United States Casino and Poker Rooms
The United States is one of the most difficult regions in the world to determine where you can and can’t play online. Some gambling sites offer services to everyone in the US and some only offer their wagers to people in some areas of the country. Others won’t accept players from anywhere in the nation.
If you start considering the legal issues surrounding online gambling things become even more unclear. I cover legal gambling sites on another page, so I don’t get into it on this page.
Most US players just look for the safest gambling sites and don’t worry about everything else. Thousands of US citizens gamble online every day and have been doing so for years. This is enough for most people who want to play.
I’ve put together a few tips for players looking for the best US gambling web sites.
What State Do You Live In?
A few states have specific laws that regulate online gambling in the United States. If you’re lucky enough to live in one of these states all you have to do is log onto one of the approved casinos or poker rooms and you can start playing in no time.
If you live anywhere else in the US you still have plenty of options for your gambling action, but it’s not as clear cut as in states that have specific laws.
Most states don’t have any laws about online gambling, and contrary to what the media likes to say, the federal government doesn’t have online gambling laws that make playing illegal either.
Nothing on this page or web site is legal advice. I’m not an attorney and don’t offer legal advice. If you have any concerns about the legality of playing where you live, seek the help of a professional.
How to Find the Best Sites
You’ve already taken the best first step toward finding the top US gambling sites. Reading reviews of popular gambling sites on trusted web sites like this one helps rule out unsafe gambling businesses.
Once you narrow your list of possibilities down to a few gambling sites take a few minutes to check out each web site. Look at the game options, deposit methods, withdrawal methods, and bonus options.
The next step is to sign up for a free account and try your favorite games for free. I suggest trying at least two or three different gambling sites to get a feel for the different games and software options.
US Casinos
The US market is filled with online casino possibilities. You can find US gambling casino sites everywhere.
Some operators left the market, but many stayed and hundreds of new ones opened their doors trying to get a small slice of the billions the US population gambles every year.
When you start looking at US online casinos you can easily get overwhelmed by the vast list of places trying to get your play.
Because of the level of competition you don’t have to play anywhere that doesn’t offer the games you want or the best bonuses and customer service.
US Poker
United States poker players have a few options for real money gambling, but not nearly as many as they have for online casino play.
The biggest poker rooms left the US market and none of the smaller rooms has been able to pick up the slack enough to grow to hold a decent market share.
Only a few networks maintain enough players to offer a stable game environment.
US Sports Books
Sports betting online is not clearly legal in the US, but dozens of Internet sports books offer wagering opportunities to citizens. It’s not clearly illegal either.
I always think of the thousands of local bookies accepting bets in communities across the country illegally and all of the illegal office pools during March madness when I think about online sports books. Even if someone could prove online sports bets were illegal, and I’ve never seen proof they are, players would still do it. Players know the local bookie is breaking the law but they still place bets.
Just like online casinos, you can find some sports books that aren’t stable, but you can find many that have long track records. Some of the online casinos reviewed on this site have sports books. If you want to start placing bets online that’s a good place to start.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Once you find a few US gambling sites where you want to play make sure they have a way for you to make a deposit to start playing and a way to cash out your winnings.
Getting money into a gambling site from the United States is usually done using a credit card. You can also use a bank wire or Western Union with some gambling sites.
When it comes time to take your money out of the gambling site you usually will need to receive a check or bank wire. A few other options might be available depending on the site, but these two are the main options. Before you make a withdrawal you’ll probably have to jump through a few hoops.
You’ll probably have to send a copy of a utility bill to prove you live where you claim and a copy of an identification card.
I realize this can be a hassle, but these safety measures are in place for a reason.
Free US Sites
It’s much easier to find sites offering free casino games and poker than finding real money ones like I’ve been discussing. I’ve never enjoyed the free games sites as much as the real money ones. Even when I play free games on the real money sites I always feel the software and experience is better.
Free sites are full of ads and always trying to get me to buy some in game stuff I don’t want. Plus, when I get ready to play for cash I can get started right away on the real money sites.
Conclusion
Finding the best US gambling sites is easy when you use all the resources at your disposal. Check out the reviews section to start your search.