Wondering if online gambling is legal in your state? Looking for the best online gambling sites in the USA? TechNightOwl is here to help. We keep track of the ever-evolving legal status of online gambling across the nation, so you don’t have to!

Our expert team also researches and explores all the current legal online casinos, compiling their findings here in easy-to-follow gambling site reviews. You can trust in us to provide everything you need to know about online gambling in the United States.

Your Resource for Safe, Legal Online Gambling and Sports Betting Sites

At TechNightOwl, gambling is our passion. From simple online slots to poker, we’re experts in games of all types – and let’s not forget sportsbooks. There’s nothing quite like not just watching your favorite sports team, but also winning real money in the process!

Our team goes above and beyond to vet every gambling site we cover here. We make sure that each one is safe, legal, and not setting an unfair house advantage. Even better, we try the sites we review to ensure we can share the information you really want to know, from legal considerations to site functions. By doing your online casino and betting site research on TechNightOwl, you’re not taking a gamble!

Is Online Gambling for Real Money Legal in the USA?

Many US citizens still wonder whether online casinos are legal in the US and this is because the United States is a collaged work of federal, state and many local gambling laws. Legal Issues for Online Gaming Industry The online gambling industry has always been a self-regulated business. The general public has only been made aware of this recently - in November 2008 - when the TV program 60 Minutes aired a special on a major poker scam that took place with an online poker company. Recommended Legal Online Casinos Accepting USA Players I’ve tried out dozens of sites to discover some of the best online casinos available to US players at the moment. During my research, I’ve made sure the casinos ticked all the relevant boxes, such as ease of deposits, speed of withdrawals, solid software and game selection, and good. Yes – online gambling is legal in the U.S., but only in states that have passed legislation that expressly permits it. In the absence of wide reaching federal laws, each state is required to pass its own. Since each state is able to individually establish its laws, the rules and regulations are different in each market. In spite of a high-profile legal decision made by the federal government of the USA, legal online casinos are still available to Americans. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, passed in America in 2006, was a pretty loud bark with almost no bite to back it up.

Yes and no—online gambling for real money is legal in the USA on a federal level, but at a state level, that’s not always the case. Each state has its own regulations regarding which games and forms of gambling are legal, if any. State laws also don’t prevent you from using international sites, so long as they are not on US soil.

The good news is that while online gambling was entirely illegal in America up until 2012, in just eight short years, that’s changed dramatically. Twenty-two states now have some form of legal online gambling.

As of June 2020, five states are fully legal, so to speak, and allow online casinos, poker, and sports betting:

• Delaware
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• Michigan

Nevada allows both poker and sports betting, but not casinos.

Sixteen additional states allow sports betting only:

• Indiana
• Iowa
• New Hampshire
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Montana
• Colorado
• Illinois
• Virginia
• Tennessee
• Arkansas
• New Mexico
• Mississippi
• Washington
• North Carolina

Exceptions to the Rules – Fantasy Sports and Online Lotteries

Fantasy Sports

Fantasy sports are handled a bit differently than gambling and sports betting because they are excluded from some legislation. Unfortunately, that makes their legality even more confusing.

Most daily fantasy sports (DFS) providers, such as DraftKings and FanDuel, legally operate in 43 states. DFS is illegal in Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Washington, and Hawaii, which may soon change. Some providers also ban additional states. For example, Yahoo! Daily Fantasy Sports also does not operate in Delaware, Florida, Missouri, and Montana.

Online Lottery

Most US states offer some form of lottery, which is gambling of a sort. However, only a few give you the opportunity to play online, including Illinois, Georgia, Minnesota, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.

Alternative premium resources sources for US Gambling:

Non US resources:

How to Tell if a Gambling Site is Legal in the US

On top of the ever-changing state-to-state legality of gambling in the United States, certain gambling sites also have restrictions. Most sites will have geo-based tracking and will let you know if they detect your location as an area they can’t service, but that doesn’t always happen.

There are two ways you can find out if a gambling site you’re considering is legal in the US, or more accurately your state, the first is to look them up right here on TechNightOwl. We cover all the best online gambling sites in the USA.

If, by chance, the site isn’t here, you can also scroll down to the bottom of the site and look for a regulatory body logo. If you don’t see one at all, it’s likely either not a legitimate site or one that’s not legal in the United States.

Is Gambling Online Safe?

Legal online gambling sites are safe. They are regulated by the same entities as brick-and-mortar casinos and betting establishments and must meet all the same safety protocols and ethics codes. Those regulations ensure that all the games are fair, your money is secure, and that you actually are paid when you win.

However, as an illegal gambling site has no reason to follow those regulations—otherwise, they’d be legal—it is vital to ensure that you’re playing on a safe, legal site. That’s why we started TechNightOwl. Scam and unregulated gambling sites give the entire industry a bad name, and worse, they hurt people. We do everything we can to make sure that online gamblers like you have all the information they need to avoid those sites.

Gamble Responsibly

On the note of safety, when gambling online, you aren’t physically looking at the money you spend—or lose—it can be easy to spend more than intended. Many players get caught up in the moment, and betting is fast online.

Always gamble responsibly, and keep in mind that you are still gambling with real money. Know when to cut your losses or walk with your winnings and be aware of gambling addiction symptoms. Gambling can be fun and even very lucrative. At TechNightOwl, we’d like it to stay that way for you.

Types of Legal Gambling in the US

Remember that not all the options listed here are legal in all 50 states unless you opt for a website outside the US.

Casino Games

You can play a range of casino games in the US, including card games like Baccarat and Blackjack, as well as slots and table games like Roulette.

US gambling sites also offer live casino games such as Live Roulette and Live Blackjack. With these games, you play in a real-life casino via a video stream. You can place bets remotely using your phone or computer.

The best online gambling sites use modern, high-tech software to deliver your favorite games and ensure you have the best experience gambling online. While you can try most online games for free to make sure they meet your needs, free games generally don’t allow you to win real money.

Poker

If you’re wondering why states break legal gambling into three classifications—casino, poker, and sports betting—when poker is offered at casinos, it’s because the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 excluded “skill games.” This point also applies to Fantasy Sports, that’s how they scored an exception and became legal in 43 states.

Many poker fans assert that poker is indeed a game of skill—including the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), which has fought hard to legalize real money online poker sites. However, the US Department of Justice flip flops a bit over whether they consider it a game of skill or chance, as it involves both. That’s why poker is not legal in as many states as Fantasy Sports but isn’t lumped in with casino games either. It gets its own gambling “category” legally.

That said, in states where online poker is legal, you’ll find a wide range of online casinos and even sites dedicated solely to playing poker to suit your needs.

Sports Betting

Until recently, legal sports betting in the US was only available in a few states, most notably Nevada. Today, in addition to the states listed above, numerous others are working towards fully regulated sports betting.

This is attributable to the Murphy v. NCAA Supreme Court ruling in 2018, which laid a foundation for legal sports betting in the United States. Sports betting includes both online and mobile betting.

Online betting may include a wide range of events, including bets on NFL, NBA, college football, NHL, and MLB games. You may even get the opportunity to bet on non-sports events such as the Academy Awards — popularly known as “specialty betting.”

Fantasy Sports

Fantasy sports allow you to create your own dream team from real players. Your team’s performance is then measured based on those players’ stats in real life. Your team competes against other Fantasy Sports player’s teams, and just like regular sports betting, you can place bets on who will win, among other things.

The Best Online Gambling Sites in the USA (2020)

To get the best gambling experience, you need to find the best gambling sites. You want a site that is user-friendly and offers fast payouts. Note that as US-based gambling sites are few in number at present, and you can only bet within state lines with those sites, some of the options below are not in the US, but they do all allow American players.

Here’s a look at some of our top picks: Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and DraftKings.

Advantages of Online Gambling

While the most obvious advantage of online gambling is accessibility – not every town in the United States has a casino nearby – it also offers a range of other benefits.

Ability to Play Games Instantly

Whether you have 5 minutes at a bus stop or you’re at home relaxing, you can play online casino games anywhere, anytime, instantly. There’s no travel, dealing with other patrons, or waiting to cash in your chips.

Attractive Bonus Schemes

Land-based casinos rarely offer bonuses or rewards, and often jackpots are only available on select games. Bonus programs are one of the biggest advantages of online casinos. They are a great way to improve your chances of a big payout.

Most online gambling sites offer match deposit bonuses, bonus spins, and other bonus offers. If you’re just getting started with online gambling, you can expect a range of bonuses and rewards in the form of welcome packages for new customers.

Better Odds

Return to Player (RTP) is usually higher in US online casinos compared to their land-based counterparts. That’s because the operating costs of online casinos are much lower than brick-and-mortar casinos.

Those lower operating costs allow online casinos to offer a better RTP – and that means better odds.

Variety

Online gambling platforms give you access to a vast selection of casino games and sports events with just a few clicks on your PC or smartphone. If one site doesn’t have what you want, there are plenty of options out there. With a brick-and-mortar casino, you’re limited to what your local casinos decide to offer.

Customizable Experience

Perhaps the best thing about gambling online is that you can find the right site for your needs. Gamblers have different betting and playing preferences, and one site can’t meet all those needs.

Odds and Ends – Online Gambling FAQ

Yes. Many US gambling sites have a mobile-friendly platform that allows you to load casino games through your phone’s browser. While some offer a limited selection of games, many are comparable to the site’s desktop version.

You don’t need to download software to enjoy online gambling or sports betting. Virtually every US gambling site offers a web-based instant play platform to load games through your web browser. Some options do also offer software downloads, but they aren’t universally mandatory.

Most US online casinos accept deposits and withdrawals through credit cards and various e-wallets, such as PayPal. Payment methods vary by casino.

You can play your favorite online casino games for free anywhere in the US. However, most of these games are just for fun or practice and don’t involve any cash winnings.

Games from some developers like NetEnt, IGT, and Microgaming, aren’t available at many US online casinos. These developers only operate in licensed regions, and few casinos are licensed to offer these games in the United States.

Some online casinos do offer loyalty programs like land-based casinos. In fact, some online options are run by brick-and-mortar casinos, and the points you earn online will apply if you visit in person too! Caesars is an example of a casino that offers online loyalty point accumulation.

If you have an issue with a casino, try to contact their customer support team. If you can’t find a solution, consider voicing your concerns at one of the reputable online forums. These forums usually work with casino management and can help address your problem.

Are Online Casinos Illegal In The Us

Some gambling sites will automatically reconnect you right where you left off. In those that don’t, there’s usually a standard procedure detailed in the help section regarding what to do, and you’ll get a refund. However, do not attempt to avoid losses by intentionally disconnecting if things are going badly. You may be credited a few times, but customer support will catch on, and eventually, you’ll be banned.

Yes. For in-person and online gambling, your net earnings are considered taxable income on your federal return. That applies whether you gambled at an international or US site. You may be asked for your personal information when you sign-up to meet US tax reporting requirements.
Most sites will send you a W2-G if your earnings exceed a certain threshold, but technically, you are supposed to report any earnings, whether it’s $10 or $10,000. If you don’t receive a form, you can report it under “other income.”
As far as state income taxes, that varies by the state. Currently, in states with an income tax, only New Hampshire and Tennessee do not tax gambling earnings. Many states also don’t allow you to deduct your losses from your winnings unless you file a schedule C and are a professional gambler.
If you have significant winnings online, we recommend working with a tax expert familiar with gambling income specifically to minimize your tax obligation.

Discover the Best Online Gambling Sites in the USA and More

Whew – that was a lot of information to cover – but there’s a lot more. We’ve designed our homepage to be a quick crash course in the legality of online gambling in the US, types of online gambling, and the best online gambling sites, but you’ll find all this information covered in-depth elsewhere on our site. Stick around and explore a bit. We promise you’ll find everything you need to know about online casinos and betting sites in the US. If you can’t find the information you need, feel free to contact us. We’re always happy to help.

The online gambling industry has always been a self-regulated business. The general public has only been made aware of this recently — in November 2008 — when the TV program 60 Minutes aired a special on a major poker scam that took place with an online poker company. (Read about it here.)

Many believe that the 60 Minutes broadcast was just enough to get things finally rolling in the direction of regulation. The broadcast proved that, while the industry may have flourished in the self-regulated mode, the player has not been 100 percent safe from scams — and never has been. We have seen scam casinos come and go, companies go public and then leave their primary market, companies confiscate player funds due to disputes where the player has no control, unlicensed and unproven operators open and close websites at their discretion … the list goes on forever.

As 2008 comes to an end and a new president prepares to take office in the United States, there is some renewed momentum now for the new administration to see value in allowing some form of regulation. The obvious note is that the industry is not going anywhere and will continue to adapt to any laws or pressure. The fact that the players are unprotected, but will continue to play, is starting to concern more liberal politicians.

Recently, a major land-based casino stated that they are very interested in being able to provide their services online in order to make up for the revenue drop (see story on land-based casino revenue drop in 2008) from customers unwilling to travel. So, this could be the start of a trend that sees land-based casinos embracing online gambling — instead of regarding it as a threat, which they have historically done (read about that here).

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), passed in 2006 to start the process of criminalizing online gaming, has been considered ineffective because it calls for banks to police gaming transactions and determine which are legal and which are not. The banks have openly declared that this is impossible and unreasonable. The regulations for the UIGEA have never actually been put into place. Depositing has always been tricky. There are many options to funding your account depending upon your geographic location and your gaming needs. Examples of online casino deposit options are displayed by this casino.

Recently there was a major push to get these regulations cleared before the new administration comes in. The 'midnight drop' was met with heavy opposition from the gambling industry, from the banking industry, from numerous lobbyists, and from key members of the new administration.

Ineffective though it may be, the UIGEA still wiped out more than 60 percent of the market share for public companies like PartyGaming.com and Neteller.com, as they were chose to leave the U.S. market rather than face any potential criminal charges. The UIGEA was passed because the online gambling industry had no defense and maintained a 'wait and see' mentality for a decade. The leader of the UIGEA movement was ex-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who at the end of the Senate session in 2006 attached UIGEA to the Safe Port Act and was able to sneak this to the President's desk with zero opposition. Six months later, a letter was found to his supporters — the Religious groups of the south. He was quoted as bragging to them that he was able to wipe billions off of the market value of several major companies. He made it obvious this has efforts were only to please a group of supporters who were against gambling in general.

This was obviously long before the gambling industry had much organization or intention of protecting themselves. This also proves that there really is not any general opposition among the U.S. public when it comes to preventing adults from being able to spend their money how they wish, and wager from their own homes if they choose.

Even before the UIEGA passed, betonsports.com was shut down by the U.S. government. They were able to detain the CEO on U.S. soil and eventually detained the owner of the company. This company was one of several companies on the radar screen of the U.S. government pre-UIGEA. The company focused primarily on sports and was naturally a target because of the 1961 wire act. Betonsports.com used vans and buses to promote their company at major U.S. sporting events. They actually took wagers out of the vehicles at one point. This was widely publicized, and frowned upon by many members of the industry. They felt as if this would be pushing to government too far, and that it would be just enough for an indictment. When the indictment was actually unsealed it was obvious that this was one of the key reasons for their investigation. They were also a public company at the time.

Bodog.com, another sportsbook, is privately held. Many industry experts blamed the size and aggressive advertising of Calvin Ayre — the owner of Bodog.com — for the passage of the UIGEA. Several months before the UIEGA passed, Ayre was seen on the cover of Forbes listed as one of the newest billionaires, and boasting about his ability to pull billions of dollars out of the U.S. economy and into his gambling website, completely protected from any laws or U.S. prosecution. Notice the publish date of this article — six months before the passage of the UIEGA. (Read the article here.) To this day, Bodog.com remains in service and Ayre is a free man. They recently had some issues with a credit card processing company and had funds confiscated. They were also subject to patient trolls who were able to confiscate their primary domain name. This was unrelated to gambling law and likely due to the fact that they are such a large target to everyone now.

Where Are Casinos Legal

Sportsbooks have been the primary target of the DOJ. To the best of my knowledge, the DOJ has never had an open case against any online casino or poker websites. This is likely because the NFL and NCAA are major lobbyists against sports betting, and because there is the Wire Act from 1961 that loosely defines the laws against interstate sports betting — aimed at slowing down organized crime. Another major black cloud over the online gambling industry has been credit sports betting. This is where an individual is issued a line of credit to wager with an online website. There have been numerous organized crime-related arrests. The media has repeatedly generalized this issue as an 'Online Gambling' problem when in reality street bookmakers has been using the internet as a tool. This has very much hurt the efforts of those trying to regulate the industry or repeal the UIEGA.

Regulation of the industry will completely open media outlets to online gambling sponsorships once again. Currently, these outlets are officially preventing themselves from taking advertising funds from gambling websites. The DOJ handed down numerous 'aiding and abetting' letters to multiple marketing companies years ago and were very effective in getting them to block gambling sites without any convictions, just by fear. This i
s something that will likely loosen up in the next year as regulation gets closer. The overturning of the UIEGA must take place in order for any of this to occur. Fortunately, it is only a matter of time before this takes place.

See Full List On Legalgambling.net

To this date, there is no law in place that prosecutes the player or prevents the player from wagering online. The poker industry has been making a huge push for regulation. Combined with the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) — with more than 1 million members — the daily broadcasts of television exposure, the popularity of the game in general, and the fact that it is considered a game of skill and not a game of chance, online poker may well be legalized and regulated sometime soon. Experts feel that online sports betting will never have a chance. Online casinos, even though they represent a game of chance versus a game of skill, are being considered in the same territory as online poker. Unlike sports betting, online casinos have no major opposition. Most online poker sites offer some form of casino gambling for their customers as well.
Lee Sheilder is a online gambling writer for www.RomeCasino.com.