mobile offering. The one thing that mobile gaming offers is convenience, and as technology advances that convenience is coupled with top-quality mobile gaming platforms in a way that make mobile gambling just as fun and exciting as playing at the best US online casinos on your computer, or even playing at an actual brick and mortar site.
Popular and well-respected software providers like NetEnt and Microgaming are employed by online casinos to ensure that your gaming experience is glitch-free and generally enjoyable. These providers are constantly updating their offering to give players the most technologically advanced games you will find on the internet. Whether you are operating a Mac, Windows, or Linux powered PC, there are plenty of online casino options. In the early days Windows dominated the online casino scene, but now we are seeing most casinos offer games across any type of operating system that exists. Mac and Linux especially have been growing in popularity since the mid-2000s. These two operating systems were once considered to be obscure, but have quickly and overtly staked their claim in the realm of mainstream operating systems. Now, you will be hard-pressed to find one reputable online site that does not offer software compatible with all 3 of the major operating systems.
Expansive Selection of Casino Games and Variations
Casino games come in many different shapes and sizes and just about any game or game type that you can think of exists at a US online casino. During the early days, casinos tended to play host to more popular games such as blackjack, roulette, and slots. As the average online gambler began to fulfill a more diverse description, however, the offering of online casinos needed to grow to be equally diverse. Now, you can find every type of casino games at online casinos in the US.
From Pai-Gow, to video horse racing, and even War, literally any and very casino game that you can think of exists online. The number of games and game variations only continues to grow too, so it will be interesting to see what the future has in store.
User Participation
We at BestUSCasinos.org value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and encourage you to voice them. Whether it be about a specific page we have or maybe even a page we are lacking, your opinion matters and will be considered. This is a site that is meant to serve the needs of the everyday player, and without your opinion that could never be a reality.
You can also learn how we rate online casinos in order to determine which US gambling sites are better or worse than others. Though this may be more subjective than anything else, our rating system can give you a nice jumping off point for picking the best US casinos for you. A lot goes into our ranking so that all you have to do is read and decide; the heavy lifting is done already.
Through our many social media outlets, we hope to hear any and all of your thoughts and opinions.
You may or may not know that there exists an abundance of brick and mortar, or land-based, casinos in the United States. While most people tend to think that very few casinos exist outside the gambling mecca of Las Vegas, the reality of the matter is that the casino industry in the US is thriving and has been for quite some time now.
Long before online casinos were ever conceived, land-based casinos dominated the scene in the United States. In fact, the history of brick and mortar gambling sites is a history that extends back to the very first days of the United States.
Popular Land Based Casinos & Hotels in the United States
US Land-Based Casino History
When settlers first arrived from Europe in what we now as the United States, games of chance were brought along for the ride. In those early days, whether gambling was accepted or not depended upon the moral standing of the community in question. While one city and community did not mind games of chance, other communities strictly forbid them.
When the 1840s and 50s brought along the California Gold Rush, gambling houses were already popular in the flourishing Southern city of New Orleans, but San Francisco quickly ascended the ranks and became the young country’s top city for gambling. This remained the case for a few decades, but when the early 20th century brought with it alcohol prohibition, early casinos were outlawed as well. In the early 1930s, however, the construction of the Hoover Dam along the Colorado River brought with it the creation of a city that would later be named Las Vegas. With thousands of personnel helping to construct the dam at any given moment in time and not much else to do in the middle of the desert, it is easy to see why gambling and casinos became so instantly popular in Las Vegas. Before long, the massive resort casinos that we know of today began popping up and creating an extravagant cityscape in an otherwise barren desert.
After Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New Jersey became a prominent casino city once gambling and brick and mortar casinos were legalized there in the late 1970s. Later on in the 70s there began a movement initiated by the Florida Seminole Native American tribe that saw Native American reservations become hotbeds for gambling. That movement has continued to the present day and now there exists nearly 500 Native American casinos across the United States.
Other states, regions, and cities have legalized brick and mortar casinos, but it must be said that casinos are not legal everywhere. This is slowly but surely changing with time, but being that the states have the ability to govern themselves to some extent, there is no guaranteeing that every part of the country will have brick and mortar casinos.
Legalities of Land-Based Casinos in the United States
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As was mentioned above, the legalities regarding brick and mortar casinos in the United States are not always so straightforward. First and foremost, it must be mentioned that there are quite a few states and major cities where you will find no brick and mortar casino presence. The reasons for this vary depending on where you are and it is important to brief yourself on local laws.
In almost every land-based casino that exists in the US, the number one rule is that you must be at least 21 years of age in order to be eligible to gamble with real money. In cities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City this is a standard practice, and is also one that has been adopted by other parts of the country where land-based gambling is legal. It must be noted that there are certain parts of the US that allow for gambling at the age of 18, but these are far outnumbered by places that require a 21 minimum age.
Another major piece of the puzzle in the United States is the fact that even though a city may have legalized gambling, that does not mean the entire state will allow for the existence of brick and mortar sites. There are plenty of examples of cities where casinos are legal existing within a state that has not approved the existence of legal gambling sites.
Another often confusing aspect of the gambling scene in the United States is the fact that games you are legally allowed to play vary state to state. It may sound strange, but one state may allow for full-scale casinos that are able to offer every type of game you can think of, while another state may have only legalized card games like poker, but do not allow for slot games.
Sticking with this strange, seemingly contradictory theme, the laws that exist in specific states may allow gambling, but not within a casino as we know them in the traditional sense. Instead, you will find things like video poker rooms at dog tracks and card rooms—which are basically casinos that are only able to offer games like hold’em and stud.
As you can clearly see, there is a wealth of information you must know before you can begin gambling at land based casinos in the United States. In some parts of the country the legalities regarding gambling for real money are very transparent and easy to understand, but in other parts that is not always the case.
Land-Based Casinos FAQ
Will I be arrested for gambling for real money outside of casinos?
In most cases, playing a friendly game of cards amongst friends for real money will not land you in any sort of legal trouble. With that being said, there are places where it is illegal to play even one hand of cards for real money without risking prosecution. Short answer is no, but as is always the case it is important to verify local laws before participating in an activity such as gambling.
Is alcohol served at all US casinos?
This is also something that depends where you are, but more often than not alcohol is served at land-based US casinos. In some cases, alcohol is free so long as you are playing a game, but be careful, the free drinks may result in an empty wallet.
Do land-based casinos ever offer online games?
Online Casino In United States
Yes, in states like Nevada and New Jersey there are brick and mortar casinos that also support online games too. This is a new development and one that may very well continue into the future and in other states.
Usa Based Online Casinos
What are the hours of casinos in the United States?
In almost all cases, casinos across the United States are offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.