Legal Us Gambling Websites
But in a select few states, legal gambling frameworks have been expanded and also include online casinos and online poker sites. As will become clear throughout this guide, the laws around gambling in the US are very different from state-to-state. Legal US Gambling Sites Welcome to LegalUSGamblingSites.com, home of the best gambling sites that are legal for USA residents. This site is dedicated to making sense of all the confusion that surrounds the legality of online gaming in the U.S. While bringing some of the top offerings in the industry.
Legal US Gambling Sites 2020
We’ve all experienced the magic of the internet at one point or another – seriously, nothing beats 1-day Amazon delivery right to your doorstep! With the internet and all of its magical glory, it’s no surprise that the online gambling industry in the US has seen a massive boom in the past few years.
In states where online gambling is legal, it’s now easier than ever to access your favorite games from the comforts of home. Not only that, but it’s also easy to win real money, and no longer is it necessary to drive to the nearest overcrowded brick-and-mortar casino.
You’re definitely not limited for choice, so this is where things start to get tricky. There’s a lot to think about when finding the best US gambling site for you (one that offers the best bonuses, the fastest payouts, and the most secure platform). In this beginnners guide, we’ve done the research and broken down the best legal US online gambling sites with all these features and more.
What Makes a Gambling Site Great?
Before you go all-in and head to the most familiar-named casino, you first need to consider the important characteristics of a great real money gambling site. In a nutshell, here’s what they are:
- A fully licensed, safe and secure site
- A sportsbook offering with top odds and markets
- A variety of casino games including live casino, slots, and table games
- Easy deposits and fast payouts with a variety of payment methods like PayPal and Visa/Mastercard
- Generous bonusoffers and promos
The first thing to focus on is casino legality and availability in your specific location. If you’re in NJ you need to find a NJ online casino that’s legal and available in New Jersey, and the same goes for Pennsylvania and West Virginia too.
888 Casino is a good example of a top quality legal & legit US casino site. An award-winning gaming platform, a huge selection of games, excellent banking options and great bonuses make evaluation easy. Thumbs up!
Fully Licensed, Safe and Secure
First thing’s first, you should only sign up with a gambling site that puts its players’ safety and security above all else. Look into the sportsbook / online casino’s licensing, and don’t just make sure they have a license, but also check to see that it’s from a legit source like the Indiana Gaming Commission.
Take PartyCasino as an example. This casino is available to players in New Jersey, so it’s licensed and regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Authority. This authority is responsible for ensuring the integrity of all casino sites in terms of safety, security, and fairness.
Fairness is the other thing. It’s important to choose a site that’s safe and secure and encrypted with 128-bit SSL, but you also want to find one that’s fair. Legal reputable providers have to use a Random Number Generator (RNG) to ensure fairness for everyone.
Sportsbook With Top Odds and Markets
If you want to make the most of your gambling experience, look for online sports betting sites with a decent sports betting odds. Real money online betting is a fun and interactive way to get in on all the sport action, plus it can lead to payouts.
Look for a an online bookie that offers multiple betting options – not just the traditional ones like basketball and football betting, but also offer more exotic markets, like esports betting or horse racing betting.
If a solid sports gambling site is your #1 priority, you’ll likely enjoy everything DraftKings Sportsbook offers to sports bettors. More about that later on.
The Best Sports Betting Sites
Online Sports Betting Website | Welcome Bonus |
---|---|
BetAmerica Online Sportsbook | 100% deposit match up to $500 |
DraftKings Sportsbook | 20% deposit match up to $1,000 |
Unibet | Risk free bet up to $600 + 3 $10 free bets |
BetRivers | 100% deposit match up to $250 |
PointsBet | 2x $500 risk free bet |
William Hill | 100% deposit match up to $150 + %10 no deposit bonus |
Legal Us Gambling Websites Sites
The online betting industry in America is much more developed than the casino one. You can find all the legal states in our sports betting guide by state.
Wide Variety of Casino Games
This next consideration is a biggie. No matter how sweet the bonus offer is or how safe the online portal may be, there’s no point in signing up if the variety of games is lacking. Even if you’re strictly into slots or live craps is your go-to, finding a casino with gaming variety keeps things interesting.
Many casinos focus strictly on their slot machine offerings and let other categories fall by the wayside. Spinning the slots might keep you entertained for a while, but it’s always nice to branch out and try new things – like live dealer games or progressives like Divine Fortune with massive jackpots.
Not only a variety of game categories but also a variety of software providers. If the casino you choose only partners with IGT, you’ll miss out on all the other games offered by top providers like NetEnt and Play’n GO. The key is to find a casino with lots of gaming categories from a long list of providers.
All our listed top rated casino sites offer a huge game selection from the best providers. Boredom is not an option!
Easy Deposits and Fast Payouts
We all love having options, especially when it comes to methods of payment. The best gambling sites offer a long list of possible payment methods, ranging from reliable credit/debit cards to easy-to-use eWallets.
A variety of payment methods for depositing and withdrawing means that how you pay is completely up to you. If you prefer not to have your casino deposit show up on your credit card statement, just use PayPal, eCheck, or pay a visit to to casino and deposit your dollars over the counter.
Fast payouts are another common characteristic of the best US gambling sites of our time. This basically just means that you won’t have to wait for eternity for your winnings to be deposited into your bank account. A lot of providers have a 24-48 processing time for withdrawals.
Top Bonuses and Promotions
Some players focus solely on the Welcome Bonus offer and ongoing promos that a casino has to offer. It’s not the only thing to think about, but the logic behind it makes sense. Who doesn’t love to be handed free money just for signing up and making a deposit? We certainly do.
There are a lot of good bonus offers out there, like the ones being offered by BetMGM and Golden Nugget. Try not to only focus on the match deposit amount, but also consider whether there is a free spins offer, a no deposit bonus, and definitely look into the wagering requirements.
Depositing and Withdrawing at Gambling Sites
We’ve already covered a bit of the basics for casino deposits and withdraws, but there’s more to it than just payment method variety. Variety means nothing if the list doesn’t include methods that come with easy steps for depositing/withdrawing and high limits.
Best Deposit Methods
You can’t go wrong with Visa/Mastercard credit or debit, but it’s not ideal for everyone to have casino deposits show up on monthly statements. If you’re looking for something more discreet, here are a few of the best deposit methods accepted by US casinos right now:
- PayPal
- eCheck
- Bank Wire Transfer
- Skrill/Neteller
- Cash at Cage
If you’re unfamiliar with the Cash at Cage method, it’s a way for players to deposit cash to an online casino account by visiting landbased casinos and depositing real cash. For example, the 888 Casino in New Jerey allows players to make real-money deposits via the casino cage at Caesars Atlantic City.
Best Withdrawal Methods
In many cases, a deposit method can also be used for withdrawing funds. This isn’t always true, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to use the same method for withdrawing the winnings that you used for making a deposit. Just check to see how long the withdrawal will take and what the maximum limit is.
Mobile Gambling Sites & Apps
Every top legal online gambling site offers the ability to access games from mobile devices and tablets, but some are better than others. Here’s a quick list of the best mobile sites available to American players:
- DraftKings (NJ, IN, WV, PA, IA, NH)
- BetMGM (NJ, IN)
- PartyCasino (NJ)
- Unibet (NJ & PA)
- Caesars Online Casino (NJ)
- Pala Casino Online (NJ)
- Hollywood Casino (PA)
Some of these casinos have dedicated apps for accessing games, bonuses, and more on mobile. Others just have a mobile-friendly site that can be accessed straight from the browser. The trick is to choose one that offers all (or at least most) of their games on a mobile device and one that has a user-friendly mobile interface.
With dedicated mobile apps or mobile-optimized casino sites, you’re never out of the action!
Getting Started
So far we’ve mentioned a few top contenders for best US gambling sites of the year, so the next step is to get started and make your first deposit. Here’s the general gist in 4 steps of how this “getting started” process will look:
- Choose a gambling site
- Open an account
- Deposit funds
- Place wagers/play casino games
It sounds simple, and the fact of the matter is that it should be. If the process of opening an account, depositing funds, and placing wagers isn’t smooth, then the casino isn’t worth your time. Not being able to figure out how to claim a bonus or deposit funds with PayPal is a major red flag, so move on to a casino that features smooth ease of use.
What’s the Best Online Gambling Site?
The top pick for best online gambling site is… drumroll, please… DraftKings Sportsbook! DraftKings Sportsbook offers all the games you could ever need, including a kicka*s Sportsbook and an ever increasing variety of casino games – slots, live blackjack, and live roulette included.
Navigating the casino is easy, and there’s even a dedicated DraftKings app for iOS and Android devices. To top it all off, it’s available in a lot of states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and West Virginia.
Legal Us Gambling Websites Against
They also offer one of the best sports and casino welcome bonus offers, so you’re on to a winner with DraftKings Sportsbook.
Q&A
Yes and no. Every state sets its own laws when it comes to online gambling, so it’s legal in some states and not others. Currently, these are the states that allow online gambling either in the form of casino games, online poker, or sports betting (or all 3):
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Indiana
- West Virginia
- Iowa
- Illinois
- New Hampshire
- Nevada
- Delaware
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
Virginia and Michigan online gambling is also legal, but there are no casinos live yet. However, we at Bonusfinder follow gambling news closely to bring you the up-to-date information.
Yes, they all do.Yyou always have the option to play from a smartphone. A lot of casinos and sportsbooks don’t even require you to download an app to play on mobile, you’ll just enter the site as you normally would from your mobile browser. However, the experience tends to be better when you gamble through your mobile app.
It depends on what sports betting sites you are playing, but in many cases, yes. To see about accessing freebies like free bets, match bonuses, and risk-free bets, just check the bonus info right here on BonusFinder free bets list.
Welcome to LegalUSGamblingSites.com, home of the best gambling sites that are legal for USA residents. This site is dedicated to making sense of all the confusion that surrounds the legality of online gaming in the U.S. while bringing some of the top offerings in the industry. If you wish to participate, all you need to do is to make sure that you are accepted and that you meet the minimum age required to gamble at the website you choose or the legal gambling age in your state, whichever is higher. As you will soon learn, there is actually nothing keeping you from gambling on the web... not physically or legally.
As for us, we're just a group of dedicated online gamblers that are about as friendly as they come. We've learned all this stuff and now want to share that with our readers which was the reason we've created this site. Having all the knowledge that we've acquired through first-hand experience and not sharing it would be a very selfish thing to do. We simply aim to educate and then if you feel like proceeding, you may do so with any of the legal gambling websites we've listed here, or venture out into the world alone. It's your call and know that you do not have to sign up, or even deposit, until you are 100% ready.
First, we're going to start out by giving you our recommendations of the best gambling sites that are legal no matter what type of gambling you're looking for... everything from casinos and online poker to places where you can legally bet on sports. But, before we get into that, there is just one more thing:
Are Online Gambling Sites Legal In The US?
We've got an entire section dedicated to this but the short answer is that you are not going to get in trouble for it being the end-user. Now, that doesn't mean it's one hundred percent legal (however things are starting to shift towards regulation) but don't expect someone to come bust through the door as you're spinning a slot or in the middle of a hand... that just won't happen unless you are actually operating a gambling business, online or otherwise, within your state's borders without permission. In fact, the U.S. government isn't going to like it very much either.
Here's short version of what you need to know about the industry in general, and about our website. With what we just said above, going with any gambling site located in your state is not going to turn out good and that is the reason we always recommend off-shore gaming sites. These sites fall outside of U.S. jurisdiction and are permitted to operate within the countries where they are located.
Gaming sites located outside of the U.S. can be considered to be legal although they are not regulated by any state government... yet! While individual states like New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada are leading the charge to regulate internet gaming within their borders, these sites regulate themselves through third-party verification and testing. It's just a matter of time before all states and even the federal government is on board. If you want to learn more about U.S. gambling laws, please click the preceding link or proceed to our section below.
Different Types Of Legal US Gambling Sites
The team here at LegalUSGamblingSites.com does not just focus on one type of online gambling. Between the avid sports betting guys that work here and the casino junkies, we can tell you about all types of gambling. We even have a guy that works for us that plays in the WSOP main event on a regualr basis. Needless to say we know our gambling.
Below you will find information about the main types of US online gambling sites which includes sports betting sites, online casinos, and online poker rooms. All of these gambling websites accept US players from all 50 states (with a few exceptions) and they are all among the most trusted websites in their particular field.
Below you will find only the very best legal US casinos listed here, all of which have all the things you want like slots, blackjack, video poker, and even some with live dealer games. These casinos have hundreds and hundreds of games to choose from to keep you busy and the software they use is all top of the line.
The legal sports betting sites we list below are the ones that we trust the most for US players. They have all the betting odds you can imagine for every sport in the world and the customer service at these sites is second to none. You will find that they have easy deposits, fast payouts, good bonuses, and a whole lot more.
As far as legal US poker sites, there is a very limited number of sites that we reccomend to our visitors. However, the ones that we do list are the best ones available to US players. All the really good sites no longer accept US players and until they do, you are going to have to play at the poker rooms that the different sports betting sites offer. These are great legal poker sites for US players, but none of them compare to the days of Poker Stars.
Legal Sports Betting Sites For U.S. Players
Betting on sports is something that is as American as Chevrolet and apple pie. The United States is home of the best athletes in the world in a variety of sports and even sends it's best players to other countries to compete in the highest leagues. As Americans, we love to support our teams and often debate with other fans about who is better. We like to think we're in-tune with everything that is going on and even make our own predictions. Oddsmakers have made their predictions too and as avid fans/followers, we can pit our knowledge versus theirs to make money betting on games.
Below, we're going to break down the sports betting indstury and show you where you need to go as a fan of sports in order to find the betting lines that you are going to want to wager on. There are several things you want to know, and we can help with a lot of it, but if you're looking for the right team to pick... so are we and we'd be thrilled if you'd let us know so we can bet too!
Are Sports Betting Sites Legal For U.S. Players?
Because the act of placing a bet online is not specifically outlawed under federal law, bettors in the U.S. can play at offshore sportsbooks. That's because these sites are not under the federal jurisdiction of the laws previously mentioned, such as the UIGEA and Federal Wire Act. This is why it is a legal betting option.
Best Sports Betting Sites That Are Legal For U.S. Players
Online sports betting is another aspect of gambling we had explored when we decided to start looking through online gambling sites and their legal status. Sportsbooks allow you to wager on sports odds, if you didn't know, and the legalities of these law are heavily debated. Should you decide to look into these betting sites, you will have very little trouble actually participating.
There are a number of online sportsbooks around the world that accept players from the United States to sign up and create accounts. These sites know that sports betting in the U.S. is surrounded by legislation, so they make it a simple process for the USA player to come to their site and bet. That's why you will see a ton of sportsbooks offer odds on sports in the United States. Whether it's the NFL, college football, NBA, MLB, college basketball, PGA Tour, or a number of others.
Legal Sports Betting Sites For US Players
Bovada Sportsbook
Bovada is one sportsbook we can recommend to all of our readers. Should you decide to bet on sports through their site, you will experience some of the best possible betting odds. Their games offer generous odds, with players able to wager on everything from the NFL on down. There is nothing that has been left out of this sportsbook.
If you'd like to sign up and make a deposit into Bovada, know that players from all states except a few are accepted. If you reside in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, or Nevada, you will not be allowed to make a new account at Bovada Sportsbook
When you do decide to make a deposit, it will be met with a 50% match which can give new depositors as much as $250 in freeplay. This bonus is rather new but should be around for the long haul which is just like Bovada. As one of the most secure sportsbooks around, Bovada will give you one of the safest gambling sites around and it is a name you can trust.
BetOnline Sportsbook
One of the great online sportsbooks legal for U.S. players to lay down a wager is BetOnline. This sportsbook allows players in all 50 states to sign up for an account, and enjoy the thousands of betting odds formed every month, covering a wide variety of sports.
It starts by registering for a BetOnline account, which can be done from the homepage, where you are then brought to the section to create the new login. After this process is complete, it's time to set up funds for your account. Depositing into BetOnline can be done through a Visa Card, American Express card, wire transfer, cashier's check, or even a money order. All of these aforementioned funding methods are U.S. friendly, meaning legal methods to deposit.
But the best part of BetOnline, in addition to the great number of betting lines offered, is the deposit bonus. How does $1,000 on every deposit sound? Because that is exactly what is offered when a players signs up an deposits here. And while there are sportsbooks out there which have a first-deposit bonus, BetOnline offers this bonus for life. A player can receive up to $1,000 on every deposit they make. So check out this great sportsbook, and see what everyone is talking about.
SportsBetting.ag
Betting on sports for American players doesn't get much better than at SportsBetting.ag. If you are worried about the legality of betting at such a site, put your mind at ease right now. SportsBetting.ag is legal for U.S. players to sign up for an account and deposit to bet for real cash. Bettors must meet the legal age requirement in their state to do so, but provided that that obligation is met, the world of online sports betting opens to you here.
SportsBetting.ag offers their player a host of different features and advantages. Among those are the wide variety of depositing options that are USA friendly. These include first and foremost a Visa or American Express card. But if you choose to go another route, a wire transfer, cashier's check, and money order are also accepted.
When a player makes a deposit into SportsBetting.ag, they will be presented with a bonus option of up to $500 via a 50% match of their deposit. This is a deposit bonus that is good on every one made into the account, not just the first deposit, or on the first day. This is a bonus option for life!
Be sure to check out SportsBetting.ag, and remember that U.S. players don't have to worry about legal issues that accompany online sports betting here, you are good to go.
5Dimes Sportsbook
The sportsbook at 5Dimes definitely has some unique qualities to it. And this is meant in a good way. In addition to being a legal online sportsbook for players in the United States, 5Dimes has some great features to take advantage of.
These features include betting lines that you won't see anywhere else, or at the very least, betting lines that are out before other sportsbooks. It's just how 5Dimes Sportsbook operates. This definitely makes the sportsbook appealing, because it's fun to get in on wagers that no other sportsbook has.
To do this, simply create and account and deposit into the sportsbook using a Visa Card, money order, or a cashier's check. All of these methods are designed for the U.S. player to fund their accounts legally without having to worry about breaking the law.
A bonus of up to $520 on the first deposit is offered for players. This is a great bonus to grab and apply towards the bets you will make.
Legal USA Online Casinos
Casinos were the first type of gambling site we had looked into. These casinos provide players with some of the safest ways to gamble. You will be able to play all of the famous casino games out there, including table games, slots, video poker and more. All of these casinos are located outside of the U.S. and all of them can be trusted to keep your information safe.
Are Online Casinos Legal For Players In The U.S.?
Players looking into online casinos who reside in the United States will find out two things. One, the operation of an online casino in the U.S. is effectively outlawed under the UIGEA. That's because the way in which a bet is processed by a site is banned. And two, that the individual bettor is not subject to the UIGEA because it specifically says intermediaries are not subject to its jurisdiction. As a result, online casinos that operate outside of the U.S. and allow players to join are a great option.
The Best Online Casinos that Are Legal In The U.S.
Should you decide that you want to play these casinos, you will find that the options are nearly limitless. In the end, we can tell you that the options are fairly limitless. In the end, you should be able to play without too many problems. We can tell you that players are visiting these casinos daily, and that you will not have any trouble if you follow our advice.
These casinos that we mention on this page are all very reputable and top-rated in the industry. There is certainly a series of checks and balances to ensure that the sites are fair and do not rip off players. Online casinos are highly regulated, so any U.S. player who checks them out will be going to a trusted site. Our reviews are of the best casinos that we either personally have played, or have reviewed.
Read more about legal US online casinos here.
Lucky Red
If you're feeling lucky, the casino at Lucky Red wants you to come try your hand at the more than 120 games offered on site. American friendly, and legal to sign up to create and account, Lucky Red is one of the best options that USA players can enjoy when to comes to playing at and online casino. Players from all 50 states in the U.S. are welcome to create an account and play their favorite games at the site.
Once the account is created, the next step would be to fund it so that players can win real cash. U.S. methods used to deposit into Lucky Red include a Visa or MasterCard credit card. This makes for safe, fast, and easy ways to fill your account.
A deposit bonus of up to $4,000 is offered for new players to Lucky Red, as players have the option to accept or decline the bonus when asked. It does provide the opportunity to get a ton of free cash to put into various games.
Las Vegas USA
So you might not be staying at the Bellagio or the MGM Grand this weekend. That doesn't mean you can't have some great casino action though. With Las Vegas USA casino, the fun of Vegas is brought right into your living room. And the best part is that USA players are encouraged and welcome to sign up for an account here. Las Vegas USA is a legal online casino for American players.
Las Vegas USA utilizes RTG software for their games and operation. RTG is widely recognized as the best software for online gaming.
Players from the U.S. will be able to deposit with a Visa or MasterCard, as well as an MST Gift Card. Making a deposit into you Las Vegas USA account as an American player is a simple process, with the funds transferred automatically.
When funding, an exclusive bonus option of a 200 percent match up to $1,000 is offered if you enter the code USA100. This is a great bonus to take advantage of, and can get you playing with a ton of free cash.
Club World
Bring the world of online casinos to your computer screen with Club World casino. This casino truly epitomizes quality for American players to take advantage of. Club World casino is a legal online gaming option for players in the United States, and they make it easy for U.S. players to become account holders.
To play for real money at Club World, there are several deposit options that are offered. But for USA players, this comes down a Visa or Mastercard deposit.
Players with new accounts are eligible to receive up to $777 in bonus cash. This is given to the player at the time they make their first deposit into the casino.
Club World has all of the casino games you could want, ranging from a variety of slots, to different table games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and more. There is certainly something for every type of player out there.
Bovada
The casino at Bovada is fully stocked and equipped with everything a player would hope to find when searching for a great online gambling site. Bovada is a legal online casino option for American players, which certainly makes it appealing to those looking for somewhere to play who live in the United States. Of note though, residents in the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Nevada are not accepted at Bovada.
Those who sign up at Bovada and make their first deposits are eligible to receive up to $2,000 in free bonus cash. This is an option for the first deposits over the course of the first day that players join.
To fund your Bovada account, U.S. players have the option of a Visa Card or a Rapid Transfer wire transfer. Both are easy and efficient ways to fund you account. And when it comes to a withdrawal process, a check in the mail or a Rapid Transfer are accepted ways for players in the United States.
Slots Jungle
Slots Jungle Casino is another of the most famous gambling sites online, and this is true for various reasons. Besides being friendly to all U.S. players who come through the digital door, Slots Jungle is setup with the American player in mind which is why they've become a staff favorite.
Slots Jungle Casino offers their users a no deposit bonus of $20 for free, a $10,000 welcome package and even a wide variety of reload bonuses. The bonus code JUNGLE20 activates the no deposit bonus, while the bonus code JUNGLEWELCOME activates a set of ten 100% to $1,000 bonuses.
This casino provides their players with one of the most generous gambling sites around. Their jackpots have broken the 90% match on each of their slots, so plenty of money can be won by way of this gambling site.
Loco Panda
Win big at Loco Panda Casino, one of the fastest growing online casino for American players in the industry. This online casino is a great legal betting option for U.S. players, as they can sign up free from worry about getting into trouble, provided that the minimum age to gamble is met. At Loco Panda that legal age is 18, but you must also meet the gambling requirement in your state.
To register for an account at Loco Panda, you will be required to complete only a few steps in which you will need to provide the necessary information to verify who you are. This only takes five minutes or so, for which you are then brought to your funding methods.
Loco Panda accepts Visa and MasterCard for U.S. players, so this makes it easy to make a deposit. With the wide ownership of one of these two cards, just about all USA players will be able to play the more than 100 games offered. A minimum deposit of $21 is required.
A Deposit bonus of up to $4,000 is offered to players making their initial deposit into Loco Panda. Be sure to get in and take advantage of all this casino has to offer.
Legal USA Poker Sites
This is a touchy subject for a lot of USA players that used to be involved in the online version of the game when the big three sites went down on Black Friday. Fact is, most were able to recover funds from those websites and some of those sites are still around today and trying to get back in the good graces of the U.S. government. That could take some time but do know that there are plenty of other options out there that are all above board. You can rely on these sites and trust that they're not going anywhere, at least not until there are better options and right now, there aren't.
We'll break down why this is safe and more as we keep going. We urge you to stick to the recommendations we've provided as we cannot testify to the quality and professionalism of any other site you may find browing through search engines.
Is Online Poker Legal For U.S. Players?
Players living in the United States can definitely find a legal online poker site to join. This site will not operate in the U.S. in all likelihood, but there is some progress being made in that department, specifically in the state of New Jersey. As it stands now though, the best bet for USA poker players will be to navigate to one of these credible offshore sites and sign up for an account.
Recommended Poker Sites That Are Legal For U.S. Players
Online poker is not a form of gambling we regularly look at, but there are a few different sites we can tell you that provide players offer with a fair and legitimate gaming experience. Unfortunately, there are quite a few different scammy poker sites out there, and we do not want our readers to join these - hence our extensive testing at our own risk. Keep in mind that these sites are all completely legal, so you will have no trouble if you decide to join.
But just like with online sportsbooks and online casinos, American players won't have problems finding a poker site that they can join. But like we have alluded to, not all poker rooms are created equal. That's where we come into play here, checking out and reviewing a number of different sites. The top sites that we believe are the best for poker players in the U.S. to check out are listed below.
Read more about legal online poker sites for US players here.
5Dimes
Legal online poker for players in the United States can be found at 5Dimes by the bulk. They offer a dozen different types of tables that players can sit in on. American players from all 50 states can legally sign up for an account here, and begin to play the most popular online gambling game in the entire world.
Registering for a 5Dimes account is a simple process, which will take the player creating a new account just moments to complete. After verifying your account, you will have the option to make a deposit to begin to play for real money. This can be done with a Visa Card, a cashier's check, or a money order.
Promotions and bonuses for 5Dimes poker room are routinely available, and changing. 5Dimes is committed to offering their players the best and most unique bonus and prize opportunities available. If you are a prospective online poker player, or even an experienced one looking for a nice change, consult 5Dimes and let them take care of you.
BetOnline
Trying to find a great legal online poker option while living in the United States? We know that there are laws in place preventing state-regulated sites in your most likely. But the good news is that BetOnline poker offers American players a great legal online poker room to join. All 50 states are accepted at BetOnline's poker room. Meet the minimum age restriction at the site and in your state for gambling, and get ready to play!
Think funding you account will be a pain? Think again! Do you have a Visa card, or an American Express? If you do, you already have methods to fund your BetOnline poker account. But if you don't, other U.S. accepted deposit methods include a wire transfer, money order, and a cashier's check.
While there are poker-specific promotions that BetOnline runs, perhaps the best bonus offered is the generic lifetime deposit bonus. This bonus stipulates that players can get up to $900 in free cash with every deposit. It's a 15-25 percent match depending on your deposit, with the cap at $900, and it doesn't get any better than that.
More About Legal US Gambling Sites To Know
The laws surrounding online gambling in the United States are very confusing and almost completely unnecessary. They are mostly obsolete, and they do not really do much to prevent gamblers from participating in the games. In fact, the legislators have been contemplating strengthening the laws in order to actually criminalize gambling over the Internet. To date, nothing has made it a crime to gamble online, so you will not have to worry about being arrested for gambling online. In the end, you should have no trouble actually participating in the games if you know where to look.
UIGEA of 2006 - Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
So much has been said about the UIGEA among the gaming population that those who don’t know about it probably don’t need to.
But much has happened since 2006, including Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), trying to get the whole thing overturned in 2009.
That hasn’t happened yet, and according to experts who spend their time watching the trends related to internet gambling, it probably won’t happen, on the federal level, until 2015 at the the earliest.
So, the provisions remain – banks operating in the United States cannot “knowingly” facilitate internet gambling operations conducted in the U.S. or its territories. You can read the fine print, but that’s about it.
If the next logical question is, “Does that mean betting online is illegal?”, the obvious answer is, “No”. A myriad of legal online sites provide the opportunity for gaming aficionados to play the games they find appealing and exciting – poker, slots, roulette, craps – not to mention all the sports games which create many more wagering and winning chances. Yes, it’s legal, under the provisions of a law touted as a measure designed to eliminate the “scourge” of internet gambling.
Actually, what this law was designed to do, in its original form, was protect America’s ports from terrorists. Is someone can explain this to me, I’m listening.
Wire Act Of 1961
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The U.S. Interstate Wire Act of 1961 was a piece of legislation designed to provide federal investigators with tools to fight illegal gambling promoted by organized crime. As originally intended and written, the focus of the law was exclusively on sports betting and bookmaking.
The law earned its name because it doesn’t outlaw any form of betting, but rather, the use of “wires” to transmit information or requests related to betting, making a wager or collecting on a wager.
Of course, in the early days of the Kennedy administration, not even Carl Sagan could have imagined the advent of the internet, and how the gambling industry would grow and flourish as a result of online betting. While current estimates vary, it is generally assumed that more than eight million people worldwide place bets online on a regular basis.
While federal prosecutors have used the Wire Act as a means to control interstate gambling within U.S. borders, it has proven ineffective as a means to reduce the number of gaming sites operating legally in other nations. Further, no provision of the measure has served to reduce the numbers of U.S. citizens gambling legally online.
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice ruled that it agreed with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the law did not apply to online games such as poker, but only to sports betting in a specific realm.
PAPSA
In 1992, in an effort to eradicate or severely handicap the sports gambling industry and the entities controlling it at the time, Congress passed the “Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act”, or “PASPA”. Sponsored by Sen. Dennis DeConcini, D-AZ, and co-sponsored by 62 of the remaining 99 members of the Senate, the bill enjoyed bipartisan support and was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush in October of 1992.
Under provisions of “PASPA”, all forms of sports gambling that involved professional or amateur athletes were essentially outlawed. Existing sports lotteries in Oregon, Delaware and Montana, and the legal sports pools in Nevada, were exempted, as were horse and dog racing and jai alai. Another provision of the bill would have allowed New Jersey, a state where casino gambling was legal, to pass state laws which would effectively exempt it from federal enforcement. That allowance expired after one year, with New Jersey lawmakers taking no action.
Since that time, however, New Jersey has acted, and as a result the law may be overturned. A suit filed in federal District Court by a New Jersey state senator has drawn the attention of other state legislators around the country. Many legal experts predict the law cannot endure the court scrutiny and will either be ruled unconstitutional or be repealed through congressional action.
State Internet Gaming Laws
To further confound players, there are also the state laws related to gambling on the Internet. Each state is allowed to pass their own laws regarding online gambling. To date only a few states have actually banned online gambling, though there are various states with even more confusing laws. Washington and Louisiana are two states where you definitely do not want to gamble online. Provided you do not live in these states you should not have too much trouble participating, nor will you have to worry about breaking the laws.
We touched on this briefly above, but there are a few states that are beginning to recognize the potential revenue stream that regulated online gaming could provide. As of mid-2013, there are no states that have officially regulated the industry however there are gambling sites that have been approved once legalized online gambling in the U.S. goes online later this year.
In the end, casinos, sportsbooks and poker rooms all operate freely without any trouble. If you are looking for legitimate, legal sites, you will find that these options are free to use. Should you decide that you want to participate in the games, you will find that plenty of money can be won online, very easily and legally. The one thing you you need to keep in mind is the state laws, as well as the legitimacy of the gambling sites online. If you are truly unsure, you will want to look at the laws of your state, and perhaps consult an attorney if you are really unsure over whether or not you can gamble in your state.
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