It’s hard to choose a good US online casino when considering everything. To make a valued choice, it is necessary to understand the way casinos in the United States work. There are three states which have legalised online gambling in some form or other. These states are Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey. It is essential to note that only state registered online casinos are legal in the USA. In the other states, online gambling is considered illegal. Sports betting is the only type of prohibited gambling via the Wire Act of 1961, on a federal level. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has long maintained that the Wire Act applies to every form of online gambling. However, in December 2011, that position was amended, and it was stated that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting, which was the result of a 13-page memorandum, from the Office of Legal Counsel to the Criminal Division of the DOJ, which is the source of this information.
Technological Advances & Recent Fiascos
These days, with advances in technology, and particularly regarding payments and withdrawal methods, players can gamble at any online casino virtually undetectable. Cryptocurrencies offer anonymity so players can wager in secret, and without anyone knowing the better. Whether this is ethical or not is left to the individual to decide as his or her conscience dictates. Changes have been underway over the last few years, in particular concerning online poker. The UIGEA and Party Poker’s exit from the US market, as well as PokerStars’ departure in 2011, brought about changes. As time passed, players started to worry about the legitimacy of online casino sites. There was now a reason to doubt US online casinos, after the Poker fiasco. It has, therefore, become even more important to choose wisely. There is a genuine worry amongst players that casinos will not pay out winnings.
Choosing the Best & Safest US Casinos
That’s where we come in. We can assist players to select a legitimate, safe and secure online casino so they can wager to their heart’s content which the sound knowledge that their potential winnings will be paid out. We select casinos with a strong track record and distinguished reputation, with no black marks against them. With the introduction of the new Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), US players have been having a hard time finding suitable and legal depositing methods. Let’s take a look at some of these depositing methods that are commonly used in the United States and other jurisdictions. The most popular way is the credit or debit card. Staring with Visa, followed by MasterCard in second place, with American Express in a distant third place. These cards need to be eligible for international transfers and online payments. Another method is to transfer money to a casino and deposit cash using Western Union or Moneygram. Some credit cards may fail to accept the transaction for fear of violating US laws. The Bank of America declines outright for any gambling related deposits or withdrawals. So where does this leave US players? There is faster cash out options such as a money transfer service. In this case, the cash will be delivered to players’ local Western Union branch within five days, sometimes even less. Another cash-out option is a check payment. However, this entails going to a bank branch to cash the check, and some banks may be reluctant to cash it if they find out it is gambling related since banks are not allowed to process online gambling associated transactions knowingly. The exceptions are the states of Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey, yet even in these states, people have reported difficulties cashing checks there. The cost of a money transfer is, however, higher than with a combination of credit cards and checks. Some of the better online casinos offer players one free check withdrawal every week, yet other sites charge a fee for doing this.
The Unholy Trio
Gambling is allowed in three US states, so far. In Delaware, online poker and casino games are permitted. In the state of Nevada, online poker is allowed. In New Jersey, online poker and casino games are permitted. Note that none of these states offers sports betting options, although New Jersey has a clause in its statute, that may open the door there for sports betting in the future. To gamble in the USA, players must physically reside in one of the three states mentioned above to be able to gamble at an online casino legally. Players need to stay within the boundaries of those states to gamble legally. Licensed operators are legally bound to ensure their registered players indeed are located within those states, which has created problems as it is sometimes hard to determine players actual location address with a degree of accuracy. The only entities that can apply for a gaming license in the three states are brick and mortar casino setups. Besides, these brick and mortar casinos can team up with an existing online casino operator forming a partnership. How do these three states perform concerning gaming revenue? While New Jersey registered a marginal increase in revenue, the state of Nevada recorded a decline in the year to year revenue. In the state of Delaware, all yearly income up to $3.75 million is kept by the state, creating potential liquidity problems for online operators in that state.
Offshore Gambling Sites
Offshore online casinos that accept US players is another option players have at their disposal. Although these operators are not licensed to operate in the US and are strictly speaking illegal, the option is nevertheless on the table. There are several offshore jurisdictions, some more reliable than others, so once again, players need to choose offshore casinos from serious provinces like; Malta, UK and the like. Choosing an overseas site entails research to ensure the casino is legitimate and has always paid out on time. We can assist players to select reliable online casino operators as we have done extensive research on any online casino we recommend. The reputation of the online casino is as important as choosing one from a respectable offshore jurisdiction. The longer a site has been online and fully operational, and the fewer complaints it has generated, the better the casino tends to be. Nevertheless, the advantages of wagering at an offshore casino far outweigh the disadvantages, if one does proper research in advance. Offshore casinos place far fewer restrictions on players and require less personal information to sign up, so it is easy to register and start playing, as long as they accept US players, of course.
The Future: What’s Next?
In the USA, gambling is going through a transitional phase. There has been the talk of California legalising gaming in some form or other. With online poker, it is almost certain that the future will bring changes and additional states legalising the favourite card game, which will result in a significant and more substantial poker economy. Unless things change drastically in the USA, it will remain more attractive for American players to sign up with an offshore online casino.
