Play Legal Online Casinos For Real Money in 2024

Online casino gambling is legal in the United States from a couple of different perspectives. Domestic online casino gambling has been authorized in the United States since 2011 when the Department of Justice issued a legal opinion that declared that the Federal Wire Act does not prohibit state-regulated online casinos.

This provided the option for individual states to pass legislation allowing the state to licensed and regulated online casino businesses. There are a handful of states that have passed this type of law and now offer state-based online casino and poker gaming options.

In addition, residents of all states except for Washington and Connecticut can legally play real money casino games at licensed offshore online casinos that are regulated outside of the United States. With the exception of the two states mentioned above, there are not any state or federal gambling laws that prohibit offshore online casino gambling that takes place at a legitimate destination that is operating legally within the industry, such as the online casinos listed in this guide.

In general, most countries outside of the United States are far more progressive regarding gambling and have a much more welcoming legislative environment for this type of entertainment. Even though you will find that most countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and other parts of the world are more receptive to gambling entertainment, the range of legal betting options varies by country, as do the regulatory requirements.

With very few exceptions, the list of online casinos you see on this page accept players from around the world with the exception of those nations that have explicitly criminalized online gambling for their citizens. Key jurisdictions have embraced online casino gambling and have become respected regulatory markets, including the gambling commissions in the UK, Canada, Antigua, Panama and many more.

Online casinos offer an extensive range of games to choose from, closely mimicking what you would see on the casino floor in one of the Las Vegas destinations. You will find a variety of slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, video poker, keno, live dealer games and a host of other specialty and table games.

Free play options are always available and are a great way to learn how to play a game, test out new betting or playing strategies, and just get used to the online environment. Free play is also a good way to just blow off steam and have fun without spending any money.

The deposit options available to you will be determined by your location. US residents can use credit cards, debit cards, prepaid gift cards, prepaid vouchers, wire transfers, money transfers and cryptocurrency to fund online casino gambling accounts. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Dash and Bitcoin Cash, among others, is the most reliable, safest and fastest option for both deposits and withdrawals.

For players outside of the US, you will find many more options than your American counterparts. This is because you won’t have the UIGEA to deal with that includes various regulatory restrictions on gambling-related transactions. Non-USA players can enjoy additional options such as eWallets, Paypal, regional bankcards, bank transfers, Visa Electron, Maestro, iDebit, Paysafecard, Apple Pay, and more.

The most surefire method for guaranteeing that an online casino possesses legitimate licensing and is subject to regulatory oversight through a respected governing jurisdiction is to rely on the input of industry professionals such as ourselves and others like us.

All of the casino brands you find listed on this page have been through an intense review process that revealed their credentials, including their licensing status, compliance certifications and reputation in the industry. Along with their legitimacy, we also evaluate their quality, reliability, and efficiency. Each casino on this page was found to exceed industry standards, minimum licensing requirements and customer expectations.

Domestically, most states have restrictions against online casinos. While US-based online casino gambling is legal in DE, NJ, NV, PA, and WV, it will be years before the rest of the country jumps on the bandwagon.

That said, residents of most states can safely and legally use online offshore casino sites. The only exceptions are for those who live in Washington and Connecticut, as these states explicitly bar all forms of online gambling via statute.

Still, offshore casinos will accept WA and CT residents, and those states’ anti-gambling laws don’t seem to be enforced. We’ve never heard of anyone living in either state being fined or arrested for gambling over the Internet, though residents proceed at their own risk if they decide to sign up and play at offshore casinos.

For US players, if you’re using a domestically licensed online casino, you must be at least 21 to sign up and play. However, offshore gambling sites will accept US customers at 18 and up (though if your state has explicit online gambling age laws, you are advised to adhere to those).

For international players, domestic casino age limits vary by jurisdiction. Some allow gamblers to start at 18+ while others require their players to be at least 21 years old. Similarly, offshore casinos that serve the international market also vary in their age requirements, sometimes setting their minimums to fall in line with their members’ various home countries’ laws.

The time it takes to receive an online casino payout varies depending on where you live and whether you’re using a domestic operator or offshore service.

Generally, domestically licensed online casinos offer same-day payouts via direct deposit or card chargebacks. Offshore casinos, on the other hand, only offer same-day payouts if you use Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. Otherwise, money orders, courier checks, or bank wires are employed, each of which can take up to a week to clear.

Any reputable online casino will display its fair-play compliance certificates and disclose all its auditing protocols on its website. Further, these vendors will advertise the sources of their software titles, all of which are made by highly regarded firms like Realtime Gaming, Microgaming, BetSoft, and other top-quality RNG (random number generation) developers.

These brands make games for regulated brick-and-mortar casinos as well as offshore online casinos, and their constant third-party testing and commitment to provably fair gambling means that you can expect the same chances to win online that you would at any world-class physical casino venue.

This can be answered in one word: Yes!

All countries require their residents and citizens to report their gambling winnings as taxable income, and there is no way around this. If you gamble online – whether you use a domestic casino site or offshore gambling outlet – you absolutely have to pay your taxes.

Gambling is a fun and profitable pastime, but if you gamble with the taxman, that’s a bet you’ll never win.