How safe are online casino sites in US?

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Finding a safe online casino in the US hasn’t always been easy. Before 2011, online gambling was generally considered illegal.

What’s more, it was illegal for foreign casinos to knowingly accept American citizens. Things have since changed, at least since 2011.

That’s when the Department of Justice authorized states to legalize iGaming at will.

By 2013, both New Jersey and Delaware had online casinos. And from 2018, over 20 states now also permit online sports betting.

Are online casinos in the US safe? Let’s take a look below.

Licensed and Regulated by States

There are efforts to legalize online casinos at a Federal level. But presently, iGaming is a matter of state concern. Delaware was the first state to legalize online casinos after the DOJ’s direction in 2011.

It legalized the industry in 2012. As mentioned, New Jersey was next. Nevada then permitted online poker but not slots and RNG table games. Pennsylvania and West Virginia later joined the race.

As of 2021, over a dozen states have legalized online casinos or are in the process of legalizing the industry. By law, casinos are only allowed to accept players in the states where they’re regulated.

Likewise, you can only gamble at a casino based in your state. Of course, this works if your jurisdiction permits iGaming.

Regulation helps keep the casino industry safe—states can easily root out scam companies and they can hold licensed operators accountable.

Safety and Security

Amid increased data protection laws in the US, casinos have become a lot more secure than they were in the 2000s. Back then, some operators used unsecure HTTP websites.

Creating a password wasn’t compulsory and players didn’t have a lot of rights regarding their data.

These days, every online casino must secure their websites using HTTPS. This helps keep hackers off. On the flip side, they must provide password protection and treat user data privately.

In other words, many online casinos in the US are now safe. You can learn more about the topic in more detail here. As a bonus, you’ll also find a list of the best safe online casinos in the USA. Then you can choose the ideal operator for you and sign up to play your favourite slots or table games.

Still, on safety, some casinos take the extra mile of assuring players of safety. They invite independent auditor who audits their games and payment systems. That way, new players can feel comfortable knowing a company is verifiably secure.

Games and Software Providers

The online casino industry in the US is relatively new. As such, there are not many game developers locally. Still, casinos are required to operate fair games created by trusted and licensed software providers.

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To provide a solution, many online casinos in the US lease games from developers based in Canada, Europe, the UK and Australia. Of course, they also feature slots and table games from local companies like SD Digital and IGT.

In light of that information, you can trust American casinos to feature your favourite slots and table games. You can play Starburst from NetEnt, Microgaming’s Thunderstruck II or BTG’s White Rabbit Megaways slots.

That said, you have a responsibility to assess casinos for the quality of games they provide. You don’t just need to play fair games.

They should also be entertaining and payout well—look at the house edge in card games, Return to Player (RTP) in slots and odds in sports betting sites.

Banking and Withdrawals

Back when online gambling was illegal in the US, people who dared to use foreign casinos had to bear the risk of losing their money through scams. The websites were unregulated and not recognized in the US. As such, they would scam American citizens without facing any repercussions.

Today’s online casinos must work with safe payment methods by law. They also must provide lenient fees, decent limits and process payouts in good time. In light of that information, you can use credit cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies or bank transfer for payments.

E-wallets and cryptocurrencies provide the quickest deposit and withdrawal options. Deposits are instant and free of fees. By contrast, withdrawals take a day or two but could attract some fees.

Credit cards like Visa and MasterCard also support quick deposits but withdrawals could take up to three days. Wire transfer takes even longer (3-7 days) but it has the benefit of supporting bigger limits.

Bonuses and Promotions

It’s not secret—bonuses are great for enhancing entertainment at casinos. But many operators use bonuses to attract new customers.

They also use regular promotions to keep return customers loyal. Unfortunately, some casinos use their bonuses to defraud players.

Usually, a fraudulent casino will give you a generous bonus. But it won’t reveal important terms and conditions of using their bonus. This is after you’ve deposit money to their website for the sole purpose of claiming a bonus.

After using your deposited cash and the offered bonus, the website then shows you a long list of exploitive terms to follow. Their goal is to force you to spend as much money as possible without withdrawing your bonus.

Against that backdrop, always take time to read a casino’s bonus policies. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a renowned brand or a new website. If you get an offer to claim a bonus, read its terms and conditions. Only claim a bonus if you agree with its policies.

Customer Service and Reputation

One of the most underrated determiners of a safe casino is customer service. The best US casinos provide quality customer service through live chatbots, phone calls and emails.

What’s more, they have social media contacts and FAQ web pages through which you can learn more about them.

On the other hand, safe online casinos are reputable. If you find them on review websites, they appear at the top of rankings.

For the best experience, always read updated reviews. Sometimes a casino might have had a poor reputation five years ago, but it has since improved. It might have a great history but present reviews show it no longer provides satisfactory services.

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