US Online Casinos & Legal USA Online Casino Updates – April 2025

Online casinos in the US continue to be a hot topic as states that have legalized iGaming reap financial benefits, and legislators in others try to jump on board.

With new bills consistently being introduced to state legislatures, it can be hard to follow where you can legally play real money online casinos in the US, but we have you covered.

That number is still small (seven states as it stands), but it will eventually grow. To stay in the know, you can follow all of the US legal online casino updates right here.

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Best US Online Casinos

Check out this list of our favorite online casino sites, along with the best online casino welcome bonuses:

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Legal Online Casinos in the US

US legal online casinos are still confined to a select few states, but more could be coming. Here’s a glance at where the USA online casino industry currently stands.

Where Are Online Casinos Legal in the US?

There are currently seven states with legal online casinos that will payout real money:

Delaware was the first state to allow legal online gambling in the USA, but it remains one of the industry’s smaller markets. That said, perhaps we should have known The First State would indeed be the first state to legalize online casino activity back in 2013.

New Jersey was the next state to launch online gambling and online casinos a month later in 2013, followed by Pennsylvania in 2019, West Virginia in 2020, Michigan and Connecticut both in 2021, and Rhode Island in 2024.

The number of real money online casino options varies wildly in these states, with New Jersey currently allowing the most at 30 while Rhode Island has just a single operator: Bally.

What States Could Legalize Online Casinos Next?

Outside of the recent Rhode Island monopoly with Bally, it’s been more than four years since a state has launched legal online casinos, and while many states have had legislation put forward to follow suit, no bill has made it to the finish line yet.

Indiana looked like the most likely state to pass iGaming legislation, but it was decided in early February that once promising legislation would not move forward, at least not in 2025.

New York feels like the white whale in the industry. New York online casinos have felt close at times but, in reality, have been so far away. It’s been the biggest state for online sports betting and online casinos would likely fare the same there. A new bill is on the table, however, to legalize iGaming in New York.

The biggest American states—California, Texas, and Florida—are still working through their own sports betting issues, and aren’t even in consideration for online gambling sites at the moment.

With new state legislative bodies entering office at the beginning of the new year, there has been more movement than usual toward new legal online casino states.

Maryland has long been a good candidate for real money online casinos, and a new bill was introduced in late January in the state senate. It’s the same bill that had stalled previously in the senate after passing through the house.

While it felt a bit out of nowhere, an iGaming bill popped up in Wyoming in early 2025, but it was unable to get out of committee in early February.

Another state to watch for is Arizona, where there’s interest, but no pending legislation for online casinos. The state legislature will not meet until April 2025.

North Carolina is the latest state to launch legal online sports betting, but there doesn’t appear to be much momentum for online casinos yet.

Federal Online Casino Legislation

A collection of federal laws have opened the door for online casino legislation in the states, while also setting the groundwork for regulating them.

• Federal Wire Act: Enacted in 1961, this law restricted interstate gambling. Many legal challenges have come up questioning which forms of gambling fall under its scope, and whether it only applies to sports betting. The creation of the Internet and possibility for online gambling also muddied the waters here. Bottom line: Current online gambling laws are still passed and regulated on a state-by-state basis.
• Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA): PASPA was passed in 1992, enacted on Jan. 1, 1993, effectively outlawing sports betting in the US, with the exception of a handful of states. It was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2018, opening the door for online sports betting.
• Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIEGA): This act, signed into law in 2006, was meant to restrict certain payment methods for unlawful Internet gaming. It does not prohibit Internet gambling on a game of chance. It also notes that, in order for online gaming companies to start, they must have a license from a state. These are important details in regard to states that have legalized online casinos.
• Skill Game Protection Act: This act, signed into law in 2007, created exemptions for gambling in online “skill game” such as poker, backgammon, chess, and others where success is determined by a player’s skill, and there is competition among participants, not “the house.”
• Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act: This bill, introduced in 2011, set out to create a tax structure for online gambling companies. Each state sets their own tax rate for online casinos and online sportsbooks.

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Why Gamble With a Regulated Online Casino Site

There are several reasons why online casino players would want to gamble with regulated app or site, foremost among them safety and security. Let’s take a closer look at the key reasons:

• Regulations and consumer protections: Because legal online casinos are all overseen by the gaming commissions in each state, they are all well regulated and come with built-in consumer protections to make sure players experience fair gameplay. The games all have to be rigorously tested to make sure they’re legit and any issues with payouts or winnings can be brought to those commissions to make sure players are paid what they’re owed.
• Responsible gambling safeguards: Each regulated online casino must have responsible gambling tools available for players on their site and app. Gamblers can choose to take a timeout, self-exclude, or set daily limits on their play and deposits. These safeguards are mostly self-selected, but simply having the option is necessary for a safe gambling environment.
• Playing for real money: The safety and responsible gaming initiatives are all important because of this, but it’s also the fun part. At a regulated, real money online casino, you get to wager real money and win real money that you can deposit. There are no confusing steps or coins to redeem, just simply bet $5 on a hand of blackjack, and collect your $12.50 when you hit A-K.
• Customer support: Legal, regulated US online casinos offer 24/7 customer support through live chat. Many of the issues you might encounter can be remedied prior to having to elevate them to a higher entity.

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Top 5 Real Money Online Casinos in USA

There are more than 30 legal online casinos that are operating in the US. Here’s our look at the best online casino apps:

DraftKings Casino

DraftKings Casino Legal States: Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

One of the biggest names in online sports betting and daily fantasy sports has become one of the biggest online casino brands in the US.

It features hundreds of the best real money online slots, a full selection of table games including more themed-blackjack games than you could dream of, and its own crash game, DraftKings Rocket, which has proven incredibly popular. Adding the chance to win progressive jackpots to games outside of its online slot selection has also been a massive success.

FanDuel Casino

FanDuel Casino Legal States: Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

FanDuel is the most popular online sports betting app in the US, and it’s gaining ground as a top-rated online casino brand.

With a growing selection of games, and a mobile app you can download separate from the sportsbook, FanDuel has proven that it’s committed to being one of the best US online casinos. Its Reward Machine gives a daily chance for users to win free spins or a casino bonus, and that’s completely separate from the welcome offer you can claim with the FanDuel promo code.

BetMGM Casino

BetMGM Casino Legal States: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

BetMGM’s strong position in the country’s top three iGaming states—Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Jersey—has made it the biggest online casino brand in the US. While DraftKings and FanDuel are making moves, the King of Sportsbooks is really the King of Online Casinos.

That’s buoyed by a massive gaming library, including hundreds of exclusive online slot titles and some of the biggest jackpot payouts in the history of the industry. BetMGM has also been a pioneer in teaming with iGaming software providers such as White Hat, IGT, Light & Wonder and more.

In select states, BetMGM also offers a separate online poker app.

Caesars Palace Online Casino

Caesars Palace Online Casino Legal States: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

As one of the biggest casino brands in the world, Caesars was expected to thrive in the online market. It’s been behind the above three in both sports betting and online casino traffic, but the fairly recent rebrand from Caesars Online Casino to Caesars Palace Online Casino is a step to strengthen its position.

With the power of its land-based casino and resorts, and their connection to Caesars Rewards loyalty program, there’s plenty for casino players to like about Caesars Palace. Add in the fact it’s utilizing top-end technology to bring you live dealer games and digital versions of your favorite slots, including steppers, multi-reels and video slots, and there’s plenty of growth potential.

Borgata Online Casino

Borgata Online Casino Legal States: New Jersey, Pennsylvania

As a member of the MGM family, Borgata has become a top player in two of the biggest online casino markets in the US. Many of the same exclusive games you’ll find at BetMGM can also be found at Borgata, including MGM Grand Millions and other progressive slot games. And, since they’re two different brands, you can use a bonus code from BetMGM and Borgata to get two different signup bonuses to play those games.

Borgata provides a lot beyond that perk for new players, however, with a full library of table games, live dealer options and video poker on top of those popular slot titles.

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Real Money vs. Sweepstakes Casinos

At first glance, it doesn’t look like there’s much to distinguish between real money online casinos and sweepstakes casinos. You’ll find online slots, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps, and live dealer games at both and many of them are remarkably similar.

But the biggest difference is right there in the titles.

Wagering at a real money casino is done with real money. You deposit real money, wager with real money, and win real money that you can withdraw to your bank account.

At US sweepstakes casinos and social casinos, you can play for free with gold coins or sweeps coins and win cash prizes.

That’s not the only difference, but it’s the biggest and likely most important for you—the player.

If you’re in a legal online casino state, you’ll notice that the casino app you’re playing on is licensed by the state’s gaming commission.

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Key Stats on US Online Casinos

Here are some key stats regarding the US online casino industry:

• US states with online casinos: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia
• Highest handle online casino state: Pennsylvania has had the highest online casino revenue since joining the fray, and led the pack with $2.7 billion in 2024. Michigan and New Jersey are close behind, both near $2.4 billion. Other states are significantly behind the top three.
• Most popular online casino game for US players: Online slots are the most popular real money online casino games in the US. Specific titles such as 88 Fortunes, Buffalo, and Wheel of Fortune are among the most popular real money online slots.

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United States Land-Based Casinos

Land-based casinos are much more prevalent than online casinos, as there are 46 US states that are home to at least one. Only Utah, Georgia, South Carolina and Hawaii do not have casinos.

In total, there are about 1,000 retail casinos in the US.

These land-based casinos are either tribal or commercially run.

Tribal casinos have long been popular, as the lands they operate on have allowed legal gambling for longer than commercial land in most states.

Nevada leads the way with more than 220 casinos. This should come as no surprise, as Las Vegas is considered the gambling capitol of the US. Nearly all casinos in Nevada are commercial casinos.

Oklahoma is second with 141 casinos, all but two of which are tribal. California has nearly 90 in-person casinos.

This information is from the latest American Gaming Association “State of Play” report.

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US Online Casinos FAQ

Is online casino legal in the USA?

Yes, online casinos are legal in the US, but on a state-by-state basis. Seven states have legalized online casinos within their jurisdiction, and other states have the ability to pass legislation to do the same.

What is the difference between playing US online casinos online vs land-based?

The main difference between the two is that you can play online casinos on your mobile device anywhere within a legal state, while a land-based casino requires you to physically be there in order to play. Many of the games are the same, however, and you can win the same amount of real money at both.

What states offer regulated online casinos?

There are seven states with legal online casinos: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.

What is the most popular deposit method for US casino players?

Online banking is the quickest and most popular payment option for US online casino players. You can securely connect your bank account to the app to make deposits and withdrawals, which are often processed instantly. E-wallets such as PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, and Skrill are also popular banking options at online casinos, as are debit cards and credit cards like Visa, Mastercard and Discover. All of these options allow you to claim an online casino bonus offer, like a deposit bonus, free spins and more.

Can I use Play+ at online casinos in the US?

Yes, you can use Play+ to deposit at US online casinos. You can also use branded gift cards.