America often gets thought of as a gambling mecca, primarily due to the popularity of Las Vegas and the unparalleled role Nevada’s most populous city has had in the development of the casino industry worldwide. However, the truth is that the US is not so loosey-goosey when it comes to permitting games of chance for real money, despite these having a history in the nation since the early European settlers arrived. Moreover, the United States is, without question, the birthplace of poker in the form we know today and the main hub for card gambling.
The U.S.’s not-so-lax stance on gaming fun is most evident in the nation’s lack of widespread online casino legislation. Twenty-one out of America’s fifty states permit land-based commercial casinos, but only seven allow virtual ones. That stems from several things, including slow legislative processes, brick-and-mortar operators’ lobbying efforts that are stopping the interactive gaming sphere from gaining more of a foothold due to fear of it cannibalizing their revenues, social/moral concerns, etc.
Nevertheless, most residents of the United States have the option of enjoying casino-style games for monetary gain remotely. Below, we explain how and what the best practices are for discovering licensed gaming hubs on the Web.
US Based Online Casinos
There is no federal legislation regarding online gaming in the US. In 2018, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was repealed, opening the door for each country to authorize sports betting, offline and online, as they saw fit. Seven years prior, the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 got a different DOJ interpretation that allowed the same for casino gaming. Thus, since 2011, US states have been free to permit virtual casinos to their residents, which Delaware and New Jersey did first in 2013. In the past decade, five other territories have joined these North American online gambling pioneers: Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Hence, Americans who live in these parts of the US can freely gamble on products like blackjack, baccarat, roulette, slots, and options from other popular casino genres at sites their regulators have licensed. They just have to learn what operators have gotten permission to operate within their jurisdiction. These should have a licensor badge in their home page footer, and their licensed number should be listed there.
Regulated Internet gaming platforms are heavily advertised in the US, and depending on the region, the companies that run them are either famous physical casino operators, racinos, or fantasy sports brands. Hence, it is not hard to identify which online gambling websites are legit and verified.
Licensed Offshore Online Casinos
Yes, these are also a possibility. What are they? They are gambling platforms regulated in another country that accept American customers. How does US law feel about it? Most states do not have specific laws banning these sites, but some, like Utah, do. Even those that have a firm stance against them, one put into legislation, categorize their use as a misdemeanor and never seek to prosecute those that utilize them, as they see this as a waste of funds. Instead, they target the websites that have chosen to accept gamblers from within their borders.
So, overall, most US residents should have no problem enjoying offshore gaming hubs, and Online United States Casinos (OUSC), a prime gambling website reviewer, has a terrific collection of these, all vetted to meet a high standard of excellence, most of which accept cryptocurrencies, which is a great way for anyone to use these sites without fear of UGIEA. That is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 that crippled the poker industry at the start of the 2010s, as it introduced a ban on all Internet gambling-related transactions. This law still applies to international gambling websites, although it rarely gets enforced, and can get bypassed via e-wallets and cryptos.
What to Look for in a Licensed Online Casino?
The main things are top data protection measures, such as SSL encryption, regular game audits from independent testing agencies like eCOGRA, a robust catalog of games, enticing promotions, easy navigation, 24/7 customer support, various payment methods on hand, and a proven track record of quality service.
Red flags include negative reviews, especially concerning unresolved complaints, unrealistic bonus offers, and ones promising sizeable sums, but listing high wagering requirements or tight deadlines. Poor website security, meaning no HTTPS address and 2FA are also massive eyebrow-raisers, and the first is something that no regulated platform will be without.
Without question, the best way to locate high-quality online casinos, US-based and internationally-licensed ones is to rely on trusted reviewers, as the mentioned OUSC, as these have experienced testers on staff, ones that know what to look for, and how to properly evaluate good gaming sites, weeding out the bad ones.
Remember the main benefit of using a licensed casino, regardless of its regulator, is that these websites offer well-defined mechanisms for handling player complaints. In the case of an issue arising, such as a problem withdrawal, a gambler has someone to turn to, the fate of his winnings does not rest solely in the hands of the operator who should cash him out.
Sadonna Price
Sadonna is a casino content creator and former professional poker player who loves using her creativity to provide insight into the most interesting aspects of the casino world.
