If you’re looking to play at one of the best USA online casino sites then you’ve reached the right page. This SlotsCalendar page is dedicated to bringing you up to date information on what is legal and what is not when it comes to online gambling in the United States of America.
We’ve also made sure to create a list of USA online casinos (licensed!) where you can play yoru favourite online casino games with no troubles. Each of these American online casinos were carefully tested and reviewed by our team of specialists so that you can get the best possible experience. But let’s dive into it.
Top Online American Casinos
The US has been regarded for many years as the Land of Opportunity. Everyone from all over the world has heard of the American Dream and how anyone can achieve it and live their best life. And there are many areas where this is still a possibility, but when it comes to gambling online and offline, the market in the United States is a bit of a blur.
You have Las Vegas – a huge land-based gambling hub, but then you have several states in which it’s illegal to gamble. Some see land-based casinos as fine, others are ok with online casinos USA, some with both, others wih none.
Gambling in America has seen several ups and downs, being legalized just to be banned again and so on. Just as it goes with many things which are still true about the US, gambling was used by the government to make cities greater, just as it was used by criminals to tear them down.
At the moment, there are a few states where online gambling is legal, some states which are trying to fix it and are working on legalizing it, and others who haven’t begun the process yet.
Players from most states choose to play at online casinos that accept players from USA, offshore sites, that fall under different, more regulated jurisdictions. The good news is that there are many international online casinos which will accept US players and some of them are top rated USA online casinos.
Take a look at our extensive USA online casinos list which includes both local and offshore online casinos where you can legally play.
American Gambling History
If you thought that just because the USA is a pretty new country wen compared to others and so it doesn’t have a lot of history, we’re sorry but you are wrong. Even before the continent was colonized, gambling existed on these lands.
The Native Americans played many different games of chance that can qualify as gambling. But let’s see what other interesting historical facts we can find about the US:
- Native Americans played games that are similar to what we know today as Craps, Sic Bo and Hazzard, but they did so not with dice, but with bones or stones.
- European colonists got the natives interested in bull fights, cockfights, rat pits and horse racing.
- In 1612 the first lottery was created by King James I because he wished to raise funds for Jamestown, the first British settlement in N America.
- The Pilgrims and Puritans which arrived in North America around 1620 thought that gambling was wrong from a religious point of view.
- In 1774, the Continental Congress of North America issued the Article of Association which banned all gambling activities.
- During all of the 19th century gambling was tolerated if it didn’t upset anyone, but it was legally banned everywhere except for New Orleans.
- Louisiana was the first state that tried to legalize gambling. While licenses wouldn’t appear until 1835, riverboat gambling flourished until the Civil War (1861)
- Andrew Jackson was the president of North America between 1829 and 1837, and during his time, because of a new Christianity, social issues and a new-found morality, gambling would be banned. It would stay banned until 1860.
- Lotteries were the first type of casino game to become legal or operate even during banned times in a grey zone, but it would take around 100 years for other gambling forms to become legal in Nevada.
- The Prohibition era made illegal gambling and casinos run by organized crime syndicates a real problem for the US
- At the end of the Prohibition era, many of those who used to run illegal casinos turned to Nevada and took the legal gambling opportunity.
- After the Second World War, Las Vegas became the gambling hub we know today. The state has been collecting taxes since 1940 which led to the appearance of many different good-paying jobs.
- The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed in 2006, which made online gambling illegal and banks were not allowed to approve transfers to and from online casinos.
- The US is currently working on legalizing online gambling to profit from it as it can improve the economy greatly and create funds from taxes which can be used to benefit other sectors.
Best Online Casinos USA with Real Money
You will find many different USA online casinos both local and offshore even though the gambling regulations are still pretty weird. So it might seem hard to pick. But luckily for you we’ve gone through all the best online casinos for American players and listed them for you (just the ones that are truly worth it).
So if you’re looking for the best USA online casinos you’ll find them on this page. We can’t say with 100% certainty that none of them are truly the BEST because all players are different and will prefer different things.
But what we can say for sure is that when creating this top we’ve looked at many online casino USA sites and our team of experts reviewed them and tested them, and we also took into account the opinions of players.
This means that no matter which American online casino you pick you will be safe and secured and you can have a good time and enjoy games and promotions and cashout with no issues.
Mobile Casinos USA
In the 21st century we do almost everything on a mobile device. We are never without our smartphone in our pocket or our hand and we want quick access to anything, any time, anywhere.
So, of course, the online gambling market adapted and used all available technologies to make mobile play possible.
Nowadays all USA casino sites are available on mobile devices (smartphones and tablets that run on all major operating systems). Most of them are instant-play, as in they don’t require any download and you can play directly from your browser.
But there are some USA casinos which also offer a dedicated mobile app. These popular USA online casinos which have an app allow you to do everything from your phone. There is no real difference between the web browser version and the app other than a bit of design.
As long as you have a good internet connection you can play from a mobile device no matter where you are and it’s up to your personal preference whether you enjoy playing from the browser or the app, either way you are not missing out.
Top Software Providers for American Players
Many software providers from around the world offer their online casino games to US players. But there are some that stand out, who are either preferred by American players or who cater their services specifically to the American market.
Betsoft and Playtech, for example, are beloved globally, but specifically in the US, while Realtime Gaming (RTG) is an American company launched in the 90s which is available at all reputable online casinos in the US.
The best online casino sites will offer a wide range of software providers and games so that players never get bored and can find their favourite games.
Best Games to Play at Online American Casinos
The one type of online gambling that is completely legal and super popular in the States is lottery games. There are dozens of lotteries that operate in the US and internationally on which players can wager. Sports betting is also legal in most states and at the top of punters’ favourites.
This is the current state of affairs regarding other types of online casino games in the USA:
- Table games are not available in every jurisdiction, and Roulette, Baccarat or Blackjack are legal only in some states, like Delaware, New Jersey, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
- Online slot machines are super popular but not legal everywhere, but fortunately there is already talk of an effort to legalize them. Free slots are available in almost every state as they are not considered real gambling.
- Poker is one of the most enjoyed casino games around the world and particularly in America. The USA has the most valuable poker players and the best tournaments.
- American players also enjoy live dealer games, but live casino games are only legal in the states in which table games are also legal.
While these games are not currently legal at new USA online casinos locally, they can still be enjoyed at international, offshore casinos and in land-based casinos.
Language & Currency Available at American Casinos
An interesting less known fact about the United States of America is that it does not have an official language. While we all know about American English and it is the unofficial language of the country that’s spoken by over 60% of the American population, it’s just one of the languages spoken in the US, alongside Spanish, Chinese and native languages.
The official currency of the United States is the US Dollar (USD). Since the USD is a frequently used currency and English is one of the most spoken languages in the world, it should be a breeze to find safe online casinos which accept this currency and can be translated into English.
Frequently Used Online Casino Payment Methods at USA Casinos
Because of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006, American gamblerbs can’t use the most frequently used payment options: credit/debit cards and bank transfers.
The best online casino sites will do their best to accommodate US players, thus offering the opportunity to use cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin) and e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller or Skrill as these don’t fall under the same regulations and can’t be traced back to them easily.
Online Gambling Laws & Regulations in the USA
There are 50 states in the United States of America. Out of the 50 states, there are only 6 where online gambling is legal and regulated, and these are:
- Delaware
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
In all the other states gambling is under the monopoly of the state so gamblers generally try to pick the best online casinos offshore. Many players choose top online casinos in Costa Rica, Curacao and Panama.
The government has no issue with online gambling, but there are no independent operators which have licenses in some states. So, the market is in a grey zone and players can theoretically do as they please.
What Is the Legal Gambling Age for American Players?
The legal gambling age varies from state to state, but is between 18 and 21. No matter what the legal gambling age is in the US state you’re interested in, it applies to both visitors and residents.
At land-based casinos, most states mandate that all players be at least 21 years old. At offshore popular online casinos, the legal gambling age is generally 18.
The minimum age required to partake in online casino games also varies by game and there are different age requirements for casino games, poker and lotteries.
Here are the US States in alphabetical order and the legal age to gamble. Keep in mind that N/A means that there is no specific age requirement or that kind of gambling isn’t legal in the state.
| US State | Casino | Poker | Lottery |
| Alabama | 21 | 19 | N/A |
| Alaska | 21 | N/A | N/A |
| Arizona | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Arkansas | 21 | 18 | 18 |
| California | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Colorado | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Connecticut | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Delaware | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Florida | 21 | 18 | 18 |
| Georgia | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Hawaii | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Idaho | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Illinois | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Indiana | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Iowa | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Kansas | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Kentucky | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Louisiana | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Maine | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Maryland | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Massahusetts | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Michigan | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Minnesota | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Mississippi | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Missouri | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Montana | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Nebraska | 21 | 21 | 19 |
| Nevada | 21 | 21 | N/A |
| New Hampshire | 21 | 18 | 18 |
| New Jersey | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| New Mexico | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| New York | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| North Carolina | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| North Dakota | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Ohio | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Oklahoma | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Oregon | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Rhode Island | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| South Carolina | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| South Dakota | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Tennessee | 21 | N/A | 18 |
| Texas | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Utah | 18 | 18 | N/A |
| Vermont | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Virginia | N/A | 18 | 18 |
| Washington | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Washington DC | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| West Virginia | 21 | 21 | 18 |
| Wisconsin | 18 | 21 | 18 |
| Wyoming | 18 | 21 | 18 |
Top-Rated American Casinos Which Offer No Deposit Bonuses
It’s time for the thing that everyone was looking forward to, discussing USA no deposit bonus casinos! Yes, you can find no deposit casinos USA! No deposit bonuses are the perfect way to play your favourite games, not risk a single dime, but still get to win and take home your winnings.
You will find no deposit bonuses at many different kinds of casinos, both local and offshore, but while established gambline sites offer them from time to time, it’s the new online casinos USA which offer no deposit free bonuses most often.
New online casinos USA no deposit sites offer, generally, two types of promotions. You can get free spins no deposit bonuses which work on slot machines and no deposit free cash which works on several types of games, depending on the casino’s terms and conditions can be anything from slots to live dealer games or the entire game collection.
The most trusted online casinos will offer several types of promotions. Legit online casinos have USA casinos no deposit offers, free chip offers, a no deposit bonus code for signup, but also welcome bonuses, reload offers, bonus codes for VIP players and more.
Remember to always read the terms and conditions to know exactly what games you can play (are progressive jackpots accepted?) at an online casino for real money, if you need to make a deposit or not (and are credit card deposits or e-wallet deposits accepted?), how do you claim the offer (automatically, by asking the customer support team, using a code), what wagering requirements you have to fulfil etc.
If you have any issues or questions, don’t hesitate to use the customer service and they will help you. But even so, the T&Cs should be very clear. If you can’t understand them then maybe you need to give that gambling site a second look because it might be a bit shady.
To have the perfect online casino experience we recommend that you only play at safe, legal and licensed online casinos. Check out our list of top USA online casino sites and pick your favourite!