List Of Gambling Websites
- List Of Best Websites
- List Of Online Gambling Websites
- List Of All Gambling Websites
- List Of Gaming Websites
Welcome to OnlineGambling.co – your ultimate guide to the best online gambling sites!
- Gambling website lists Ken Jennings, Neil deGrasse Tyson as possible 'Jeopardy!' Host replacements. By Christopher Brito November 12, 2020 / 5:50 PM / CBS News An international gambling website.
- USA Gambling sites are now offering more ways to place bets and play casino games than ever before. These websites have stepped up their game in the past decade to prove themselves as legitimate alternatives to their land-based counterparts. Below Is Our List of the Best US Gambling Sites for 2020.
As such, SBD’s list of top sites is revisited and re-ranked regularly - our mission to find the ideal sportsbook for all types of bettors is never finished. Betting site features - If you’re searching for a site with a particular feature, like a poker room to play a few hands while watching the game, we can help you with that. The 11 largest online gambling sites in the world have allowed people to play their favorite games from the comfort of their own homes. Online gambling also provides an easy and less intimidating.
With so many online gambling websites claiming to be the best thing since sliced bread, choosing where to play can be a headache. This is where we can help you.
We’ve compiled an honest and unbiased list of the very best online gambling sites across four areas: casino, sports, poker and bingo.
But wait, that’s not all. We bring you:
Our Editor’s Picks for 2019
Best Gambling Website: www.Bovada.lv
With a ton of exciting casino games to play, Bovada Casino has earned its reputation as the best online casino around. We rate them as #1 in 2019, and if you download their client and sign up now they are offering a $1000 welcome bonus!
How We Rate the Best Gambling Sites
Only the cream of the crop makes it onto our top list. Our team of experts dissect every gambling site we come across in a bid to determine how good – or bad – it is.
The team is made up of gamblers who have decades of combined experience gambling online, so they’re a tough crowd to please! To make the cut and get featured on our list, the best gambling online sites must score highly across several criteria.
What do we demand from the best gambling sites? We expect:
Beginners often ask us, “Is gambling online safe?” A safe experience is guaranteed when you play at one of our recommended betting sites.
These sites employ SSL encryption and Two Factor Authentication (2FA) to keep your personal information and account safe.
Concerned about games being fixed? Don’t be. The top gambling sites carry licenses from respected regulators in their respective jurisdictions. These sites also allow independent gaming fairness labs to test their games. This proves that results are totally random and fair.
Amazing welcome bonuses are a must at the best online gambling sites. We look for sites that give you a variety of bonuses to choose from. After all, why would you want a free sports bet if you only want to play slots?
Sometimes you don’t even have to deposit to receive great gambling site deals. We give high scores to sites that offer no-deposit bonuses and free spins to let you try games without depositing. The top sites also offer reload bonuses and a VIP ladder.
How many payment methods are available? Does the cashier software make it easy to deposit? Are there fees involved? How long will it take to receive your winnings after requesting a withdrawal? We consider all these factors when rating the best online gambling sites.
Several payment methods should be available to fund your chosen gambling site. This should include options like credit cards and e-wallets (such as Neteller and Skrill). The online betting site should make it clear if any fees will be involved. We also time how long withdrawals take.
Have you ever encountered a payout issue or a technical glitch? Then you’ll know the importance of a first-class customer support team. We give high scores to online gambling sites that offer several different support options. Fast responses are also a requirement.
The best betting sites should offer live chat, email, and phone support. Queries should also be addressed quickly by friendly and highly-trained support agents. To ensure this is the case, we put their knowledge to the test by asking a series of questions.
As you can see, rating the best gambling sites is a long and complicated process.Luckily for you, we’ve done all the hard work for you. Simply sign up to one of our recommended sites and you know you’re going to have an epic online gambling experience. And don’t forget to claim one of the awesome bonuses we’ve secured for you.
Our Top Gambling Site
Best Overall Website: www.Bovada.lv
Whether you like to play casino games or bet on sports, Bovada has all your online gambling needs covered. With quick and easy deposits and lightning fast withdrawals, they are our number one pick for 2019.
Why Gamble Online?
Like anything else, there are pros and cons to gambling online. Let’s walk you through them so you can see if an online casino or sports betting site is more suited to you than a brick-and-mortar one.
✔ Superb Bonuses and Promotions
The best online gambling deals involve big welcome bonuses that reward you for making your first deposit. No-deposit bonuses, free spins and free bets are some other promotions sites offer. You can also win prizes by participating in exciting tournaments online.
✔ Your Favorite Games in One Place
Want to bet on sports events? Perhaps you fancy spinning the reels of slot machines? In the mood for some poker or bingo instead? Online gambling websites allow you to bet and gamble on all types of games using a single account. Now that’s convenience for you!
✔ Gamble Anytime, Anywhere
Unlike most land-based casinos, gambling sites are open 24/7. This means you can simply log in and play your favorite games without leaving the house. Even if you aren’t near your desktop, the best sites offer mobile-optimized games to play on the go.
✔ Suitable for All Bankrolls
Are you a low-limit player looking for a cheap form of entertainment, or a thrill-seeking high roller wanting to bet big? It doesn’t matter how deep your pockets are when you play at online gambling sites. Players of all bankroll levels are warmly welcomed.
Now that we’ve outlined some benefits of gambling online, it’s only fair that we also highlight the downsides, right?
✖ Laws and Regulation
Online gambling laws are different around the world. It’s perfectly legal to gamble online in many countries, while it’s illegal in others. And don’t even get us started on the grey areas that create even murkier waters. Regulations rarely target individual players, but you should always check if internet gambling is legal in your country before you play.
✖ Withdrawal Times
You can simply walk up to the cage and cash-in your chips when you win big at a land-based casino or betting shop. Unfortunately, processing times may get in the way when you play at even the best online gambling sites. You may have to wait several days for your money. However, if you stick to the recommended payment methods, you can see money in your account in as little as 24 hours.
The Top Five Online Gambling Tips
We constantly receive emails from new players asking us for online gambling tips.
As veteran gamblers, we could quite literally write a book filled with advice. But we know you want us to dish the dirt quickly to get on with your gaming. Here are our top five essential tips for online gamblers:
✔ Learn the Rules Before You Play
It’s vital that you understand the rules of the game you want to play. That way, you maximise your winning odds. Read expert-written guides to learnhow to play games you haven’t played before. Our guide on how to play 3 Card Poker is a great example.
✔ Stick to Reputable Online Gambling Sites
The reality of internet gambling is that there are loads of shady sites. These sites offer rigged games or make lame excuses when it comes to paying out big wins. But don’t worry, we’ve found safe and secure online gambling sites that welcome players from your country.
✔ Read the Bonus Terms and Conditions
One of the biggest mistake’s beginners make is not reading bonus T&Cs. They see ‘amazing’ welcome offers, sign up and deposit in the blink of an eye, only to learn that there are unrealistic wagering requirements attached to the bonus. Bigger isn’t always best.
✔ Play Casino Games with the Highest Return To Player (RTP) Percentage
To give yourself a better chance of winning, play casino games with a low house edge. Blackjack is a great shout if you enjoy table games. Most online blackjack games offer an RTP of around 99.5%. The RTP of slots differs greatly, but anything above 96% is deemed impressive.
✔ Set Weekly or Monthly Deposit Limits
Setting limits is very important when it comes to online gambling. Real money can quickly disappear from your bank account if you start chasing losses. Make use of the responsible gambling measures gambling sites have in place to limit how much you can deposit.
Online Gambling Around the World
Our main goal at OnlineGambling.co is to match you with the best online gambling sites for your country. This means we must keep up-to-date with all the latest laws. Let’s take a closer look at the gambling situation across the globe. We’ll briefly cover the laws and regulations in place for each territory, as well as the most popular games that you can play.
Online Gambling in Asia
Considering Asia makes up 60% of the world’s population, it shouldn’t come as any surprise to learn that it’s also the largest gambling market. However, internet gambling laws are just as varied as the cultures of Asian countries. Online gambling is prohibited in many Asian regions, yet legal in others.
For example, all forms of gambling online are banned in China, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia. Despite this, many gamblers play at international gambling sites by bypassing government firewalls and filters.
Thankfully, lots of Asian countries have adopted friendly attitudes towards online gambling. You can play games like Baccarat and Mahjong at the best online casinos in Macau. Sports betting sites are thriving in the Philippines and India. You can also bet and play casino games online in Thailand and Malaysia.
Online Gambling in the United States
Your options are limited when it comes to legal online gambling sites in the United States. You have the Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) to thank for that. However, several states now offer regulated online gambling markets.
New Jersey is the largest of these markets. You can choose from over a dozen licensed poker and casino sites in New Jersey. There has also been an explosion in sports betting sites in recent times. Other states like Delaware and Nevada have also opened their doors to internet gambling.
More states are set to follow suit. You can already access sports betting sites in West Virginia, with online casinos and poker sites set to follow in 2020. Pennsylvania is set to follow suit as many of the state’s major casinos are going to roll out online casinos.
Online Gambling in Australia
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play at licensed online casinos in Australia. The land Down Under addressed the legality of online gambling back in 2001 with the Interactive Gambling Act. This law states that it’s illegal to offer online gambling games like pokies, table games, and poker.
So, what options do you have as an Australian resident? Well, it’s still completely legal to place bets on auto racing. As a matter of fact, sports betting websites in Australia offer tons of different markets for you to bet on. You just can’t bet in-play. Online lottery and keno games are also legal.
Australia’s laws surrounding gambling online have led to many players flocking to New Zealand. The best online gambling sites in New Zealand offer all your favorite games under one roof. You’ll have plenty of fun spinning the reels of blockbuster pokies developed by Ainsworth and Aristocrat.
Online Gambling in Europe
Did you know that Europe leads the way when it comes to regulated online gambling? Individual countries are responsible for passing their own gambling laws. Keeping up with so many European regulations can be incredibly challenging, but we’ve done all the hard work for you.
Regulated markets like the UK and Spain require online gambling websites to apply for licenses before accepting real money bets. These licenses are awarded by bodies like the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) to confirm that games are safe and fair.
Football and horse racing are two of the most popular markets at online bookmakers in the UK and throughout Europe. Poker and bingo games are also very popular. You can also spin the reels of feature-packed slot games from industry-leading software providers like NetEnt and Microgaming.
Online Gambling in Canada
If you’re a Canuck, you’ll know that online gambling laws in Canada have always been very strict. Each province is responsible for setting its own laws. The good news is that all ten provinces in Canada offer several forms of legal online gambling to keep you entertained.
We’ve identified the most reputable online gambling sites in Canada on your behalf. Each of these sites is licensed and regulated by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC). The best sites also allow independent gaming fairness labs totest their games to ensure results are random.
You’ll have tons of options to choose from if you want to play poker online in Canada. Fans of online sports gambling can place wagers on major sporting events, like the Stanley Cup and the Tim Hortons Brier. You can also play your favorite casino and lottery games when you gamble online in Canada.
FAQ
Can you gamble online in the United States?
This depends on which state you live in. States possess the power to make onlinegambling legal or illegal. Many states have embraced online gambling in recent years by regulating the market. This means that safe and secure betting sites are guaranteed if it’s legal to gamble in your state.
Regulated internet gambling has rolled out across several states like New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada. You can bet on sports in West Virginia, but you’ll have to wait until 2020 before you can play casino and poker games.
Can you gamble online in Asia?
It’s illegal to gamble online in countries like China, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia. Thankfully, not all Asian countries take such a view of online gambling. There are tons of sports betting sites in India and the Philippines to choose from. You can also play great casino games online in Macau.
Thailand and Malaysia are another two Southeast Asian countries that offer plenty of online options, especially when it comes to betting on horses and playing popular Asian casino games like Baccarat and Sic Bo. You can also play Mahjong online for real money at many Asian sites.
Is online gambling safe?
It is when you play at one of our recommended online gambling sites. Only safe and trustworthy gambling sites make it onto our top list. These sites possess licenses from reputable gaming authorities. They also allow their random number generators (RNG) to be tested for fairness.
The best online gambling sites also have several security measures in place to keep you safe. This includes SSL encryption to stop your personal details being stolen when conducting transactions. Two Factor Authentication (2FA) is also used add an extra layer of security to your account.
What’s the best online gambling site?
Take your pick from our top list of recommended online gambling sites. No matter which site you choose, an amazing experience is guaranteed. You’ll receive a generous welcome bonus, plenty of banking methods will be available, plus you can win big playing all your favorite games in one place.
Can I gamble on mobile?
You certainly can. As a matter of fact, if an online gambling site isn’t mobile-optimized, we’d go as far as saying that you shouldn’t even consider playing there. The best online gambling websites invest heavily in ensuring their website and games can be accessed via tablet and smartphone.
The top online gambling sites are compatible with Android, iOS and Windows mobile operating systems. HTML5 technology is used to ensure you get the same great experience on mobile devices as you would playing via desktop. You can play games in instant-play mode without any downloads.
Are there any real money casino apps?
Yes! You’ll be pleased to learn that there are plenty of real money casino apps to choose from. These apps are specifically tailored for your tablet and smartphone.Most online casinos invest in apps for Android and iOS devices, but some are also available for Blackberry and Windows platforms.
One of the main benefits of downloading real money casino apps is notifications. We can’t think of many things better than a little message popping up alerting us to the fact we’ve been awarded free spins or juicy reload bonuses. Can you?
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Skip the Headaches and Play at a Legitimate Site
You’re looking for a legitimate U.S. gambling site, but can’t decide which site to trust with your hard-earned money?
Good news! We’ve been in the online gambling industry for over a decade (several decades, really, if you add all of our experience together), and we’ve spent countless hours to bring you a list of the most legitimate sites.
Here’s what all of these sites have in common:
- 10+ years in the business with strong reputations.
- Attractive promotions for first-time customers.
- Quick money withdrawals (relative to the U.S. market).
| Rank | Site | Play | Bonus |
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100% up to €250
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200% up to €500
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100% up to €400
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100% up to €300
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100% up to €400
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Why Bovada Is #1 in the U.S.
#1: Fastest Check Cashouts
Bovada gets 10 times as much traffic as its second best US competitor and still delivers check payouts faster than any of them. Bovada processes check withdrawals in 7 days; many of its competitors take weeks, some more than a month to do the same. (There are other fast options, like the #3-ranked BetOnline, which delivers checks in 14 days.)
#2: Service
An equally important aspect of Bovada’s operations is its customer service. If there ever was an indication of how much a company respects its customers, it’s the level of customer service the company provides. I haven’t found any US-friendly site doing this aspect of the business better (although 5Dimes is a worthy runner-up).
#3: All-In-One
Finally, all parts of Bovada’s business (sportsbook, casino, poker, racebook) are popular. Bovada is best-known for sports betting and casino games, however, even its online poker room has around four times as many players online as the second biggest US poker site. You can access all of their games with one player account.
… But You Should Know This
Bovada is recreational-friendly, perhaps more-so than any other US site. You’ll find few golden opportunities in their sportsbook (read more about their use of dual lines), they have a relatively high overall house edge (especially after recently increasing house edge in video poker games) and their online poker room only has “anonymous” tables.
Although not everyone agrees with me, the recreational-friendly part is an advantage for skilled poker players. Since Bovada appeals to recreational gamblers, you’ll be like a shark among regular fish.
Bovada charges a 4.9% fee for credit card deposits (a lot considering how most sites charge nothing). The impact of the deposit fee is slightly compensated by their welcome bonuses, which are better than average.
All online gamblers look for entertaining games, attractive promotions and aesthetically pleasing software. To have a safe experience, however, you want a site to:
- Serve its customers with safety and respect,
- Operate with a reasonable house edge, and
- Handle money transactions promptly.
Yes, the third point is included in the first point but it’s also such an essential part of the customer experience that it must be mentioned separately. Many online gambling websites operate without an adequate level of service so these points are worth considering. It’s rare to find a combination of all three points.
Bovada fulfills all of the above criteria better than other sites but 5Dimes does well, too. In fact, I’m confident in ranking those two as the best USA gambling websites specifically because they deliver so well in the areas related to safety and trustworthiness. A site without proper customer service and safety measures is not one you should deposit money to, regardless of its promotions and whatnot.
What Are Some Alternative Options?
For Sports Bettors
5Dimes.eu is the best betting site in the US for the following reasons: they’re professional-friendly and offer reduced juice betting lines (in other words, less house edge). Before betting on any game, I recommend taking a look at the odds 5Dimes is offering. They’ve been a reliable sportsbook for over 10+ years — you’ll find few complaints about 5Dimes online, and the ones you find have been resolved quickly.
For poker and casino games, I would go with Bovada. But for sports bettors, it makes the most sense to have an account at 5Dimes.
Another Solid Option
BetOnline.ag is my third suggestion. It’s not significantly better than the others in any area but they’re simply a solid option. Prompt cashout processing, decent poker traffic, good sports betting options and entertaining casino games. Additionally, I’ve had good experiences with their customer service.
For sports bettors, BetOnline is worth signing-up at simply to be able to compare betting lines among a few sites. For poker players, BetOnline may offer some good games every now and then (keep in mind: you can bet on sports and play casino and poker games with the same account, so plenty of gamblers will stumble on the poker games eventually). For casino gamblers, BetOnline has a basic but reliable offering.
BetOnline charges a 6% fee for credit card deposits.
Is It Legal to Play?
The definition of ”gambling” and the laws surrounding vary depending on which state you live in.
In Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey, some forms of online gambling have been legalized and regulated (only state-licensed sites are allowed to operate legally). In other states, it’s likely (although not widely agreed upon) that playing – and certainly operating – online gambling games for real money is illegal.
On a federal level, sports betting is the only form of prohibited gambling via the Wire Act of 1961. For several years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintained that the Wire Act applies to all forms of online gambling, but in December 2011, they corrected that stance by stating that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting – a result of a 13-page memorandum from the Office of Legal Counsel to the Criminal Division of the DOJ (source).
State laws, however, often indirectly prohibit gambling. Or to put it another way: it would be difficult to claim any forms of online gambling legal with absolute certainty in most states (lotteries and such aside). Most state laws indirectly prohibit gambling simply by making all forms of gambling unlawful that have not been made lawful.
Purely based on history, it’s unlikely you’ll get into legal trouble; then again, if something is illegal, you can get into trouble, and someone probably will. Gambling online may be illegal where you live. Contact a local gaming lawyer to get a better idea of your local laws.
Legal Troubles
Industry-changing events have taken place in the online gambling world – mainly concerning online poker – such as the UIGEA and Party Poker’s exit from the US market, or PokerStars’ exit from the US market in 2011.
Those crimes were committed by online poker operators, though, not players. Still, the mere fact that online poker companies were targeted was enough to cast a shadow over the legality of US online poker, and furthermore, players grew more and more worried about one of these sites getting shut down along with the money on their player accounts.
In fact, there is a legitimate reason to worry about dishonest US gambling sites taking your money. Some sites have indeed taken off with the money – a recent example is Lock Poker, which currently may owe its customers over $15 million. I created LegitGamblingSites.com mainly to give more exposure to the sites with strong track records of honest business practices.
The lawmakers, in that regard, have a point about not allowing unlicensed sites to provide online gambling games to US citizens. While that may not be the reason, it’s likely one of them. (If I had to guess, I’d say they’re more concerned about losing out on tax dollars and protecting the interests of brick & mortar casino owners such as Sheldon Adelson, although through the RAWA – Restore America’s Wire Act legislation – he tries to do that by himself.)
How to Move Money Around
Ever since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) became a law, US citizens have had a more difficult time finding a suitable deposit method.
There are only a few left, actually.
The most common deposit method for US citizens is still credit card deposits, out of which VISA is the most widely accepted brand, followed by Mastercard, with American Express being a distant third. Cards must be eligible for both international and online transfers.
The alternative method is to use a money transfer service such as Western Union. Western Union is mostly a deposit-only method. (Bovada is an exception since they only allow you to withdraw money via a check.)
Why to use a money transfer service instead of a credit card?
- A card deposit fails to go through. This happens every now and then, and the only way to know if your card will be accepted is to try. According to various forum reports, Vanilla VISA is declined at most sites while Netspend VISA has been successful.
Surprisingly, players have had problems with card deposits even at state-licensed sites due to banks like Bank of America outright declining all gambling transactions. Things will likely get better with the new MCC codes for VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Distant which will help casinos to identify gambling transactions more accurately. It’s unclear how much of a help this will be since banks still have the right to decline transfers marked with the new MCC codes, and due to not wanting to violate the UIGEA (according to which they’re prohibited from knowingly processing unlawful gambling transactions), banks may decide it isn’t worth it and keep cancelling transactions even if they were for state-licensed sites.
This is expected to change once bigger states – perhaps even the biggest of them all, California – join internet gambling, since declining the transactions will then affect such a large percentage of any bank’s customer base.
- You want a faster cashout. While money transfer services cost more (many sites, like Bovada, allow one free check cashout a month), the money is usually delivered to be picked up at a local Western Union location in five days or less.
- You don’t want a check cashout. You need to go to a cashier to cash a check. Most people would rather avoid doing this, especially since banks aren’t allowed to knowingly process online gambling related transactions (unless in Delaware, Nevada or New Jersey, but people have had problems in those states as well).
In general, you’ll have higher transaction costs with money transfer services than with a combination of credit cards and checks. BetOnline and Bovada are the only major USA sites charging for credit card deposits and most allow one free check cashout per month – some, like True Poker, allow a free check withdrawal every seven days.
How to use a credit card/check combination?
- Enter your credit card details online after which you have the money on your player account instantly.
- When done playing, order a check cashout, which will take from a week to over a month depending on which site you’re dealing with.
- Go to your local bank to cash the check.
How to use a money transfer service (like Western Union)?
- Go to their website or a live Western Union location and send money to the gambling site. (You’ll need to contact the gambling site first to get their transfer details.)
- When done playing, initiate the withdrawal from your player account.
- Go to a live location to collect the money.
State-Licensed Sites
As mentioned, Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey have legalized and regulated some forms of real-money online gambling. Delaware started with online poker but has since expanded into casino games as well; Nevada offers online poker games only; New Jersey offers online poker and casino games.
As you can see, not a single one of these states offer online sports betting. In New Jersey – clearly the biggest market of the three – there’s a clause according to which sports betting may be considered to be added in the future.
Requirements
You must be physically located within a state’s boundaries to play at the licensed sites. If you’re currently located in California but live in Nevada, you’re unable to play until you return to Nevada; if you’re currently located in Nevada but live in California, you can play as long as you stay within Nevada’s state boundaries.
Licensed sites have to make sure nobody outside of the state can participate in the games. Geolocation – identifying exactly where a person is located – has been difficult, and there are still people who are unable to play even though they’re located within those states. This is one of the reasons licensed online gambling sites have done financially worse than expected.
List Of Best Websites
Only existing brick & mortar casino owners within those states can apply for licenses, although they can apply together with an existing online gambling site in a software-licensing agreement, like Caesar’s Interactive and 888.com have done. If a poker site kept operating in the US after the UIGEA of 2006, it will be subjected to a ”bad actor” clause in Nevada and be prohibited from operating in the state for now.
Performance
Each state has had a rocky start, although New Jersey is doing OK. In March 2014, they did $11.87 million in revenue, which grew into $13.16 million in March 2015. A growth rate of 14.57% year-over-year is better than nothing, but still a far cry from the $1 billion within the first 7 months of operating Governor Christie expected (New Jersey gambling sites were launched in November 2013). In other words, his expectations were a little over $140 million a month on average, or about ten times the current revenue.
According to PokerScout.com, Nevada’s online poker revenue is going downhill. Year-over-year decrease in revenue of around 44% (from February 2014 to February 2015) is, no matter how you look at it, a disappointing result. Problems with card deposits and geolocation – both of which exist in other states as well – and player liquidity have undoubtedly contributed to the significant decrease. Players have to deal with fewer problems when playing at offshore sites, and as long as that continues, it will be difficult for state-licensed sites to gain major traction.
In Delaware, the state keeps all yearly revenue up to $3.75 million. Since total revenue for 2014 was around $2.1 million, gambling operators have made nothing. The main reason for such a low amount of revenue is Delaware’s population of 0.94 million (in comparison, New Jersey has a population of 8.9 million). Liquidity is important for online poker since you need lots of players to run games at various stakes, in several forms and throughout the day. Delaware is trying to improve its poker liquidity by combining player pools with Nevada but so far there hasn’t been a significant improvement to its online gaming revenue.
If all of the three states were to combine their player pools, it would create a poker economy of around 12 million people, which could add significant liquidity to the games and thus bring in more revenue to each of the states.
Offshore Sites
Gambling sites accepting US customers from outside of the three states are all ”offshore” sites, meaning they operate from outside of the US and have no license to operate within the US. They have obtained a license in some other jurisdictions – such as Antiqua & Barbuda or Panama – but many of those jurisdictions have less-than-stellar reputations.
The disadvantage of gambling at offshore sites is the lack of safety. For an outsider, it’s impossible to know how strict testing measures these sites go through to prove their legitimacy, and hypothetically, if one of them were to disappear from the internet tomorrow along with your money, what could you do about it?
Lock Poker, as already mentioned, is an ongoing example. They’ve now lost their license in Curacao (weirdly, they were able to keep the license easily over a year after refusing to process customer cashouts) and there’s nothing anyone can do to make sure Lock Poker’s customers have their money returned. All we can do is spread the word to the people who are considering signing-up and depositing money to their site.
The best thing you can do is consider the reputation of the site rather than the jurisdiction since all jurisdictions have had dishonest sites. The longer a site has been fully operational, and the fewer complaints it has generated, the better. Essentially, Bovada has been in the online gambling business since 2000 when Bodog.com was founded (the US-friendly operations of Bodog were re-branded as Bovada in 2011), and as mentioned, they’ve achieved an excellent reputation with a high level of customer service.
But there are advantages to playing at an offshore site, too, and you can legitimately argue that the advantages override the disadvantages. Offshore sites place fewer restrictions on customers, need less personal information and have to compete with lots of other sites (within US states, competition is limited) which forces them to be at their best in order to succeed. There are no geolocation issues either.
Safety and legality aside – although obviously, both are big considerations – offshore sites are the better option in almost every area. Since only three states have legalized some forms of real-money online gambling in the US, they’re the only places for internet gambling for around 96.4% of US population.
List Of Online Gambling Websites
What’s Next?
List Of All Gambling Websites
US online gambling is in a transitional phase: after a long wait of legalization, three states have done it, mostly with lackluster success. Suggesting geolocation and deposit issues are resolved, revenue streams may grow. With online poker, though, most likely at least one of the bigger states has to legalize it and combine player pools with the others to create a meaningful poker economy.
List Of Gaming Websites
A federal legalization would create much-needed competition and player pools, which in turn creates a bigger incentive for operators to participate and, in many ways, a better environment for gamblers. If internet gambling was to be legalized nationwide, every operator and their grandmother would want a license. As of now, it’s more beneficial for most operators to stay outside of the US.