There are so many real money casinos on the web that it can be difficult to know which one to choose. That’s why websites like this exist.

Luckily, our team of experts has decades of experience in the industry and is trained to spot rogue casinos as well as world-class ones.

We’ll explain to you how we pick the best online casinos for real money to recommend, how the various games work and your chances of winning them, whether or not you can gamble for real money for free, and we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about real money gambling.

Online Casino USA Real Money No Deposit Bonus Codes 2020. GET Online Casino Real Money Free Spins USA! New Rival & RTG Casinos Accept Us Players. Online real money casinos are casino operators that offer payouts to players in a valid currency that can be used outside the gaming platform. This means that players who deposit or even those that do not deposit can hope to eventually get real money after playing.

The casinos listed below all have:

• Top-Quality Graphics and a Large Variety of Games Available
• Excellent Ratings for Safety and Security
• Proven Real Money Payouts

Best Real Money Casinos by Location

If you’re unsure if the above accept players from your country, don’t worry; we still have lots of top-rated online casinos for real money which we can recommend to you. There are also some we definitely won’t recommend, and we want you to be aware of those, too.

It’s crucially important to pick a real money casino which accepts players from your country for a few reasons.

First, it’s possible that your government has some sort of minimum standards a casino needs to meet. That’s definitely the case if you’re from the UK or some other European countries.

Second, you don’t want to face unnecessary restrictions such as not being able to claim bonuses, not being able to play some games, or not being able to sign up at the given casino you have spent time researching.

Finally, this will help you stay on the right side of the law. Some countries prohibit players from their countries from signing up at anything other than state-sanctioned online casinos. While these laws are difficult to enforce, they do exist in some countries.

Take a look at some of the regions listed below. If you’re from there, click on the relevant button to see a list of online casinos for real money which accepts you.

Beating the House Edge

Every online casino game has a house edge. This is the casino’s built-in advantage and means that it’s mathematically guaranteed to make money over a long enough timeline.

In the long run, you honestly can’t beat it. It’s pure mathematics. Ever heard the saying “the house always wins”? Well, it does!

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t win in the short term. If everybody lost at online casinos constantly, it wouldn’t be long before people stopped playing at them. The fact is, some people do win real money at casinos.

While the majority of winners will simply double or triple their money and walk away after having had a great time, there are some crazy stories of life-changing wins that enter the realm of the almost unbelievable. If they weren’t documented, they might seem like fiction.

A Spin from Heaven

One such example is the story of the biggest online slots jackpot ever won. A British soldier playing Mega Moolah slot won £13,200,000, which shattered all existing records and hasn’t been topped since. Best of all, he won it with a £0.25 spin.

That’s just one headline story. There are many more, and it’s no coincidence that video slots are involved in many of them. If Lady Luck is going to visit you and then change your financial destiny, there’s a good chance that this type of huge win will come while playing slots.

These colossal wins aside, we’ve all heard stories of people winning enough to buy a house while playing poker, paying off debts after a great night at the blackjack tables, or going on a roll while playing roulette and buying something they’ve always dreamed of afterwards.

Even when these insane wins happen, the casino still makes money because of house edge. The majority of players won’t win, and you can be sure that over the long run the casino makes a percentage no matter what.

Not All Games Have the Same Edge

It’s important to recognize that house edge is not a fixed number across all games. Different games have different math involved in them, and understanding this can be the key to winning more often.

It’s widely accepted that some variants of video poker have the lowest house edge, whereas keno and lottery games have the largest house edge, meaning the worst odds for you as a player.

We’ll talk a little later about the odds of various games and their pros and cons. For now, just be aware that not all games are mathematically equal. There are some you have a much higher chance of winning than others, and there are some in which you have a greater degree of control over the outcome as compared to games of pure chance.

Safety and Legality

It’s essential to know how to stay safe while gambling online. There are a few potential pitfalls which you may not be aware of if you’re not an experienced online gambler.

Luckily, you have us to show you the ropes. Here are some of the things you have to be aware of to gamble safely online.

Risk Associated with Sharing Financial Details

Sharing your credit card, debit card, or bank details with any online merchant carries some degree of risk. If that merchant is untrustworthy, you could find yourself in a world of trouble quickly.

You can immediately find out if a casino site is trustworthy by reading our reviews.

Take the time to look around, and you’ll see that we certainly don’t recommend every site we review, and we aren’t afraid to call out scam casino sites when we discover them.

Financial predators are everywhere online, and sadly the casino industry attracts its fair share of them. Stick with expert-recommended real money online casinos to avoid falling into their clutches.

Predatory Terms and Conditions

There are real money online casinos which aren’t direct scams in that there are real games to play and you can win actual money.

However, they can make it extremely difficult for you to get your money out when the time comes to do so, even if it’s technically possible. The idea is to make you give up and go away without collecting.

Usually, a site will state in its terms and conditions that withdrawals can be held for no reason, that the casino can drag its feet before paying, or that they can simply void winnings on a whim without justification.

Believe us; we’ve seen it all in our years of reviewing real money online casinos. This type of casino site preys on the fact that nobody takes the time to read endless pages of legal jargon before registering.

Once again, having experience in dealing with casinos online can solve this problem.

Our experts know exactly where to look in the terms and conditions, and our casino reviews show you all of the deposit and withdrawal methods and any good or bad sides to the terms and conditions of the sites we review. If a site is going to try to screw you, we’ll let you know.

Fixed or Pirated Games and Software

As you gain experience in playing at real money online casinos, you get to know more about the software companies that provide the games. In time, you’ll know instantly by looking at the range of games whether or not you can trust an online casino.

This can help you avoid the fixed games which are run by some rogue software companies in order to fleece you.

However, it takes a little bit of more time to get to know how to spot pirated versions of legitimate games.

By assessing a real money casino’s licenses and looking at some other factors, our experts can instantly tell if the games on a casino site are pirated. By playing the games and assessing them against the published return-to-player figures, we can quickly figure out if they’re fixed.

You probably don’t have the time to figure this all out for yourself, and by the time you realize the games are fixed, it will likely be too late.

Once again, that’s where we come in. It’s our job to figure this out, so you don’t have to.

The Legal Situation in Your Country

While online casino gambling is a global phenomenon, each country is still sovereign and has its laws and regulations. This can confuse the matter of whether or not it’s illegal to gamble online in some places.

You can check out our gambling laws page for the latest and most up-to-date information on the legality of gambling in your country.

You won’t only have to contend with the authorities if you get caught, but scam artists know you have no legal recourse when they hustle you out of your hard-earned cash.

After all, if gambling is illegal in your country, you can’t exactly go to the police and report that you lost money to a scam artist while gambling on the internet.

Keeping things legal is one of the keys to gambling safely online.

Online Casino Bonus Offers

There are a few different types of real money casino bonuses available to new and existing players. We have an entire page dedicated to explaining the differences between these bonuses. Check it out by clicking the button below:

There are pros and cons to taking casino bonuses. Let’s start off by looking at the reasons you might want to take them before turning our attention to why they might not be suitable for you as an individual player.

Whether casino bonuses are right for you depends on what your goals are.

The Positives

You Can Test the Waters Without Risk

It’s nice to be able to play the games available in an online casino and to be able to check it out in general without having to make a financial commitment.

While some bonuses do require you to deposit to activate them, there are many which don’t. These are known as no-deposit bonuses and are the ideal way to test an online casino without risking your own money.

Once you’re sure you can trust the casino site and have decided you would like to play the games, then you can start playing for real money.

Some Bonuses Can Increase Your Chances of Winning

In the casino bonuses and promotions page we linked to above, we explain the concept of wagering or rollover requirements. Bonuses which have these attached make it difficult (without serious luck) for you to withdraw the bonus amount and are designed to allow you to simply test the casino.

However, there are plenty of casino bonuses with no wagering requirements available online these days. If you take these, you’ll more than likely be required to make a deposit, but they increase your chances of winning by giving you free spins or free games with no strings attached.

They may only slightly increase your chances of winning, but hey, any increase in the chance of winning is always welcome.

The Negatives

You Can Become a Marketing Target

If the casino figures out that you are a bonus hunter or that you like a particular kind of bonus, they might decide to pitch you regularly.

This can be a good thing if you like taking these offers, but if you sign up at multiple casinos, take the bonus, and don’t play, you can expect your email inbox, and sometimes your cell phone, to be bombarded with offers. The more accounts you create, the more intense this will become.

Some unscrupulous casinos will sell your information on to other operators who will pitch you, too. This can become a serious annoyance, and so if you’re going to take bonuses with no intention of becoming a real money player, we suggest setting up an email address specifically for that purpose.

Most Bonuses Have Terms Which Favor the House

If a real money casino bonus has rollover or wagering terms, there’s a very little chance you’ll ever be able to withdraw it or anything you win while playing with it.

You have to remember that bonuses are a promotional and marketing tool. The casino doesn’t want to let you play with house money and walk away with the multimillion-dollar jackpot. They also don’t want you to take the free casino chips and walk away without playing. That wouldn’t be very good business, would it?

Rollover requirements are explained in greater detail on the casino bonuses page linked to above. Basically, they mean you have to bet the bonus cash a number of times before you can withdraw it. For example, if a bonus has 20x wagering requirements, then you need to bet the total amount 20 times before you can withdraw it or anything you win while using it.

Real Money Casino Apps

Mobile casinos have become a huge deal in the past several years. Real money casino apps and mobile casino sites can now boast that they serve the majority of players. This trend will undoubtedly continue for years to come, at least until something comes along to replace mobile devices (chips in the head, perhaps?).

We’ve written an entire page to help you decide which casino app is right for you. Check it by clicking the button below.

Online Casino Games for Real Money

New players are often bamboozled by the vast range of casino games on offer and how to play and win them.

We’ve created game-specific pages on each popular real money casino game to show you how to play, how to give yourself the best chance of winning, and what the rules of each game are.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the games listed below. Click any of the buttons, and you’ll be transported to a wealth of information on that specific game.

We also cover a bit about each game in the “which casino game is right for you?” section below.

Playing Free Casino Games to Win Real Money

Is it possible to win real money playing free casino games? The short answer is no.

A casino is a business, and usually, it’s a very profitable one. You can’t expect a casino to let you play real money games and assume all of that risk without getting anything in return.

It’s true that some bonuses will allow you to play real money casino games for free. However, these bonuses will have terms and conditions which favor the casino and make it almost impossible for you to withdraw all that money. See the page about bonuses for further details.

We’re telling you straight that if anyone tells you that you can win real money without any risk, they’re lying to you. They might be scam artists waiting to empty your wallet, or they may have merely misunderstood a bonus offer they read about online. There is no such thing as a free lunch. That’s an old saying for a reason, primarily because it’s always correct!

Online Casino Games For Real Money

With that said, it is possible to play free casino games to win things like virtual points and virtual money. These can be enjoyed at social casinos, and sometimes the points can be traded in for prizes. Just don’t expect to cash out real money jackpots, or you’ll be disappointed.

Which Casino Game Is Right for You?

There are lots of great online casino games to choose from. They may be digital variants, but they’re not that different from what you would find at a real Vegas casino, or a casino anywhere else, for that matter.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular casino games you might be interested in playing. We’ll look at your chances of winning them, how fun they are, and some other things you might want to be aware of.

Hopefully, by the end of this section, you’ll have a better idea of which game you would like to play.

Please note that the “house edge” figures listed below can vary depending on how you play the game, the game variant, and the casino itself.

Baccarat

This is a fun card game with a simple objective – bet on either the player or the banker to get closest to nine, or bet on a tie between the player and banker. If you place a bet on the banker hand to get closest to nine and the banker does so, you win your bet for that hand.

It’s fast-paced, fun, and you just bet on the outcome, rather than actively participating.

• If you bet on the player, the house edge is 1.24%
• If you bet on the banker, the baccarat house edge is 1.06%
• If you bet on a tie, the house edge is 14.36%

Don’t bet on a tie! Also remember that if you bet on banker and win, the house can take a 5% commission.

Blackjack

This might be the most popular card game in the world. It’s a game with some degree of skill involved, and there are professional blackjack players out there. Entire movies and books have been made about this game.

The objective of blackjack is to get a hand totaling 21, or as close to it as possible without exceeding it. You play against the dealer, and whoever has 21 (or the highest hand not exceeding 21 in cases where neither has 21) after all the cards have been dealt wins.

Going by Vegas rules, the house edge is a tiny 0.28%. This will change if you play another variant of blackjack such as Atlantic City rules or Suit ‘Em Up.

The tiny house edge is what makes it possible for some people to make a living playing blackjack.

Keno

This is a fun lotto game, but it’s known for having the worst odds in the house. The objective is to pick between one and ten numbers from a pool of 80, and then wait for the draw.

The house edge in keno can be between 25% and 29%, depending on the variant and the casino itself. This game is okay for switching off and having a little fun, but it’s highly unlikely you’re going to win money playing keno, at least in the long run.

Roulette

This is one of the most fun casino games, period. The objective is to predict where a ball will land on a spinning wheel when it stops.

You can pick a color or a number between 1 and 36 (or the zero) if you want to make basic roulette bets. It’s also possible to select clusters of numbers, rows, or entire columns as you gain confidence and learn to understand the game.

• If you’re playing American Roulette (Double Zero), the house edge is 5.26%
• If you’re playing European Roulette (Single Zero), the house edge is 2.7%

You have a decent chance of winning roulette, but you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun whether you win or lose.

Video Poker

This is a machine-based game based on 5-hand poker. There are many different variants with different pay tables and slightly different rules, but the aim is always to make as valuable a hand as possible according to poker hand ranks. No matter the variant, a Royal Flush will always pay the most.

Covering some popular versions of video poker, you can expect the house edge to be:

• 0.46% when playing Jacks or Better with an optimal strategy.
• 0.71% when playing Deuces Wild with a perfect strategy. In this case, you as the player have the advantage.
• 0.64% when playing Joker Poker with perfect strategy. Once again, you have the advantage here.

If you are patient and want to make money playing casino games, video poker is your best bet. You’ll need to develop skill, though, and learn video poker strategy first.

Don’t expect to have the advantage when you’re new to video poker and don’t know what you’re doing. Even in these cases, though, the house edge is significantly lower than in most other casino games.

Video Slots

These are probably the most-played casino games online. There are tens of thousands of video slots ranging from simple 3-reel games with no features to 5-reel new slots with bonus rounds, free spins, and progressive jackpots.

They’re fun, highly entertaining, and if you’re lucky, you can win a fortune playing slots.

The house edge depends on the game in question. It can range from 2% to 15% – that’s no small difference! Knowing this, it pays to do your research on which slots have the best RTP.

A Quick Summary Before Moving On

Which casino game is best for you ultimately depends on your goals as an individual player.

If you want to real money playing casino games, then pick the games with the best odds and lowest house edge.

If you just want to have a little fun and relax, then any of the above games will do.

Choosing the Right Real Money Casino

If you already know what games you want to play, then it’s time to look at picking an online casino. If you’re new to playing casino games, there’s a lot more to this than you might initially think. As you’ll see, most of the top real money casinos have some things in common.

Consider the following factors before registering at any casino site.

1 – Reviews

Are there reliable, trustworthy casino reviews on the site? If so, what do the experts say?

It pays to pay attention to these reviews. If a casino expert says a site sucks, there’s a great chance you’ll want to avoid it.

If you were looking for a new car, you would probably talk to someone who knows a thing or two about cars before making a decision, or at least read a few reviews on various models, wouldn’t you? The same should go for choosing an online casino. There’s more to it than you might think, and reading a review can be a great way to get all the information in one place.

Be suspicious of reviews which are overly positive, though. Sometimes there’s an agenda at play. If a review site gives a real money online casino a glowing review, check out some of the other reviews, too.

If they’re all overly positive, that could be a warning sign. If the reviewers throw some terrible casinos under the bus, you’re probably dealing with an honest casino review site.

2 – Legality

Is this casino operating legally with a valid gaming license?

If so, what jurisdiction is the license from? Believe us when we tell you that not all casino licenses are equal. UK, Malta, Alderney, Gibraltar, Curacao, and Puerto Rico licenses are all respected and are good indicators that a real money casino can be trusted. Others, we don’t have that much faith in.

Also, make sure the casino isn’t accepting players from your country even if it’s illegal to do so. If they’re willing to break the law, what makes you think they’re going to be honest with you?

3 – Safety

A valid license is one way to make sure you’re dealing with the safest real money casinos.

There’s more to it than that, though. We advise checking that the website is operating on a secure, encrypted connection. You can do so by looking at the web address. If you see HTTPS:// in front of the domain, you’re dealing with a secure casino. If it’s just HTTP:// (no “S”), then the connection might not be protected.

Also look for published game payouts verified by third parties. This is a hugely positive sign, and it means that it’s highly likely this is a safe casino site. If the games are verified by eCOGRA, you’re in safe hands.

4 – Preferences

It would be a shame to go through the registration process only to find out the casino doesn’t offer the types of games you want to play or doesn’t offer very many of them.

Make sure the exact games you want to play are offered, make sure the casino accepts the types of bet you want to make regarding size, and check which betting services are provided. For example, some casinos also offer Texas Hold’em poker tournaments or sports betting as additional services, whereas others don’t.

We would also suggest taking some time to familiarize yourself with the site. If you like how it “feels,” that’s a great sign. A user-friendly website likely means the operator actually cares about its players and has invested time in figuring out what makes you happy. That’s likely to show across the casino as a whole.

5 – Bonuses

First, you’ll need to figure out if the online casino offers real money bonuses at all. Most do, but some don’t.

After that, you’ll need to look into exactly what types of bonuses are offered and their terms and conditions.

Don’t just look at the welcome offers, which are always emphasized to attract new players. Look at the ongoing weekly and monthly offers, too. These will give you an insight into what kind of casino you’re dealing with.

Also look at the terms and conditions of any bonus offers. Pay attention to minimum deposits and wagering/rollover requirements. If they’re excessive (40x or more), think twice about taking the offer.

If you like playing slots on weekends, it makes sense to find a casino which offers free spins on weekends, doesn’t it?

6 – Service

Everybody likes to feel like they matter, casino players included. It’s essential that a casino has top-notch customer service if you’re going to enjoy your experience playing there.

Check the number of customer service options available. Email and live chat are a necessity, but if a real money casino also offers telephone support, that’s an excellent sign.

Don’t be afraid to test the customer service if you wish. Ask a question or two. You’ll soon see how fast the responses are and how helpful (or unhelpful) the customer service agents are.

You know that old saying that goes “When someone shows you who they are, believe them”? That applies here. If an agent is slow to respond, avoids answering questions directly, or acts in an unhelpful manner, move on.

7 – Banking

You wouldn’t believe how many people register at online casinos for real money without considering the most important thing of all – withdrawing your money!

Most casinos will make it as easy as pie for you to deposit, but only the best real money online casinos make it as easy for you to withdraw.

Look for a roughly equal number of deposit and withdrawal methods, low (or no) fees, and fast withdrawals.

The last thing you want is to be sitting around waiting for weeks to get your money, or worse, never getting it at all!

Feeling Overwhelmed? Don’t Worry!

If all of this makes your head spin and you wonder how on earth you’re going to go about finding all of this information out, don’t worry; we have plenty of top casino reviews where you can find the information all in one place.

We don’t want you to think that all real money casino sites are scams out to get you. There are lots of world-class online casinos worth playing at. It’s just that you have to wade through a fair deal of not-so-great ones to find them.

Our job is to make that as easy as possible for you. If you see a casino on this site that you like the look of, there will be a full, in-depth review attached.

Other Real Money Sites to Consider

While playing at real money casinos is arguably the most fun way to gamble, there are other ways to have fun gambling and hopefully make a little money in the process.

Betting on sports, playing poker, playing bingo or lotto games, and even betting on financial markets are all possible thanks to the global connectivity the web facilitates.

Why not check out some of the other options? We have sections dedicated to each form of gambling. If you want to know more, click any of the buttons below.

Real Money Online Casinos FAQ

Q. Will I need casino bonus codes to claim the bonuses offered by online casinos?

A. In most cases, you won’t need a casino bonus code, but where one is required, the casino will make it abundantly clear before you register.

Sometimes casinos run temporary promotions which do require bonus codes. In these cases, the codes are often emailed directly to you or are listed in the terms and conditions of the offer. If in doubt, ask the customer service agents.

Q. Do real people win the slots jackpots, or are they fixed?

A. Real people most definitely win slots jackpots from time to time. Big slots software companies like NetEnt, Microgaming, and IGT are independently audited, and random number generators control the games. There is no possible way that these games could be fixed.

It’s unlikely that you’ll become a millionaire playing slots, but you never know! Many more people win hundreds or thousands, and you never hear about them. This is a far more likely outcome.

Q. Is it illegal to gamble online as an American player?

A. This is somewhat of a grey area. The relevant regulations (UIGEA – 2006) make it illegal for financial institutions to facilitate real money gambling online, or for casinos to accept deposits from US-based players.

That does not make it illegal for you to gamble online. There are still many casinos which do accept deposits from US players.

Don’t worry; nobody wearing a S.W.A.T. vest with a machine gun is going to come through your door and shoot your dog before arresting you just because you played a little blackjack online.

Q. Are there any real money casinos which accept Bitcoin?

A. There are indeed. In fact, the number of casinos accepting Bitcoin is growing by the day. You could say Bitcoin is trending in the online casino world. It’s becoming a hugely popular way to make deposits and withdrawals quickly and safely.

If you’re looking for a Bitcoin casino, we have reviews on several. Feel free to check out our real money Bitcoin gambling sites page.

Q. What’s the number-one sign that a casino is a scam site?

A. Having no valid gaming license is a big warning sign. Having had a permit in the past, but having had it stripped for some reason is even worse.

We don’t recommend casinos to you which don’t have valid and legal gaming licenses. Without them, it’s the Wild Wild West, and casino operators can do whatever they want without fear of repercussions.

On this page, we’ll focus on playing for real money and provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision on which site to join. All of the sites listed on this page are 100% safe and have been carefully selected by our editors. Each site has met our stringent criteria for being listed and they all have the following traits in common:

1. Have been in business for 10+ years in the United States
2. Provide fair and 3rd party audited games for their players
3. Offer high success rates for deposits, and very fast withdrawals
4. Good selection of bonus offers and ongoing promos for players
5. Treat their customers well and have 24/7 front line support

Early Days of Online Gambling in The US

At BestUSCasinos.org, our team will stop at nothing to provide you with the most up to date and factual information regarding the online casino industry in the US. Not only has our team taken part in the online casino industry by playing casino games, we have also been keeping a watchful eye on the ever-changing industry for years. All of this experience and expertise has culminated in a site that is equipped with everything you need to know about online casinos in the United States. What’s more, we are constantly adding new information to keep up to date with the times.

When you talk about real money online gambling in the United States, the history does not extend too far before 2002.

It was in this year that the US Federal government passed the Federal Wire Act, which made it illegal to participate in the monetary dealings with any funds that are at all related to gambling on sports. By the letter of the law, the Federal Wire Act does not make it illegal to bet on anything other than sports.

In fact, the law does not even prohibit betting on sports, it merely says that it is illegal for financial institutions or anyone else to handle, transfer, or otherwise deal with any funds that will go towards or have been won from online sports betting.

In effect, this law makes it nearly impossible for people to deposit at online casinos, because people nowadays can do almost nothing with money that does not involve their bank.

So, now that the Federal Wire Act passed in the US, the real money gambling atmosphere was immediately shaken to its core. Though there were still plenty of online casino options in the wake of the Federal Wire Act’s passing, the general attitude people held towards online gambling was that participating in such activities was now considered to be illegal.

In some extremes, people were quite literally afraid that playing a hand of blackjack online would see the police come knocking at their door. In reality, this never has happened and is not likely to happen anytime in the foreseeable future. Adding to the general fear people have of playing real money online casino games in the United States was a Department of Justice that has consistently alluded that all types of internet gambling are illegal.

Though the Federal Wire Act has no verbage stating this, the DoJ has scared an entire population into thinking twice about doing something that they are well within their right to do.

Despite the mounting fear, the industry in the United States managed to mostly stay out of the headlines for the next 4 years. Then, in 2006, a few online casino executives were arrested and prosecuted in the United States for violations in relation to the Federal Wire Act.

Jay Cohen, and others, were charged under the presumption that facilitating online sports betting for players in the US is, in fact, a violation of the newly instituted Federal Wire Act. As you could have probably guessed, this sent another massive shockwave across the population of people who play casino games online.

US Online Casino Deposit Methods

The world of online casinos has grown in such a way that there are more than just one or two ways by which you can fund an online player account. Depositing money into an US online casino was once a headache, but more recently the process could not have been made any simpler. Unfortunately, with more deposit options comes more for the average player to understand.

In the following few sections we will walk you through the different methods by which you can fund an online casino player account and what benefits and pitfalls each method presents. When it comes down to it, the best way to deposit at an online casino is something that you must decide for yourself. There is no single surefire method that is always better than the rest and, depending on where you live, not every method discussed in this piece will be available to you.

Credit/Debit Card

Utilizing a credit/debit card is by far the most popular way by which players fund accounts at online casinos. If you have ever utilized your card to make any sort of online purchase, utilizing it to deposit at an online casino is a procedure that is no more difficult or elongated. By simply typing in your credit card number as well as a few other pieces of information you are just moments away from real money gambling online.

Free Casinos For Real Money

As is the case with every method of deposit, you must be sure that your preferred banking institution will facilitate deposits with online casinos. For players in the United States in particular, this is a method that can cause issues.

Direct Money Transfer/Bank Wire

Another extremely popular method by which you can fund a player account is by way of a direct bank or wire transfer. As its name implies, this method of deposit allows the player to deposit to an online casino by linking the casino account directly with their bank account. Just like it is with a credit card deposit, bank wires only need you to offer up a small amount of personal financial information in order to be executed. Also like credit card deposits, these methods of funding an account allow players to play with real money almost instantaneously.

The reason people are sometimes concerned about the aforementioned methods of deposit is that, once executed, it is very difficult to get your money back if you ever happen to deal with unscrupulous criminals online. Nowadays, fortunately, there is significantly fewer shady online casinos, and most are reputable operators who have no goal other than to provide a top-notch gaming experience for you. Still, the risks persist and it is imperative that you do your research before playing to ensure that you are only dealing with the most reputable online casinos.

Bitcoin Deposits

Another method of deposit that is gaining popularity at every turn is Bitcoin deposits. This new cryptocurrency offers protections that none of the aforementioned deposits methods can. Bitcoin transactions are always 100% anonymous, so players do not have to disclose any personal information to make a deposit. What’s more, Bitcoin deposits are instantaneous such that you can begin playing shortly after making the deposit.

Check Deposits

Though it may sound a bit antiquated, you are still able to mail a check as a form of deposit at most casinos. This is a fine way to deposit, however by the time the online casino receives and processes your check such that funds will be available to play with, you may have been forced to wait days or even weeks.

As modern day technology continues to advance rapidly, mailed checks are going to become a thing of the past. Cashier’s checks, money orders, and other, more instant forms of this same method, however, are likely to remain in use for some time to come. As you might have gathered, you need to be especially careful when it comes to check deposits due to the fact that not every site accepts them, and even further, not every site accepts them in all of their forms (cashier’s, money order, etc.).

E-Wallet Deposits

Depending on where you reside, depositing at an online casino via an e-wallet such as PayPal or Skrill is a convenient way to begin playing quickly. One advantage that e-wallets hold over depositing with a credit or debit card is the fact that they require you to give the online casino almost no personal information whatsoever. Because you have the protection of the e-wallet, not only is it easy to get your money back in the event of unforeseen problems, it is also much safer in that you do not have to give out any personal information at all. Unfortunately, e-wallet deposits are not available everywhere.

Are there fees associated with online casino deposit methods?

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Yes, in almost every instance an online casino will attempt to make money off of you for having facilitated your deposit. Most often the fee incurred will be less than 5% of the amount deposited, but this is where you have to be careful. Some online casinos do well to hide how much they charge you per deposit, so it would behoove you to discover this information before ever trying to fund an online player account.

Still, like was stated earlier, most sites nowadays do their best to be as transparent as possible, so they will often make it very clear how much the fee associated with a given method of deposit is.

The UIGEA and Online Casinos Today

Even worse, and also in 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed as part of a larger bill and signed into law. This particular act made it increasingly difficult for players to play real money casino games online.

Though the UIGEA was brand new in 2006, it was really a more expanded upon version of 2002’s Federal Wire Act. Now, the Federal government made it wholly illegal for banking institutions to deal with internet gambling monies. In the immediate wake of the passing of UIGEA, many online casinos that previously offered their services to people in the US announced that they would be suspending these services.

Now, an industry that consisted of a seemingly endless quantity of online casinos was whittled down to its bare bones. Despite the UIGEA, real money casinos for US players still existed and still existed in such a way that players never had to worry about criminal prosecution for having gambled online.

Though it seems like the US has done nothing but prosecute the online casino industry, the online casino industry has persevered time and time again. With every new piece of legislation that passes, online casinos are thinking of new ways to make their operations legal. As it stands now, there are hundreds of online casinos that people everywhere in the United States can play at. In addition, a handful of states have made it legal to gamble online within their specific borders. This is a trend that is just beginning to pick up momentum.

Statistical Analysis of Online Gambling Revenue in US

The relatively new online gambling market in the United States completed its third full year of operations in 2016. The US regulated iGaming market is comprised of three state jurisdictions where online gambling is legal at the present time (Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware). Nevada’s online gaming is restricted to online poker. Of the 3 states, New Jersey has accounted for more than 90 percent of iGaming revenue in the United States. Although online casino gaming is also permitted in Delaware, it is a considerably smaller state.

Online Gambling Revenue Forecast in US

As you can see from the bar chart below, online gaming revenues in the United States has experienced tremendous growth since the introduction of a regulated market in 2013, reaching an all-time high of $200 million in revenue in 2016 even though it’s still shared between 3 states. For the year as a whole, iGaming revenue in 2015 was up 19.3 percent on 2014.

In 2016, the organic growth witnessed in 2015 continued and online gambling revenue increased by 24.4 percent. In contrast land-based gambling revenue in the US during the same period has been flat.

The US online gambling market is expected to exceed $9 billion in revenue by 2020, growing at an impressive rate of more than 50% according to Technavio’s latest market research study. That forecast includes all online casino and online betting activity within the United States.

The fact that these online casino websites appeal to a younger demographic is the main reason why the online gambling market in the US is predicted to get bigger, and real-money gambling transactions in regulated iGaming markets are expected to be processed more efficiently.

Additionally, other states including Pennsylvania are considering legalizing online gambling in 2017. As more states soften online gaming laws since it’s a source of tax revenue, it will further increase growth and states will partner together to improve liquidity.

Real Money Online Casinos FAQ

Are more states going to regulate online casinos?

At any given point in time, there are a few measures in state governments who have the goal of establishing an online casino industry. So far, these efforts have been met with limited success. To aptly answer this question, we cannot give a solid answer. While there is a good chance more online casinos will be legalized and regulated, the process to make this happen is a slow and arduous one.

Will I get in trouble for making deposits at an online casino?

It is always important to check your local laws before ever playing at an online casino, but the fact of the matter is that no one has ever been arrested nor prosecuted for depositing real money at an online casino.

Are cashouts processed slowly?

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Because cashouts from online casinos in the US are a bit different than they are in other parts of the world, you might have a few questions. With regard to speed, online casino withdrawals are processed at different speeds at different online casinos. Being that mailed check is still the best option for a withdrawal, it is safe to say that most withdrawal will take at least a week in order to process and be put in the mail.

What are the fees associated with online casino deposits?

The fee you are charged for having executed an online casino deposit or withdrawal varies from site to site and from payment method to payment method. To make a long story short, you will almost always be charged a fee for any deposit or withdrawal from an online casino, it is your goal to find the method and site offering the lowest fees around.

Do I have to download anything?

This is something that depends on the casino in question, but more often than not you will either have to download an online casino client or play flash games, which is nothing more than a fancy way of saying you are playing real money casino games within your web browser.