Few things are as entertaining and rewarding as playing at online casinos. However, finding the best casinos to play at can be ticky for some players. That’s why we created this online casino guide.
In the rest of this piece, we’ll examine what online casinos are and the different types there are. We’ll also describe what you need to understand about their legal status in the US and viable alternatives to explore. If you keep reading long enough, you’ll also learn how to choose the best online casinos and how to maximize your gameplay there.
Here’s a quick look at the upsides and downsides of using a guide before playing at an online casino:
Pros and Cons
Understand online casino operations
Avoid legal issues
Maximize gameplay
Learn new strategies
Strategies need updates
What Is an Online Casino?
An online casino is a virtual space that tries to recreate the experience of playing at a land-based casino. That’s because at
online casino sites, you’d have access to bonuses, promotions, different games, and in some cases, professional live dealers right from your electronic device (it could be mobile or desktop). There are two primary types of online casinos available. Let’s take a look at them:
Real Money Casinos
At real money casinos, you’ll get to play the site’s games using real cash and win payouts in cash. Some real-money casinos offer a one-stop gaming service, providing a range of products, including sports betting, poker, and esports, all under one site. That way, their users can explore different products after signing up for the site.
Real-money casinos are where it’s at for most gamers. However, due to local legislation, these casinos aren’t legal across the US, and so they have limited availability.
Free-to-play Casinos
Free-to-play casinos are gaming sites that operate under a sweepstakes model, allowing you to play Vegas-style casino games without making any initial purchases or deposits. These sites aren’t considered ‘gambling sites’ because they are powered by virtual currencies (mostly Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins or the equivalent) and don’t support real money.
Free-to-play sites can be either social casinos (where you play for fun) or sweepstakes casinos (where you play for fun and can redeem eligible sweepstakes winnings for alternative prizes). Either way, free-to-play casinos are viable alternatives to explore in areas where real money casinos aren’t legal.
Here’s how to differentiate between these two types of online casinos:
Real money online casinos
Free-to-play online casinos
Support real money gameplay
Use virtual currencies instead of real money
They are only available in a handful of US states
They are available in 30+ US states
What’s the Legal Status of Online Casinos in the US?
No thanks to local legislation, online casinos are only legal in a handful of US states. At the time of writing this online casino guide for beginners, you can only play at online casinos in the following states:
Connecticut
Delaware
Michigan
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
West Virginia
Interestingly, online sports betting is legal in the US, and many sportsbooks operate legally in several US states. However, many states still frown upon having online casinos within their jurisdiction despite the teeming number of online gamers within these states.
7 Things to Look Out for When Choosing an Online Casino
Let’s say you stay in a state where real money sites are legal, or you opt to play at a free-to-play casino. You’d still need to know
how to find the best online casinos. That’s why we’ll highlight some of the criteria we look for when choosing an online casino.
1. What License Does the Site Hold?
If real-money casinos are your thing, we strongly recommend playing only at US-licensed online casinos and avoiding offshore sites. On the flip side, social casinos don’t require gaming licenses to operate because they adhere to US Sweepstakes laws. With social casino sites, as long as they are legal in your state, you don’t have to worry about their licensing.
2. Are There Welcome Bonuses, and How Generous Are They?
Our guide to online casino gaming would be incomplete without discussing welcome bonuses. Our experts always verify whether a site offers one before signing up. If we had to choose between two or more sites that offered welcome bonuses, we would select a site(s) based on the generosity of the welcome bonuses. In our view, the more generous a
casino welcome bonus
is, the more player-friendly the site is perceived to be. Of course, you also need to consider wagering requirements and other relevant bonus terms.
3. What Kind of Games Does the Site Offer?
One crucial factor when choosing an online casino to play at is the site’s selection of games. We look for brands that offer a diverse gaming experience by providing a range of games, including slots, table games, live dealer games, exclusive games, fish games, scratch cards, and more, to their players. And while having a large library of games can certainly be a plus, it is equally important to evaluate the quality of the games and verify whether they have been developed by highly respected software developers, such as Pragmatic Play or Booming Games.
4. Are the Payment Methods Reputable and Convenient?
We advise you to steer clear of any online casino that doesn’t support reputable payment methods. Here’s why. Reputable payment methods have a reputation to protect and would never partner with a shady gaming site.
In addition to the reputation issue, it is advisable to only play at sites that offer your preferred payment method, enabling you to complete transactions conveniently.
5. Does the Site Have Unique Features?
By unique features, we mean tournaments, giveaways, promos, casino races, and even VIP loyalty programs. What features does the site offer that you can’t find on other sites?
6. Can You Experience the Site on the Go?
Gaming on the go has become increasingly important as our lives become busier. That’s why we check to see if an online casino has a dedicated app or is mobile-optimised. We’ve rarely played at sites without a mobile experience.
7. What Security Measures and Support Does the Site Deploy?
In addition to the license, a gaming site should implement advanced security measures to protect its users. Some of the security measures we look out for include SSL encryption tools, secure payment gateways, and anti-fraud systems.
It’s also important for a site to offer easily accessible support to its players. Always check if the site offers live chat, phone, or email support. Having an exhaustive FAQ section also counts.
How to Start Playing at Online Casinos
It’s fairly easy to start playing at an online casino. Here are the steps to take:
Visit the official website of the site you’d like to play at–you can look at the banners on this page for some of our recommendations
Click the “Join Now” or “Register” button on the casino’s homepage to initiate the signup process
Provide your details and verify your account
Make a deposit if it’s a real money casino. If you choose to play at a free-to-play casino, skip this step and go to the next one.
After choosing your preferred site and signing up, what’s next? This section of our online casino strategy guide will offer tips on how to maximize your gameplay. Keep reading.
💰 Get the Most Value from Your Bonuses
Claim as many bonuses and other promotions as you find at online casinos. These
no deposit bonus codes, welcome promos and offers provide extra funds or free spins that can extend your gameplay without making more deposits or purchases. Of course, we advise that you always check each bonus for its terms and conditions and play responsibly, depositing only what you can reasonably afford to lose.
🎮 Don’t Pass Up the Demo Games
Several real-money casinos offer games in demo modes so players can play without financial commitment. We’ve used demo games to build up a solid
online roulette strategy
by familiarising ourselves with the gameplay mechanics and exploring different variants before playing with real money. This way, you can easily get a feel for the gameplay mechanics and can test the waters before using your actual bankroll.
📊 Look Up the Return to Player Percentage
Always check a casino game’s Return to Player percentage (RTP) for each game before playing. It’s always more rewarding to play games with a higher RTP ( they have lower house edges). The RTP indicates the theoretical amount of stake returned to players over a prolonged period. While a higher RTP does not confirm any wins, you can choose to play games with higher RTPs to fulfill wagering requirements more quickly and have an overall more exciting gaming experience.
🃏 Understand How the Game Works
If you’re into decision-based casino games like blackjack, baccarat, and video poker, you need to master the basics of the game as soon as you can. Let’s say you prefer blackjack games; you’d need to create and implement an optimal
online blackjack strategy
that helps you make the right decisions more often than not.
🎰 Review the Slot’s Volatility
A key aspect of our
online slot strategy
is reviewing a slot’s volatility before playing. Slots offer different levels of variance, and low-volatility games can provide frequent rewards, while high-volatility slots offer bigger but less frequent rewards. Once you’ve figured out the slot’s volatility, you can adjust your gameplay accordingly.
Quick Facts About Using This Online Casino Guide
Before wrapping this up, we’d like to recap some of the things discussed in this guide.
Using a guide allows you to understand how online casinos operate and the various types that exist.
With this casino guide, you already know that online casinos aren’t legal in all US states, and the states where you can play.
Based on the information in this guide, you already know that free-to-play online casinos are a viable alternative to real money online casinos.
If you read this guide to this point, you’ll know the tips for choosing an online casino and how to play there.
Conclusion – This Online Casino Guide Makes Things Easy
Playing at online casinos can be fun once you know how to go about it. After reading this guide to playing at online casinos, you should be aware of the different types that exist and their legal statuses in the US. You should also know how to sign up and how to maximize your gameplay when you play at these sites. Here’s what you should do next: Find an online casino that you’d like to explore, visit it, sign up there, and practice all the tips we just shared here.
Age
21+. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Not available in AL, CA, CT, DE, ID, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, TN, WA and WV. Additional T&Cs apply.
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Yes, you can. Several real-money casinos support real-money gameplay. However, you’d have to check the banners on this page to find out that these sites are legal in your state.
It’s easy. Just find a site that’s legal in your state, sign up, and start playing. However, you’d need to create and apply an effective online casino games guide to have a great experience.
It depends on the site. A few real-money sites offer no-deposit bonuses that allow you to play without making a deposit.
