Best USA Online Casinos

The online casino market in the United States has changed drastically since 2006 and the introduction of the UIGEA in the US which made most of the previously popular casino sites pull out of the market.  Although there has been some major setbacks over the past few years there are still a number of online casinos that are accepting US players.  On this page we’ll cover the best online casinos that are currently allowing US signups and provide you with an overview of the market as well as tips for depositing and some frequent questions that are common amongst US casino players.

Is It Illegal For US Players To Play At Online Casinos?

The simple answer to this question is no since there is no specific law that prevents Americans from gambling over the Internet.  Although there are restrictions on financial institutions from processing these types of transactions, it’s not actually illegal as a US citizen to play at online casinos.  To date no one has ever been arrested or charged for doing this and in all likelihood it will gradually be legalized over the coming years in the United States as they begin to regulate and tax the market.

USA Online Casino FAQ

Why Do Some Online Casinos Accept US Players While Others Do Not?

The reason that some online casinos accept US players while others do not accept them is because of legislation passed in 2006 called the UIGEA which made it illegal for financial institutions to process transactions related to online gambling.  Because of this law, many of the larger casino operations (particularly those that were public companies) were forced to leave the market to protect their shareholders and the assets of their companies.  There were however a number of smaller operators who developed third party processing in order to continue serving the US market.

What is the UIGEA?

The UIGEA stands for the Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act and was introduced in 2006 with a Port Security Bill which was signed into law by George Bush.  Contrary to popular belief the UIGEA does not make online gambling illegal but rather attempts to prevent it from happening by blocking bank transactions related to funding gambling accounts.  Specifically, the UIGEA makes it illegal for any US bank to knowingly assist in processing transactions related to online gambling but has absolutely nothing to do with the players themselves which is a very common misconception.

Is Playing at US Accepted Online Casinos Safe?

Generally speaking most of the US operators left in the market are relatively safe to play at however most will impose stringent rules when it comes to withdrawing funds from the sites since their processors are only willing to accept a certain level of deposit and withdrawal transactions.  Most US online casinos limit withdrawals to $2,000 per week so if you get a huge win it can be somewhat frustrating to have to take the pay out over a long course of time.  That being said all of the casinos listed on this page have good reputations for being honest and paying out their players in a timely manner.

How Do I Deposit From The US?

There are a number of deposit methods currently available to US players (including those that live in New Jersey), looking to play online including credit cards, pre-paid cards, wire transfer, Western Union, eCheck and paper check.  Before you sign up to play it’s best to check out the casinos website to see what options are available for US players, these will usually be listed on a banking page and will also show the relevant deposit limits per day/week and month.  Previously there were a number of eWallet solutions available to US players like Quick Tender however recent issues with US legislation have rendered these useless for players in the United States.

What Is The Future of US Online Casinos?

For the time being US players will have to stick to the smaller online casino sites and deal with deposit and withdrawal markets while a number of lawsuits are heard in court regarding the legality of gambling online.  It is widely expected that the United States will introduce a legalized and regulated market in the next 5 years that will provide both tax revenue and a regulated environment for US players.  Most likely this will first be introduced in the Online Poker market but is expected to progress to casinos and possibly even sports betting as the various regulatory bodies are setup and new tax revenues are generated.  Presently there are number of politicians and other US lawmakers who are examining the feasibility of a regulated market that would enable Americans to play in a safe and legal atmosphere.  Until there are defined laws however, most of the operators inside the United States will continue to be smaller casino sites catering specifically to the American market in the grey area of the law.