While online gambling is available to players in the United States, the market still has to deal with quite a few complexities. Perhaps the most notable issue is the fact that the market is not nearly as open as what you will find in other jurisdictions across the globe. This does not mean that there are no online gamblers in the country. In fact, the country boasts of one of the biggest gambling markets. It is mostly the gaming operators that must approach the market very carefully.
Is Online Gambling Legal in The United States?
Well, the United States’ gambling laws are usually laid out at the state level. At the federal level, no law explicitly prohibits people from placing bets online. Even at the state level, the laws vary – some have very strict online gambling laws while others are more lenient. Now, it is likely that you can gamble online without worrying about getting into any trouble. It is the operation of unlicensed and unregulated gambling sites within the state borders that is generally frowned upon.
Offshore Vs Local Online Gambling Sites
Now that many states across the country have opened their online gambling markers, one of the most notable debates is whether offshore gambling sites are still worth it. If the state you live in does not have any provisions that allow iGaming activities, offshore gaming sites are definitely the best option for you. These are way better than underground operations.
As for residents of states such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey where online gambling is legal, we would always recommend the locally-regulated iGaming platforms. These often offer the best services especially for sporting events popular in the country. However, offshore online gambling sites are still great for people who want wider markets and more betting options that are not typically not available at local sites.
How To Pick Online Casinos in the US
It goes without saying that for the best possible iGaming experience, players must find the best platforms. Fortunately, finding the best USA online casino sites is easier than ever. In addition to checking if a particular site meets all your needs and tastes, you also get to filter out bad sites through a clearly-defined checklist. Some of the most important elements that we recommend adding to the checklist include:
Licensing and regulation
Sites that are licensed and regulated either locally or internationally are more trustworthy. Trust is very important to online gamblers especially considering that they often risk their hard-earned money.
Bonuses and promotions
Many people would argue that this is not important but it plays a huge role in the gaming experience. Reward schemes add a ton of value to online gambling so long as they are well balanced. That is, the terms and conditions need to be very reasonable and the bonus amounts should be optimal.
Payment methods
If you intend to play with real money, having access to safe, reliable, and fast payment options is vital. Some sites even go as far as offering future-focused payment options likecryptocurrency.
Customer support
No site is perfect but one of the other things that stand out for many of the best sites is how they handle customer queries and disputes. Great customer support is often the defining factor for how much a casino actually values its clientele.
Mobile compatibility
A few years ago, this was a nice-to-have feature instead of a necessity. Today, most of the online gamblers in the United States access gambling platforms using smartphones or tablets. Operators optimizing their products and services for mobile devices is key to reaching the maximum number of customers.
Should You Gamble Online in the United States?
If you are not gambling online in the United States, the only other option that is available is the brick-and-mortar casinos. Given what they have to offer, land-based casinos are still very relevant in the modern world. They are also not going anywhere anytime soon. Even so, online gambling has proven that it has what it takes to be the de facto gambling method.
More people gambler online than those who visit land-based casinos. That’s simply because with online gambling, there is usually no downtime. You can play 24/7. Moreover, the capacity limits that retail casinos must deal with do not apply to online casinos. As if that is not enough, iGaming operators offer very nice incentives such as massive bonuses to online gamers. What more could they ask for.
Well, the lines are getting blurrier too. Live dealer casinos which are seeing a surge in popularity are slowly bridging the gap between the casino floor and the online gambling experience. There is certainly room for improvement but we have come so far that it is almost hard to picture how good it will get. Emerging technologies such as VR and AR are slated to be at the forefront of this.
