Yes, live casino is a common gameplay option at the latest online casino platforms for US players. They tend to feature a bit less variety, mainly due to the fact that only specific software providers cater to the market, but still manage to cover all the essential live blackjack, roulette and even Casino Hold’em poker tables.
There was a time online casinos flourished in the US, long ago, before 2006. For the years that followed, very few online casinos accepted American players in their real money games. In spite of the rocky history, online casinos have always been the more popular option than brick and mortar casinos because of advantages such as convenience, time saving, money saving, and privacy. And in the US, the online casino situation is changing, albeit slowly.
Finding online casinos today where you can gamble online, and that are US friendly, entails finding the safest, legal gaming sites, and with the most solid reputation for quality casino services and payback rates. This also involves looking at the casino game selection, software, bonuses and promotions. This can be a daunting task when you think about the more than 2,500 casinos in existence on the Internet, but there are pointers. Online casino reviews that you find on this casino site are also an excellent source of information.
Top Rated Online Casinos Accepting USA Players
Are Online Casinos Legal in the United States?
Virtual Casinos saw the light of day in the US as early as the nineties, growing rapidly in popularity and numbers in the mid 2000s. However, come 2006, the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) was passed and some of the largest online casinos in the world left this market as it became near-impossible to process transactions with US financial institutions and banks. Since then, there has been an ongoing struggle to get online casino gambling legalized in various states, some of the strongest arguments being that it will serve as a source of revenue and regulating the industry will protect players. Still, the UIGEA remains rather confusing more many American players. They fail to get that it criminalizes financial transactions, but not playing online casino games.
Presently, Las Vegas and Atlantic City remain hubs for offline gaming at land-based casinos, and the number of online casinos that accept US players is increasing as the use of third party payment processes like eWallets becomes more trustworthy. Some states like Nevada and New Jersey have legalized online poker, while others require consultation: Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon, Louisiana, New York, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Washington is the only state where no form of Internet gambling whatsoever is allowed.
How We Rate Online Casinos
Choosing where to gamble online can be a daunting task because there are literally thousands of online casinos out there on the internet. Not all casino gaming sites are created equally. Some have superb customer support, others not so much. You may find US-facing online casinos that offer significant deposit bonus while some may have wagering requirements.
Here at Best Casinos Online, we pride ourselves on providing you with accurate reviews of the casinos we list. Unlike some other review sites that are only interested in getting players to sign up to a casino, Best Casinos Online employs writers who are avid online casino game players, so you can rest assured the experience you will enjoy when you sign up to a casino through us will be exactly what you expect.
Each of our team members creates an account at the casino so they know how easy or difficult it is to get up and running and how to verify their accounts. Next, they make a real money deposit to see if the casino offers free spins or a deposit bonus and what the wagering requirements are for those casino bonuses. If we tell you a bonus is good, it really is good. Likewise, if you read that a bonus offered by a certain casino will take forever and a day to release into your account that will also be true.
Once an account has been created and a deposit made, our team plays table games and slots to get a feel for how the software runs. They will also play at the casino on a mobile phone or tablet, if this option is available, to see how the casino software works on various platforms.
Finally, our team then cashes out of the casino site and notes how easy the process was and how long it takes to receive their funds, thus completing the cycle.
Our online casino reviews are extremely accurate and we are not afraid to highlight any negative points in those reviews. Can you honestly say other websites do that?
Which Mobile Casinos Accept USA Players?
Mobile devices, which include phones and tablets, have come to offer great opportunities for casino players to enjoying the online gaming experience wherever they are and whenever they want. Many legitimate US casinos are now providing mobile games for money, requiring only that the casino player registers an account and then downloads the games. These games range from Slots to Blackjack, Poker to Roulette, Baccarat, Bingo, and Video Poker, among many others.
As a rule of mobile casinos, speedy internet is necessary. With an iPhone, iPad, or smartphone running on Android or Windows operating systems, new and exciting online casino games are fully hosted and you can play them instantly through the device’s when browser without first downloading them. The web application is also able to take full advantage of touch-screen technology. Some casino gaming websites provide QR codes whose pictures you have to take with your phone or tablet in order to be redirected directly to the mobile casino page that is most relevant to your mobile device. In the end, mobile casinos enable playing on the go.
Playing Real Money Casino Games in the United States
Choosing the right casinos USA involves checking that your preferred deposit casino method is accepted. If the methods you prefer are not supported, it can take you a very long time to manage your banking accounts in order to finally fund the casino account. You make a deposit by going to the banking or cashier page of the casino, then selecting your preferred deposit casinos method from the list of accepted deposits option provided. You then specify the amount you wish to deposit. This is regardless of whether it is a table game, or slot games on a RTG slot machine, or anything in between. If you are going to play online at a casino site, you need to know all of these aspects of deposits.
While every casino is different in the games they offer, you can bet your bottom dollar that every single one of them will offer slot games and slot machines. If they were a casino in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, slots would stretch as far as the eye could see!
The advantage online casinos have over their brick and mortar equivalents is they do not need vast areas of floorspace, meaning they can offer a massive selection of real money slot games. You will find traditional three-reel slots, five-reel slots and even progressive bounty slot games at almost every online casino you find in our reviews, the latter making it possible to win vast sums of money from the comfort of your own home.
Online casino games vary from site to site, but you should always find your favorite table game. Blackjack is a staple game you will find online, often with several different variants such as surrender blackjack, multi-hand blackjack and tables with potentially lucrative side bets.
Roulette fans are usually well catered for, as are Casino Hold’em lovers. Some casinos even spread casino table games including Baccarat, Sic Bo, Keno, bingo, poker, and even virtual scratch cards. Check out our reviews to see the games offered by the different American-facing online casinos.
Other things to look for at deposit casinos, are if the deposits are instantaneous and come free of charge, and how affordable the minimum deposit amount is in relation to your bankroll. The most popular deposit methods for US casinos are American Express (AMEX), MasterCard, Visa, MoneyGRAM, and Western Union. If you have difficulty using your MasterCard to deposit to a United States accepted casino, you do have the option of purchasing a prepaid Mastercard through the MypaylinQ service. You should also look into the casino wagering requirements, which will also help you with your deposit bonus (which can be free spins, or real money to use for play, and much more).
Can You Get A Bonus At Any Online Casino USA?
In short, the answer to this popular question is yes. With so many online casinos to choose from, the sites have to differentiate themselves from one another by offering a variety of bonuses to all their customers.
The most common online casino bonus is a deposit bonus for new customers. Just as the name suggests, this is a bonus offered to new customers making their first deposit online at the casino. Most deposit bonuses are based on a percentage of the initial deposit, so a 100% up to $1,000 would mean the casino matches your first deposit 100% up to a maximum of $1,000. In this example, deposit $100 and a $100 bonus is yours, make a $1,000 deposit for the biggest bonus available.
Real money casinos will often offer you a reload bonus. These are similar to deposit bonuses except they are for customers who have already played at the casino and need to top up their account balance. Reload bonuses tend to be smaller than first deposit bonuses, but are also more frequent.
Some casino offers involve free spins for slot games. You may have to make another deposit or enter a bonus code to receive the free spins. The free spins may be limited to a specific slot machine, but this will be detailed in the terms and conditions; pay attention to them.
All bonuses on every online casino site will have what are known as wagering requirements, sometimes called playthrough requirements. These are put in place to prevent money laundering and to protect the casino from those who gamble online in an attempt to abuse the bonuses offered. These wagering requirements vary greatly from casino to casino so make sure you are aware of what is expected of you. As an example, a casino may offer a bonus with 30-times wagering requirements. This means you have to place wagers worth 30-times the bonus amount before you can withdraw the bonus amount or any winnings derived from that particular bonus. Our reviews will highlight the playthrough requirements, stating if we believe these are fair or not.
You can receive many different bonuses at online casinos. There is a first deposit bonus, in which you can get something when you make your first deposit. You might have to get codes from the deposit casino you are using, or you may see a “send code” prompt when you make your deposit. You might not even need a bonus code, you could just need to claim your free bonus by pressing a button. But any time you can claim an online gambling bonus for a casino site, take it. Cash or free spins, it makes your casino online experience that much better.
How to Cashout Winnings from a US Casino Account?
The best US casinos are those that offer quick or instant cashouts. The first step in the process, for most casinos, involves completing a fax back form. This is a verification form that serves as a casino security feature, as the casino is able to confirm you are who you claim to be. This online form is very easy to complete. You simply log in and request it at the cashier or chat with support and request it via email. When sending it back, you also send a copy of photo ID, proof of address, and copy of credit card. Completion of the ID process means you can now request an online withdrawal.
MoneyGram and Western Union are the fastest cashout methods for US players; they are almost instant payments, taking only a few days for the request to be fully processed. Checks are also a popular online option although they can take even two weeks to be delivered to your address.
What Banking Options Are There For American Online Casino Game Players?
Let us not beat around the bush here, ever since the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, it has become more difficult for residents of the United States to deposit money onto online casinos. This is because the UIGEA prohibits financial institutions from processing deposits and withdrawals to online gambling sites. That is not to say it is impossible to fund your account and receive any winning because the major online casinos still offer several banking methods for U.S. customers.
A common workaround is for the online casino to be hosted on a domain in Europe or elsewhere such as Antigua, which is a popular country for allowing casinos to offer their services to American casino aficionados. This gives the casino the freedom to accept various deposit and withdrawal options.
The most commonly accepted banking option is Visa or MasterCard. While different credit card issuers have their own rules when it comes to allowing their cards to be used for online gambling, this is still by far the most popular choice when it comes to banking options for Americans. This method is also the fastest, but be aware some online casinos do charge a small fee for processing the payments and withdrawals, or set a minimum amount to help cut down on their costs.
E-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller are also widely accepted. With e-wallets, you fund your wallet from your credit card or by bank transfer before using the details of your chosen e-wallet to deposit and withdraw from the casino. This means you do not have to divulge your financial information to the online casino site.
Bank transfers are another popular banking option, especially if you are transferring a larger sum of money. The majority of online casinos will allow you to wire money to and from the site, although this option can have lengthy processing times of up to a fortnight, so bear that in mind.
Surging in popularity is the virtual currency Bitcoin. This cryptocurrency can be bought from online exchanges and then used to deposit or withdraw from a US online casino. Cryptocurrency may sound complicated when you first begin using it, but the entire process is quite simple once you get the hang of it. You should be aware, however, that Bitcoin value is very volatile with one Bitcoin being valued at more than $19,500 on December 17, 2017, as low as $3,500 a year later and back to more than $11,000 six-months later. Make sure you perform your own research before dipping into the world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.
Currency Options for USA Players
Online Casino That Takes New York Players Play
All sorts of currencies are accepted by online casinos around the world, but the United States Dollar (USD) is the most widely accepted. Online casino players in the United States can look for those sites whose primary form of currency for deposits and withdrawals is the USD. For online players outside the US, they can opt for these online casinos when they prefer their transactions being processed in USD.
Five Commonly Asked Questions
Why do I have to verify my identity?
All casinos will ask you to submit some identification to comply with the terms of their licence. This is a standard procedure for customers around the world, not only Americans. Some may ask to see your passport or government issued ID, others may ask for a photo of the credit card you are depositing with. Check with the casino’s customer support team for more details.
Is it legal to play online casino games in America?
The internet gambling enforcement act only applies to financial institutions and not the customers themselves. If the online casino is listed on this site, you are able to play at it while residing in the United States.
Do online casinos have a customer support team?
Things rarely go wrong with online casinos but you have the peace of mind that they all have a dedicated team of customer service agents waiting to provide assistance should you need it. Most commonly, this support is offered via email, with Live Chat becoming more popular as you get to type your query in real time. Others have a free telephone number you can call and speak to a customer service representative.
How long will it take to receive my winnings?
The time to receive your winnings varies between casinos and the method you are using to withdraw from. All casinos will have a processing time of between 24-72 hours before they start the ball rolling. Then it is up to the different card issuers, e-wallet providers, or your bank. Industry standards seem to be around 48-hours for credit cards and e-wallets, instant for Bitcoin, and up to 15 days for bank transfers and checks. Again, these times differ greatly and are not set in stone.
Are online casinos safe and fair?
While there are no doubt some unscrupulous online casinos out there on the internet, all the casinos you read about on Best Casinos Online have been full researched and tested by our team. Major online casino operators use software provided by some massive companies who have been in business for decades; you do not last long in this industry if you gain a poor reputation.
Look for casinos that have software provided by the likes of Microgaming, Real Time Gaming (RGT), Playtech, NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Scientific Games and NYX Gaming among others as these are huge, legitimate companies.
On this page we’ve compiled a comprehensive summary covering online gambling in New York state, with an overview of applicable laws as well as recommendations on which sites are safe for NY residents.
Below you’ll find our current list of the best real money online casinos for New York residents, including bonus offers from each site. All of these gambling sites have been vetted by our editorial team to ensure safety for players, good payment options, fast payouts and solid customer service:
What Are The Best NY Real Money Gambling Sites?
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Is Online Gambling Legal in New York State?
The state of New York and New York City itself are not hotbeds of Casino activity but there are still some interesting venues available to those who want to gamble. Of course residents of the state of New York can also gamble online like any person in the USA can.
New York historically has had some of the most severe gambling laws in the country and it is still not the most liberal state when it comes to casinos or online gambling. Fortunately, in the last few years, there has been an evolution in that respect, notably to help support the state’s horse racing tracks.
A casino with slot machines sits next door to the racetrack of Saratoga in upstate New York since 2003. Casinos have also been opened more recently in and near New York City, one next to the Yonkers Racetrack and another Casino by the Aqueduct racetrack.
The latter is called the Resorts World New York City and is the first real casino in the Big Apple, with both slot machines but also automated table games like Blackjack, Roulette and many others. In addition to the casinos located near horse racing tracks, the state of New York also has multiple casinos located on Indian Reservations, however those are not necessarily easy to access, being outside of urban centers and far from New York City itself.
As we look to the future, it seems as though New York is going to be legalizing gambling more broadly soon. But in the meantime, the best option for New York residents looking to gamble is to do so in one of the many online casinos that accept them. Below, you can find our recommended list of online casinos, selected based on quality but especially safety and reputability.
New York has been tough on gambling in the past but, to the surprise of many, the state does not possess any laws which make it illegal to play at online casinos. What is illegal, however, is for a casino to be located in and operating in New York.
Because most online casinos that offer their services to New York residents are located offshore, you do not need to worry about landing yourself in legal trouble for having played at an online casino.
The online casinos that accept players in New York come in many different varieties. While there are full service online sites that offer just about every casino game known to man, other sites specialize in other forms of gambling like Poker or Sports Betting and therefore only a select variety of casino games are featured on these sites.
With more casinos being added all the time, there is no shortage of options for New Yorkers looking to gamble online. Not all online casinos can be trusted however and it is important to do your due diligence regarding their quality, their customer service and their gambling license before playing for real money at an online casino.
Thankfully for you, we have done the hard work and reviewed hundreds of online casino options to recommend only those who can offer the best service to New York residents.
Looking to the future, it is an interesting prospect to consider whether New York is going to move on setting up a legalized, regulated online casino system within the state. New Jersey already has an intrastate online casino network and is actively drawing more and more New Yorkers every year.
With so much money flowing over the border, it makes no sense that New York seems to be completely avoiding the topic of legalized online casinos. Pennsylvania, for example, has really relaxed their laws when it comes to gambling both online and at brick and mortar locations, so this is just one more reason why New York should really move on legalizing online casino play once and for all.
Legal Status of Brick and Mortar Casinos — New York
Despite New York’s online casino status being stuck in the early 21st century, their brick and mortar gambling industry is thriving. This has been the case for a while now, as New York has long been one of the best states in the country for real money gambling.
There are numerous land based casinos operating within the state, and they offer a multitude of different gambling options, from poker, to blackjack, and just about anything else in between. Like many other states, the biggest problem with brick and mortar casinos is that they are not easily accessible to many residents. Most of these casinos are located outside of city centers, on Indian reservations.
New York is known for the huge city bearing the same name, however the state is comprised of much more than New York City Alone. In fact, New York is one of the biggest states in the country as far as physical size is concerned. With so many rural areas in the state, and most casinos being located near those areas, you can understand how difficult it is for some people to play real money casino games.
In many cases, the casinos are located in very rural parts of the state and require residents to drive hours just to get there. An increasing number of brick and mortar locations are being added with each passing year, so we would not be surprised to see New York, in the near future, rival states like New Jersey when it comes to live gambling.
Unfortunately, there are not any grandiose plans to add a large number of brick and mortar casinos in New York City itself. This may change soon, but New York lawmakers have not really expressed an interest in expanding the scope of the brick and mortar casino industry. That being said, there are still a number of brick and mortar casinos operating in the state, which include:
Casino | Address | Phone |
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Akwesasne Mohawk Casino | 873 State Route 37 | (877)-992-2746 |
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino | 1 Fulton Street | (716) 299-1100 |
Lakeside Entertainment | 271 Cayuga St | (315) 889-5416 |
Point Place Casino | 450-452 NY-31 | (315) 366-9610 |
Seneca Allegany | 777 Seneca Allegany Blvd | (716) 945-3200 |
Seneca Niagara Casino | 310 Fourth Street | (716) 299-1100 |
Turning Stone Casino | 5218 Patrick Road | (315) 361-7711 |
Resorts World NY | 110-00 Rockaway Blvd | (888)-888-8801 |
Saratoga Casino Hotel | 342 Jefferson Street | (518) 584-2110 |
Empire City Casino | 810 Yonkers Avenue | (914) 968-4200 |
Sports Betting In New York
Just like about everywhere else in the USA, there is a lot of rumble recently regarding sports betting and online betting. Following a lawsuit started by the Governor of New Jersey, the law prohibiting the legalization of sports betting by each state has been struck down.
This means that a state like New York is now free to create its own laws and we are willing to bet that New York will be one of the first states to pass new gambling laws which authorize sports betting.
New York is after all arguably the biggest sports city in the world. New York City is home to two NFL teams, two MLB teams, two NBA teams and two NHL teams. Elsewhere in the state, the city of Buffalo has a NFL team and a NHL team and of course the various casinos and horse racing tracks in New York would love to be able to add sports betting to their offering.
As of now however, the only way for New York residents to gamble on sports is to open an account with one of the many international gambling sites which accept residents of the state.
Casinos In New York State
These offshore sportsbooks have some pros and cons compared to a local gambling site. In the positive elements, you can find the fact that for sure international sportsbooks will offer better odds to New York players. Local casinos and sportsbooks have to pay local taxes which tend to increase their costs and therefore they cannot offer as attractive odds or bonus offers to players. We can already see that with the New York racetracks which do not offer the same rebates or bonuses to players compared to offshore racebooks.
Another distinct advantage for offshore sportsbooks is their ability to offer a whole variety of games, including poker and casino games often. So far, plans to legislate online gambling in the USA and New York have always separated the different forms of gambling. Therefore a player who wants to play multiple types of games usually needs to open multiple accounts, which is not very convenient.
Now, of course, playing with an international gambling site has some disadvantages. First of all, you have to make sure that the sports betting site you play at offers a good variety of odds and fair pricing on them. We have researched dozens of sportsbooks and those we recommend for New York residents are quite player-friendly in that respect.
New York players looking for a sportsbook also need to be careful in choosing one with a spotless reputation and known for fast payments. Receiving your winnings is generally not a problem but there are some rogue sportsbooks out there. We of course only recommend sports betting sites which are known to be treating players well and fairly, including comes the time to request a payout.
It goes without saying but offshore sportsbooks of course offer odds on all games played in New York and if you are looking to bet on the New York Giants or the Islanders or the Knicks, offshore sports books will have you covered and will often offer a wider variety of betting options than even the casinos in Vegas can offer.
Online Poker In New York State
Multiple states, including the neighbour New Jersey, have already passed legislation allowing online poker so we can wager that New York will soon pass laws allowing the licensing of online poker rooms in the state.
In the meantime, New Yorkers need to play on international sites who take American players and though there are only few left, there are still good opportunities for New York poker players online.
The big names in the game, such as Poker stars and Full Tilt Poker, have had to leave New York state in 2011. A few other poker networks have popped up since to offer the game to residents of the State. The volume of player is not as good as it used to be but for fans of the game, it is better than nothing. Usually the online poker rooms available to New York residents are part of sites also offering sports betting and casino games so for players looking to play a variety of games, this situation is not so bad.
Of course, when looking for online poker sites, New York players need to make sure to select a site which takes security seriously. The risk with online poker is to be facing cheaters or bots playing and any serious poker player knows that you need to find a site which fights against fraud with vigor and roots out this type of cheaters. All the gambling sites we recommend for New York players are very strict and dedicated to player safety and you can therefore trust than when you play in their poker room, you face real players, not bots.
Obviously, a poker player will win at least once in a while and New York players need to play on sites that are convenient when it comes to depositing real money, but only when it comes to withdrawing funds. The recommended poker sites you will find in our pages all offer convenient withdrawal methods and send payouts rapidly.
Online poker in New York might not be what it used to before the big names in the game left the state but there are still very high-quality gambling sites offering their services to New York residents. So if you are a New Yorker looking to gamble online, on poker or other games, you will find in our pages multiple good and secure choices to do so.
New York Online Casinos & Gambling FAQ
- Abbreviation: NY
- State Motto: Ever upward.
- Capital City: Albany
- Population Estimate: 19.85 million (4th)
- Website: http://www.ny.gov/
If poker sites were ousted, will I get in trouble for playing poker at New York online casinos?
While it may be true that the legislation that halted the existence of many poker brands in the US originated in New York, the fact of the matter is that not one single person landed themselves in any legal trouble by playing poker before or after that ruling. The same applies for any and all other online casino games as well. It may not be strictly legal to gamble online in New York, but it is not illegal either.
What kind of games exist at New York online casinos?
Every online casino is different, so while one may offer a multitude of games with many varieties, another online casino may specialize in only a few game types. By doing a little bit of research before you begin playing, you will be able to easily determine which online casinos offer what games. Most online casinos available to New York residents offer the classic games however: Slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Keno, etc.
How can I cash out?
Cashing out is typically done one of two ways because of the banking laws that exist in the US. The first most popular cash out method is by way of a mailed check. Depending on the online casino, a mailed check can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to arrive at your door. The other option is to have your winnings directly transferred to your bank account. This is more of an immediate transaction, but requires you to give up more personal information than you would if you were receiving a check in the mail. Some online casinos offer New York residents the option to receive their winnings through bitcoin as well.
Will intrastate online casinos ever be legalized?
Because New Jersey already has an intrastate online casino system, many people believe New York will too. Up to this point, the New York government has not enacted any online casino or online gambling laws, but there is a feeling that this might change sometime in the near future as the state looks at ways to increase revenues.