Is it Legal to Play at Online Casinos in the US?
US states have the autonomy to frame online gambling regulations of their own, as a result of which, many states have legalized some or all forms of online gambling. But very few states have legalized all forms of online gambling including online casinos, online poker, and online sports betting.
You can play at online casinos legally in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, and West Virginia provided the online casinos have received a state online gambling license. While you don’t have to be a resident to play online casino games for real money, you have to be physically present in the state.
Banking Methods at Licensed Online Casinos in the US
If you are playing at an online casino licensed by your state gambling regulator, you have a wider range of banking options to choose from, as follows:
You can fund your casino gaming account using a variety of Discover, MasterCard, and Visa credit and debit cards. Licensed US online casinos instantly credit deposits to your account. Payouts through credit and debit cards are also instant.
The only downside of using Amex credit cards is that you cannot use small business cards, corporate cards, and cards issued by some banks.
Become a VIP Preferred member to enjoy hassle-free access to your cash, round-the-clock customer support, 7-day rolling limits, and higher limits. You can use VIP Preferred at 500+ interactive gaming locations and casinos.
Payments through PayPal, an electronic wallet solution, are easy & secure, instant, and convenient. All you need is a PayPal account to start using PayPal as a banking method at licensed online casinos.
Pay with cash at any 7-Eleven, Family Dollar, and CVS location and access your deposit within half an hour.
Directly transfer money from your bank account to your online casino gaming account.
Make a direct deposit into your casino gaming account at the land-based casino cage.
Transfer funds from your safekeeping account at the land-based casino to your online casino gaming account.
Use this method to transfer money from your bank account to your online casino gaming account. However, you may have to wait 5 – 7 days for the funds to reach your account.
Let us now consider the legalities of playing for real money at online casinos if you are not a resident of New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or Delaware. Travelling to these states whenever you want to play online casino games is not practical. How can you play online casinos if you don’t live in one of these states?
As far as online casino gaming is concerned, the US is a grey area. This means that playing at online casinos is neither legal nor illegal. Existing laws, if any, target operators and not players, leaving individuals free to sign up at any offshore online casino that accepts their registrations and allows them to play in USD.
Several US-friendly online casinos operate on licenses granted in remote gambling jurisdictions. They welcome new players with generous bonuses, reward player loyalty, and offer games from US-friendly software providers like Rival, Real Time Gaming (RTG), Betsoft, and others.
Banking options at offshore online casinos, however, are limited because they aren’t licensed in any US state.
Casino Deposit Methods at US-friendly Offshore Online Casinos
The following are the popular casino deposit methods at US-friendly online casinos. Some of them are brand new and available only at only a few online casinos. But methods such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and Amex credit and debit cards and Bank Transfer have been around for several years.
Visa and MasterCard Credit and Debit Cards
Almost every US online casino player who has a savings bank account also holds a credit or debit card. Using credit and debit cards to pay for products and services is easy, safe, secure, and convenient.
Visa & MasterCard are also the most widely available banking options at US-friendly online casinos. Some online casinos also allow their customers to use American Express and Discover cards.
More about Visa & MasterCard
Both Visa & MasterCard are payment networks that do not issue credit and debit cards. Instead, banks and financial institutions that have partnered with Visa & MasterCard issue payment cards bearing the Visa or MasterCard brand.
Businesses that accept payments through Visa & MasterCard credit/debit cards do so in partnership with these payment networks. They pay a small percentage of the transaction value as network fees, and some of them pass on the cost to their customers.
Usually, US-friendly online casinos do not charge players for making deposits and withdrawals with Visa & MasterCard credit and debit cards. However, banks and financial institutions may charge processing fees, transaction fees, and/or currency conversion fees.
Making an Online Casino Deposit with Credit and Debit Cards
- Register at an online casino that offers Visa & MasterCard as deposit methods.
- Choose Visa or MasterCard as your preferred deposit method.
- Enter card details like card number, cardholder’s name, expiry date, and CVC number.
- If you have signed up for Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode, your bank will send a numerical code to your phone number. Once you input the code, the transaction gets confirmed.
- Visa & MasterCard deposits are instantly credited to your account.
- Almost all US-friendly online casinos offer credit/debit cards as banking options.
- Using credit and debit cards is easy, convenient, safe, and secure.
- Using a debit card is an excellent bankroll management technique as you use the funds in your savings account.
- You get rewarded with points, discounts, vouchers, and others every time you use credit/debit cards.
- Credit/debit card deposits are instantly credited.
- Some online casinos charge fees (2% – 3%) for making deposits with credit or debit cards.
- Many players are not comfortable with revealing credit or debit card details to online casinos.
- While using credit cards, you use a credit line issued by your bank or financial institution. If you lose control of your gambling activities, you may run into huge credit card debts.
- Usually, credit/debit cards do not support payouts. Even if they do, you have to wait 2 – 7 days to receive your winnings.
MatchPay
MatchPay is a peer-to-peer payment platform enabling account holders of an online casino to sell their account balances in part or full to their fellow players. A MatchPay transfer is not a direct player-to-player transfer as the transaction is processed on the MatchPay platform.
Making an Online Casino Deposit with MatchPay
- Sign up at an online casino that supports MatchPay.
- Also, create an account at MatchPay.
- Choose MatchPay as your preferred deposit method.
- You will be taken to MatchPay’s website, where you have to enter the amount you want to deposit in your casino gaming account.
- MatchPay will locate another online casino player who wants to sell the exact amount.
- The seller and you can then complete the transaction via Cash App, Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal.
- After completing the transaction, the funds will hit your gaming account, allowing you to start playing.
- Withdraw your winnings by selling them to another player who wants to deposit through MatchPay.
- As the transactions are processed on the MatchPay platform instead of via the casino cashier, you can receive payouts on the same day.
- MatchPay is free of cost.
- MatchPay uses are not eligible to receive bonuses.
- As the method is brand new, it is not yet available at most US-friendly online casinos.
- Transactions get delayed in cases where sellers are inactive.
Zelle
Zelle is a safe, secure, and fast way to send and receive funds. It features in the apps of all major US banks, enabling you to transfer funds from your banking app to your online casino gaming account. It works even if the online casino has an account at a different US bank.
Making an Online Casino Deposit with Zelle
- Sign up at an online casino that supports Zelle.
- Also, confirm that your bank supports Zelle.
- Use Zelle to purchase bitcoins at any Bitcoin exchange like LocalBitcoins.com.
- When your bitcoins reach your LocalBitcoins.com wallet, you can transfer them to your online casino gaming account.
- Zelle deposits are instantly credited to online gaming accounts.
- Zelle is as safe and secure as the banks that support it.
- As your banking app is connected to Zelle, you can easily access the service and use it.
- Using Zelle is free of cost.
- You can use Zelle only if you have a smartphone or tablet.
- You cannot make International bank transfers with Zelle as it functions only with domestic banks.
- Zelle is brand new, and very few US online casinos offer it as a payment option.
Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies, which are also popularly known as crypto, are fast becoming among the most popular casino banking methods at US-friendly online casinos. As cryptos do not come under the control of any bank or government, offering them as payment methods is legal even in grey jurisdictions like the US.
You will, therefore, find Bitcoin in the banking sections of most US online casinos. Depending on the online casino you have signed up at, you can choose from a variety of cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Bitcoin SV, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Ethereum at online casinos.
Making an Online Casino Deposit with Bitcoin
- Your first step is to create a Bitcoin digital wallet, in which you can store your bitcoins.
- Create an account at any well-known crypto exchange.
- Purchase bitcoins or any other cryptocurreny you wish to use on the crypto exchange.
- You can also link your credit/debit card to your crypto exchange account so that you can easily withdraw funds to your bank account.
- Move the bitcoins you purchased at the exchange to your Bitcoin wallet.
- Now head over to the cashier section of your online casino and choose Bitcoin as your preferred banking method.
- Copy the online casino’s Bitcoin wallet address.
- Head over to your Bitcoin wallet, enter the amount you want to deposit, paste the online casino’s Bitcoin wallet address, and click on “Send.”
- You will receive a confirmation message when the funds hit your account in USD. This takes around 15 minutes.
- Bitcoin transactions are fast, safe, secure, and reliable.
- You don’t have to reveal your bank account or credit card details while depositing with Bitcoin.
- Depositing with Bitcoin is free of cost.
- Online casinos offer special crypto bonuses on deposits made using Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies.
- Your Bitcoin wallet may ask you to pay fees for faster transactions, but these fees are nominal.
- Cryptocurrencies support withdrawals too.
- Bitcoin is still in a stage of infancy and many players are not comfortable with it.
- Bitcoin is highly volatile, which may impact your winnings negatively.
- Despite the popularity of using Bitcoin as a payment method, many US online casinos still don’t offer it.
Withdrawing Your Winnings at US Online Casinos
Withdrawal methods are just as limited as deposit methods at US-friendly offshore online casinos.
Here are some of the most popular payout options:
- Cryptocurrencies such as Litecoin, Bitcoin Ethereum, and Bitcoin Cash
- Credit Cards
- Bank Wire
- Check by Courier
If are ready to withdraw your winnings from your casino gaming account, you have to bear the following points in mind:
- Credit cards do not always support payouts. If you deposited with a credit card, you may have to withdraw with another banking method.
- The most popular withdrawal method is Bank Wire. It is expensive and time-consuming but safe, secure, and reliable.
- Cryptocurrencies are fast gaining popularity for their ease of use, cost-effectiveness, anonymity, and security. Also, they support both deposits and withdrawals.
- Checks through courier are a secure way of getting your winnings, but they are expensive and time-consuming.
- Online casinos have daily, monthly, and yearly withdrawal limits in place. However, they lift these limits for players who have achieved higher VIP limits. These limits vary from casino to casino and from payment method to payment method.
- A few online casinos allow player-to-player transfer of funds either on their platforms or via third-party platforms like MatchPay.
- Online casinos process your payout requests only if your account is verified. To verify your account, you have to submit to the online casino copies of identification documents like photo ID, utility bills, proof of ownership of payment methods used, and others.
- Online casinos do not accept deposits from third parties.
Playing for Real Money at Offshore US-friendly Casinos – Safety and Security
As long as the online casino operates on a valid online gambling license and belongs to a reputed, experienced, and financially fit company, playing for real money at offshore online casinos is safe.
Licensed online casinos are required to maintain industry standards of safety, security, fair gaming, and customer satisfaction to retain and renew their licenses. They, therefore, implement the latest digital encryption security technologies to protect players’ data and information about financial transactions. They also maintain player funds in separate bank accounts and avoid mixing them up with operational funds.
Making deposits and withdrawals and playing for real money is, therefore, safe and secure at offshore online casinos that accept US players.