Play games from the world’s best developers and explore countless themes.
Good for: Players who enjoy flashy play and fun themes but don’t want to worry about strategy.
Take advantage of our comprehensive guide as we reveal some of the top offers and bonuses at some of the leading real money online casinos. Read on for all the must-know details and browse through my recommendations to find the one best suited to your playing style.
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Category | 🥇Our Winner | Explanation |
---|---|---|
Best rewards program | Caesars Palace Online Casino | Connects to Caesars Rewards and allows many earning opportunities |
Best live dealer library | Golden Nugget Online Casino | A vast selection of live roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and more. |
Best welcome bonus | BetMGM Casino | New players get $25 on the house + 100% deposit match up to $1,000 |
Best bonus spins | Hard Rock Online Casino | 500 bonus spins as part of the sign-up bonus |
Best ongoing promotions | Bally Bet Casino | Tons of rotating deals like deposit matches and “bet and get” offers for existing players |
Best user experience | FanDuel Casino | Sleek and polished interface on desktop and mobile |
Best on mobile | DraftKings Casino | Fast and reliable mobile app on iOS and Android |
Best for fast withdrawals | BetRivers Casino | RushPay sends most withdrawals in less than 24 hours |
Best payment options | Bet365 Casino | Offers 11 payment methods including credit/debit, PayPal, Skrill, Apple Pay, and PayNearMe |
Best for sports fans | Fanatics Casino | Earn FanCash while you play and redeem it for sports gear |
Real money casinos have the sign-up process boiled down to a science. Creating an account rarely takes more than a few minutes, and the steps are fairly universal from one app to the next (with small tweaks). I signed up for various online casino accounts and distilled the process into a few steps below. Keep in mind that small differences may occur between casinos, but the ideas remain the same at each platform.
We have a list of real money online casinos right here on this page. They’re all heavily tested and vetted by experts and real players, so you can rest assured you’ll be safe and secure playing at any of them.
After choosing a casino, you can click on our links to visit your preferred site and move on to step two.
Start registration by clicking the proper button. The terms can change, but they usually say “Join Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Register.” Select the option to begin signing up.
The first step is almost always to create a username and password. You also usually need to provide a form of contact (email and/or phone number) so that you can retrieve your login information if you ever need to. Most online casinos will also give you options to sign in with Google (among other options). This makes sign-up even faster.
You may need your SSN (or part of it) and a government-issued photo ID. These details (among others) will verify your age and identity to ensure you can legally play at a real money online casino. Follow the prompts at your chosen site to complete this step.
This step is yet another reason to ensure that you are using a licensed real-money online casino. Those operators are throughly vetted to ensure that your information is safe.
If necessary, enter a promo or bonus code when prompted. This step may occur earlier or later in the process, depending on the casino you choose. Keep an eye out for it to ensure you get your bonus.
Complete any final steps required to set up your account. Some casinos may require you to confirm your email address or phone number by clicking a link or entering a code.
Your account should be all set now! Pick a payment method, connect it, make a deposit (keeping your welcome bonus in mind), and start playing games.
Online casinos for real money have distinct advantages compared to land-based casinos and other gambling options. While the benefits could number in the dozens based on who you ask, I’ve summarized the top three right here.
No need for an ATM, cashier’s cage, or long waits when you play at online casinos. You can connect one of many trusted payment methods at an online casino account, deposit instantly, and get right in the game. Withdrawals are easy and speedy, too, with our fastest-paying online casinos sending your funds within hours.
You can play online casino games and slots on mobile via dedicated iOS and Android apps from pretty much anywhere, provided you’re within the borders of a legal state and have a decent cell or Wi-Fi signal. Your morning commute, at home on the couch, or out with friends…they’re all opportunities to play without being tethered to a single location.
I’ll keep this one simple. Real money online casinos want your business. That’s why they offer lucrative sign-up offers for new players at online casinos, including deposit matches, 24-hour lossback periods, or bonus spins. Plus, they keep the goods coming with ongoing promotions for existing players.
I’ve played at almost every real money online casino Michigan has to offer (it’s the closest state to mine with legal online gambling). These benefits rang true for me. I have signed up for accounts with various sites to claim their excellent welcome bonuses, and they all provided a nice jumpstart to my gaming experience. The on-the-go aspect can’t be ignored, either. Car rides to the golf course, chill nights on the boat, and pre-bed unwinding all provided nice opportunities for me to play. The ease and convenience of real money digital casinos is hard to beat, provided you play responsibly.
I listed a few great things about online casinos for real money above. There are also some points to consider that aren’t quite as fun but are still incredibly important.
A real money online casino might promise a deposit match up to $1,000. It sounds great, and it is great. But there are terms to be aware of. Almost every online casino bonus comes with a wagering requirement, or an amount you need to bet before you clear the bonus and have the funds available in your account. Some sites have low requirements (1x is best), while others have requirements of 15x or higher. Yet other sites have playthrough requirements that vary based on the game you play. Keep this in mind when claiming a bonus.
Other promos might even have deadlines by which you need to use your funds or they expire. Reading the fine print will go a long way in helping you make the most of a bonus.
The four core states offering real money online casino gaming are Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Delaware have online casinos as well, but they only have a few operators apiece.
While many experts expect more states to legalize online casinos in the future, that process has been slow and arduous.
You need to be in a legal state while you play. For example, I don’t live in Michigan, but I am allowed to play at the state’s online casinos while I’m within its borders.
When you sign into an online casino app or desktop site, you will be required to confirm your whereabouts by enabling geolocation technology. Online casinos will not let you play until you do this.
All U.S. online casinos offer similar products and services. However, there are some distinguishing features that make players choose one site over another.
Below are some nice elements to consider when and to look out for when choosing your real money online casino in your state.
The best online casinos have two types of variety: overall variety—many categories of games— and specific variety—many games within each category. Both are important! A good online casino will have hundreds of online slots from the best developers, plus many different table games, live dealer games, and more. You can even take it one step further to look for a variety of features and mechanics within slot games.
While most players will stick to one or two payment methods, it’s important for an online casino to, you know, have that method. This is where a variety of trusted and secure online casino payment methods comes into play. I personally look for online casinos that accept PayPal and online casinos that accept Venmo. However there are many other banking options, and I cover them in detail further down on this page.
When players need assistance, a casino should have many ways to get in touch (think email, live chat, and phone) and quick, helpful responses. The better these elements are, the smoother the overall user experience you can expect at a real money online casino.
All three elements above are core to a good real money online casino experience. But for me, it’s all about the games. I’m picky. I like medium volatility games with fantasy themes and many different bonus rounds. It’s not easy to find heaps of games that tickle those particular fancies. My first step at any online casino is to peruse the game library to find titles that fit my tastes. As for payment methods and support? If the site has PayPal and live chat, I’m good to go. Sometimes, it’s not about breadth; it’s about specificity for you.
Our real money online casino experts commit a lot of time and effort to finding the best sites to recommend. We consider a vast ocean of criteria when we evaluate the best real money online casinos. Here are the main factors:
Our recommended casinos have all undergone rigorous licensing and regulation processes. These processes are overseen by state-specific organizations meant to keep operators accountable for player safety and money. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the Michigan Gaming Control Board are two examples of licensing bodies.
We look for the number of bonuses, the quality and frequency of promotions, and the terms governing bonuses at online real money casinos. Both new players and longtime players should have plenty of access to promotions and bonuses without crazy terms or hoops to jump through. Further, bonuses should be simple and easy to claim.
We carefully pursue the lobbies and libraries of our top online casino recommendations to ensure they have ample variety: slots, table games (such as online blackjack, roulette, craps, and baccarat), variety games (such as Plinko, crash games, and game shows), live dealer games, and more. Real-money online poker is a nice bonus in states that allow it. As a general rule, most of our recommended real money online casinos have hundreds of games, often exceeding 1,000 titles.
A good casino will offer many options for deposits and withdrawals. Top of the range casinos will accept PayPal, credit/debit cards, online banking, ACH, and other methods. These should work seamlessly, have high success rates, and make your funds instantly available. We also consider deposit and withdrawal speeds and minimums/maximums when we review payment methods. Obviously, the fastest-paying online casinos score highest in this category.
Most governing organizations have laws in place requiring online casinos to respond to customers within a certain time. We look for further commitment to customer support by testing each option and sharing how helpful the representatives were. Customer support also includes a casino’s FAQ, which should be detailed, searchable, and helpful.
Phones and tablets are ubiquitous nowadays, so an online casino’s dedication to the mobile experience should be strong. We test each real money online casino on iOS and Android apps to review the experience on a small touchscreen honestly.
Our reviews focus on our first-hand experience, but it helps to bring in other perspectives. We consider player feedback from various sources, such as app reviews, Trutspilot ratings, and other written reviews. These help ensure that we are looking at many points of views about each real money online casino. They also help let us know if our experience matches what other players are seeing as well.
As I mentioned a few times above, real money online casinos are renowned for their incredible game variety. Scrolling through an online casino’s game library is similar to walking through a land-based casino’s labyrinthine mix of slots and tables—but without actually having to walk.
Here is a bit more information about some of the most common game types you will find at online casinos:
Play games from the world’s best developers and explore countless themes.
Good for: Players who enjoy flashy play and fun themes but don’t want to worry about strategy.
Give the reels a spin without shelling out real money. Some online casinos allow demo play, and a few will give free spins as a no-deposit bonus.
Good for: Slot enthusiasts who want to try a game before using real money.
Perhaps the world’s most famous card game, blackjack sees players pitted against a dealer to get closest to 21.
Good for: Blackjack fans who like the game’s strategic elements or new players who want a simple game to learn.
Watch the ball—be it virtual or real—spin, bounce, and land on a number and a color to determine which bets win.
Good for: Table game fans who like minimal strategy and maximum fun.
Roll the dice, set the point, and keep ‘em rolling in online Craps.
Good for: Experienced players who enjoy the depth and huge number of available bets in Craps.
This game has three simple bets: banker, tie, or player. Some versions offer side bets.
Good for: New players who want to dabble in table games but don’t want to be burdened with strategic gameplay.
Play multiple hands at once and explore many variants, such as Deuces Wild.
Good for: Gamblers who want a single-player card game with simple rules.
Track the called numbers and go for five in a row at online casinos that offer Bingo for real money.
Good for: It may seem silly to say, but…fans of Bingo.
Just a quick tap of the screen and a swift animation, and the game is over! Instant games take only a few seconds to complete.
Good for: Fans of lottery-style games like scratchers.
The best real money online casinos offer many payment methods, including credit/debit cards, e-wallets (such as Venmo or Paypal), and other options. Some payment methods even allow both deposits and withdrawals, saving you from having to connect separate providers.
Here’s an overview of the best payment methods for online casino gaming.
Payment Method | Average Minimum Deposit | Deposit Time | Withdrawals Accepted? | Withdrawal Time | Best Real-Money Online Casino for This Method |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Credit card | $10 | Instant | No | N/A | BetMGM |
Bank transfer | $10 | Instant | Yes | Up to 5 days | BetRivers |
Debit card | $10 | Instant | Yes (at some casinos) | Up to 24 hours | DraftKings |
Apple Pay | $10 | Instant | Yes (at some casinos) | Up to 72 hours | FanDuel |
Gift card | $10 | Instant | No | N/A | DraftKings |
Cash at Casino Cage | $10 | Instant | Yes | Instant | BetMGM |
PayPal | $10 | Instant | Yes | 1-5 days | DraftKings |
Play+ | $10 | Instant | Yes | A few minutes | BetRivers |
Skrill | $10 | Instant | Yes | Up to 24 hours | Borgata |
Venmo | $10 | Instant | Yes | Up to 48 hours | DraftKings |
Below, I have laid out a little bit more information about each payment method and provided a link to PlayUSA’s guide that goes more in-depth:
Credit cards are one of the widely known payment methods at online casinos. Players can make use of credit cards (including gift cards processed by a credit card company) to make deposits and withdrawals. The user-friendliness these cards offer make them a preferred choice for players. However, you should review the specific terms and conditions of your casino and your card to make sure there are no associated costs or restrictions when using this method
Debit cards are another popular banking method at online casinos. In fact, because you are withdrawing directly from your bank account rather than accumulating credit that you will need to repay with interest, debit cards are even more widely accepted at online casinos than a true credit card. And of course, they offer all the same benefits of convenience.
Powered via online banking by Trustly or ACH e-Checks, bank transfers offer the best of both worlds: fast deposits and secure, seamless withdrawals.
iPhone, iPad, and Mac users can use Apple Pay to deposit at most online casinos. It’s one of the simplest and easiest ways to do so. Withdrawals are available via Apple Pay at select sites in certain states.
Gift cards provide instant deposits using the balance of the card for the associated casino. You cannot withdraw using a gift card.
This option is best for players who live near and/or frequently visit a brick-and-mortar property. Deposit or withdraw cash at the land-based casino to play at its partnered online casino(s).
PayPal is a safe, secure, and fast payment and withdrawal method at top online casinos for real money. Connect your account to use it for funding and payouts in equal measure.
Similar to PayPal but not as widely available, Skrill offers e-wallet payments and secure withdrawals from online casinos.
You probably use it to pay your friends or maybe your landlord, but Venmo can also be used for real money online casino deposits and withdrawals.
Play+ is a prepaid card that partners with many online casinos to create a card in their name. Prepaid cards have a distinct advantage: they have some of the fastest withdrawal times of any payment method. Some casinos process payments to Play+ cards in less than an hour.
If you live by a PayNearMe processor (and since many convenience stores—most notably 7-Elevens and CVS pharmacies—act as processors, you probably do), this is a great option because you can use cash. Basically, you get a PayCode (which looks like a barcode) from your online casino. Bring that to the processor and make your deposit. However, you do have to pay a processing fee of $1.99.
For my money (literally), there’s no better payment option than PayPal. I’ve used it for years, both for real money online casinos and for pretty much any online purchase I make. It’s simple and easy. It has many security measures to protect my funds. It works for deposits and withdrawals. What more could you want?
While you can find casino-style games or similar experiences in most states via sweepstakes or social casinos, only a handful of states have legalized real money online casinos. Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia offer online casinos in some form. In Delaware, the only casino available is BetRivers. In Connecticut, DraftKings and Mohegan Sun are the only options.
Below, I offer what I think is the best option in the four states that offer several choices.
Bolstered by its amazing welcome bonus and incredible game library, Caesars Palace Online is Michigan’s top online casino for real money. It also has the industry’s best loyalty program—Caesars Rewards—which earns players perks online and at Caesars properties across the US.
Read more: Online casinos in Michigan
Top-tier user experience, massive game library, fantastic welcome bonus…DraftKings Casino has it all. New Jersey players get access to hundreds of amazing games, including many DraftKings-branded exclusives.
Read more: Online casinos in New Jersey
BetMGM Pennsylvania boasts a library of more than 1,500 slots, table games, live dealer titles, and video poker. The MGM Rewards program is solid, too. The real kicker is the vast collection of BetMGM exclusive slot games and progressive jackpots.
Read more: Online casinos in Pennsylvania
BetRivers is the ideal WV online casino for new and experienced players alike. From its welcome bonus with only a 1x playthrough requirement to its 1,000+ game library, there’s a whole lot to love at BetRivers.
Read more: Online casinos in West Virginia
Whenever you play at real money online casinos, responsible gaming should be on your mind. In general, responsible gaming is a school of thought that says these games should be fun, and you should play within your means.
Of course, this doesn’t mean it’s all on you. Sure, there are practices to deploy as a player, such as setting limits on play time and deposits, taking frequent breaks, and tracking losses over time. But real money online casinos also provide tools to help you with those strategies. Use them to keep your play fun and responsible. Here are three tips to get you started:
If you need assistance, it’s okay to ask for help! Consider reaching out to the Problem Gamblers Helpline, KindBridge, Gamblers Anonymous, or other services that focus on responsible gaming.
Yes. Real money online casinos are available in seven US states. To play, you need to be 21 or older and within one of those states.
Yes. PayPal is one of the most widely accepted payment and withdrawal methods at online casinos.
Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia have legalized real money online casinos.
Yes. Every real money online casino we recommend has an app for iOS and Android devices.
These details are required at sign-up to confirm three things. 1) You are of legal age to play (21+), 2) you are who you say you are (and not signing up as someone else), and 3) you are not creating a duplicate account.