Playing online casino games or any other gambling related activity in the US is subject to local regulations of each state. While there are not many US states at the moment which offer such regulations, their numbers are growing easily. New Jersey was the first state to pass on laws to permit online casino operations, while Nevada was the first state to offer online poker. Pennsylvania followed soon, with more states looking into licensing such operations. New Jersey offers not only online casinos, but also sports betting and bingo games. With an increasing number of operators licensed to offer services to US customers in selected states and an even larger number without a US license, choosing the right online gaming brand can be sometimes difficult.
OnlineCasino.wiki lists only US regulated online casinos, with a note for which state those brands are available. Therefore, it is best to register with casino brands listed here for your piece of mind. If you wonder why we say that, is because there are many online casino operators located outside the US. At federal level, playing at such casinos operated is not permitted. While access to these casino domains is not restricted, depositing money and withdrawing winnings from such operators will prove problematic. This is mainly because of the UIGEA act which requires financial institutions (credit card payment processors, banks etc) not to process payments to and from unregulated gambling operators.
The best option is to register with local regulated online casinos. But how do you find if a brand you found is safe for you as a player? When some may just thing that a brand needs to operate on a local domain like .us, this is not the best option to approach mainly because most casinos operate on .com domains like playsugarhouse.com or caesars.com or on sub-domains like nj.bet365.com. The brands exemplified here are for users in New Jersey (and we must state this again: while anyone can register and play at these brands, users must be located physically within the NJ borders to do so).
So what is the best way to validate whether an operator is licensed in US, respectively in the state you want to register and play. The best option is by checking their website, at the bottom of the page, for their license listings. If there is a reference mentioning that the brand is licensed in the US state required (ex: by the Division of Gaming Enforcement). Their license can also be validated on the DGE – New Jersey website with a quick search.
This validation applies to all gaming brands, not only online casinos. Licenses can be checked similarly for sports betting, bingo or racing services offered online.
But why should you be interested in joining a casino with a US license? Firstly because of payment restrictions as explained above. Furthermore, you may find a rogue operator which will simply forfeit your funds and there will be no straightforward ways of opening a dispute with them. Last, but not least, if you find yourself with a problem gambling, playing at US licensed casinos may be easier to limit your account or join the self-exclusion program like DGE Self-Exclusion, a New Jersey based program.
Please note that OnlineCasino.wiki is focused on both US dedicated casinos and international ones (which also includes websites for UK players, European-non-UK players and international players). To select the correct casino to play with, pay attention to the country you live in and local licensed operators.