Is It Legal?
Internet gambling, despite its young age, has a controversial past. Before 2002, online gambling was prolific. That November, things changed when the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the Federal Wire Act prohibited electronic transmissions of information for sports betting. However, they deemed that the Wire Act did not hold sway over games of chance; the Department of Justice, on the other hand, continues to insist that the Wire Act covers any and all forms of online gambling. The implications of this viewpoint speak only to what the DoJ may bring charges on; their opinion is not a law in itself, and can be overturned in court. This brief period of quiet tolerance ended in 2006, when the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed by Congress. This act made it significantly harder for gambling sites to operate, as it banned banks from making transactions to online gambling sites. It is also illegal for a website to operate in the United States, meaning online gamblers must use websites hosted in outside countries.
Is It Safe?
Only New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware have online gambling, and you must be physically present in the state to use their online casinos. Because it is necessary for the majority of U.S. players to go outside the United States to gamble online, the topic of regulation becomes important. Some of the countries that allow online gambling have not-so-strict regulations– oftentimes, none at all. Australian, Costa Rican, Curaçao, and Finnish online casinos have the best reputations for adhering to national standards. Doing your own research is also a good option; things to look for include whether the games are audited by a third party, if the casino is eCogra certified, if it’s licensed under any international jurisdiction, if other people view the site favorably, how they protect players’ personal and financial information, and if the site has a high payout rate. Though it may sound exhausting, reading the casinos terms and conditions is a good idea; they should be well defined and can give a lot of insight into the workings of the casino.
What Are the Best Legal Online Casinos?
| Casino | Bonus | US | Review | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1  |
Up to $777 Bonus |
|
Review | Visit |
2  |
Up to $1000 Bonus |
|
Review | Visit |
3  |
up to $1000 free using code RUBY250 |
|
Review | Visit |
4  |
Up to $2500 Bonus |
|
Review | Visit |
5  |
up to $3500 free with bonus code SLOTS350 |
|
Review | Visit |
Luckily there are many safe and legal online casino sites with reputations for serving their customers well.
Classy Coin is a relatively new legal online casino, founded in 2011, licensed in Curacao. It’s also relatively small, offering 120 games where many larger casinos can have up to 400+. Classy Coin boasts advanced encryption technology to ensure that all personal information and financial transactions are fully protected, making safety a non-issue. All of their games have been tested for fairness by Technical Systems Testing.
Planet 7 was established in 2009 and has been a popular legal online casino since. The casino is licensed in Costa Rica, and with some of the best banking options in the online casino industry, it should never be a hassle to deposit money. They have an outstanding collection of games and customer service is available via email, phone, or live chat, so getting help with any issues is quick and easy.
Silver Oak is a legal online casino that has been taking the online gambling world by storm. By utilizing Real Time Gaming software, they offer sleek-looking games with consistent payouts. Their customer service is wonderfully thorough and efficient, and they offer an amazing bonus for slots players, 555% matched with the code SOAK555.
Ruby Slots is another nicely done legal online casino powered by RTG, but is widely regarded as one to avoid. Based in Costa Rica and run by Virtual Casino Group, Ruby Slots has a history of confiscating winnings and being slow to payout when they do.
Uptown Aces is an extremely new legal online casino, launched in August 2014. The casino offers a large variety of games, many slot reels, and is even mobile and tablet compatible. Payouts are quick and banking is easy. However, it is state restricted; if you are physically present in New York, Kentucky, Washington State, Maryland, New Jersey, Louisiana or Missouri, you will not be able to play.