IN BRIEF: The top ten real money casinos in the USA for Sep 2023
- 🥇 DraftKings casino — Best overall
- 🥈 Borgata casino — Best real money casino for live games
- 🥉 BetMGM casino — Best for slots, best payments
- Unibet casino — Best for high-roller table games
- Caesars casino — Great rewards program
- Mohegan Sun casino — Huge game library
- Resorts casino — Unique slot features
- PartyCasino — Strong in all areas
- Pala casino — Daily wheel spins
- Bet365 casino — Top safety and compliance features
1
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93/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 89% Playscore based on |
100% up to $2,000 or $100 in casino credit
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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2
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88/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 92% Playscore based on |
$20 Bonus Dollars + 100% up to $1,000
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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3
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87/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 91% Playscore based on |
100% up to $1,000 + $25 Free Play
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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4
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85/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 90% Playscore based on |
50% deposit match up to $1,000
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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5
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85/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 86% Playscore based on |
100% up to $1,000 + $10 bonus bet + 2,500 Reward Credits
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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6
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85/100 Expert rating by Lorella F. 85% Playscore based on |
100% up to $1,000
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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7
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85/100 Expert rating by Lorella F. 84% Playscore based on |
100% up to $1,000
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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8
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81/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 84% Playscore based on |
100% up to $1,000 + 25 free spins
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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9
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80/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 82% Playscore based on |
$25 free + up to $500 in deposit bonuses
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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10
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78/100 Expert rating by Ramona D. 85% Playscore based on |
100% deposit match up to $1,000
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler (call or text in Colorado). |
11
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78/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 85% Playscore based on |
Bonus Money reload up to $500
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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12
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76/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 80% Playscore based on |
100% up to $1,000
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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13
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73/100 Expert rating by Lorella F. 90% Playscore based on |
100% up to $500
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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14
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71/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 86% Playscore based on |
$100 Cashback
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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15
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70/100 Expert rating by Sarah C. 80% Playscore based on |
100% up to $100 + 100 free spins
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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1
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93/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 87% Playscore based on |
1.5 million WOW Coins + 30 free Sweepstakes Coins
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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2
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88/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 96% Playscore based on |
5% Rakeback, 10,000 Gold Coins, and $1 Stake Cash
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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3
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87/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 84% Playscore based on |
Up to 367,000 Gold Coins + 32.3 free Sweepstakes Coins
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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4
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80/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 86% Playscore based on |
Daily Free Spins and Credit Bonus
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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5
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79/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 92% Playscore based on |
Up to 380,000 Gold Coins and 1,400 Fortune Coins
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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6
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79/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 79% Playscore based on |
250 Gold Coins + 5 Sweeps Coins and 600 Diamonds
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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7
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77/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 79% Playscore based on |
Up to 775,000 free coins and 700 promotional entries
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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8
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76/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 85% Playscore based on |
200 free spins + 25,000 free credits
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Play now players accepted |
Good to know
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As you can see from the highlights displayed in our real money casinos list here, these rankings are curated to into finding the best real cash casinos for you.
The top online casinos that pay real money — a deeper dive
Our mega list of real money online casinos is an ultimate list of the casinos we rate. To find out more about why the top 5 casinos have their spots on the list, read on.
DraftKings: best for real cash casino games
DraftKings is our top-rated real cash casino, and it comes out top overall. It’s easy to see why it wins the top spot every time. It has the largest selection of real money games, great min / max deposits, tons of exclusive games, and is available in most legal states.
- Biggest selection of real money games
- Low min deposit limits
- No depositing / withdrawing fees
BetRivers and SugarHouse: best for low wagering requirements
Want to see your bonus as real money as soon as possible? The twins of SugarHouse and BetRivers (changes depending on your state) are the best sites for you. They have one of the lowest wagering requirements out there (x1). For high rollers they have a 50,000 max deposit, too — so you can start playing for big bucks ASAP.
- Low wagering requirement (1x)
- Speedy withdrawals
- High max deposit
Borgata online: best for real money casino offers
Borgata online casino has a deposit match bonus of 100% up to $1000, and a no-deposit bonus of $20. That plus mega jackpot slots, and high (100k high) withdrawal limits make this a top choice for newcomers and seasoned players alike.
- Generous real money bonus
- $100,000 max withdrawals
- Mega cross-casino jackpots
BetMGM: best for real money promos
BetMGM online casino knows how to make sure players keep coming back with generous real money promos. You can also deposit a massive 500,000 without any fees from the casino — which makes it one a top high roller online casino. There’s also a $25 sign-up “FREEPLAY” sign-up bonus which you can use to win real cash.
- Best for real money promos
- $500,000 max deposit
- Top selection of real money table games
Unibet: best for betting big on real money casino table games
Unibet online casino is ideal for high-rollers and newcomers looking for the best online casinos that payout. For newcomers, you only have an x1 wagering requirement on your no deposit bonus. That means you could see your bonus winnings as real cash faster than at other operators. Want to bet big? Head to the live blackjack table where the betting range starts at $30 and goes up to $5000.
- Low wagering requirements with no-deposit bonus
- Big cash payouts on live table games like blackjack
- Instant deposit times
Who has the best real money casino offers in each category?
We don’t pick the best real money online casinos just for their generous welcome bonuses. Each casino we list shines in a real money category. The categories help you find the best real cash casinos for you — whether you’re looking for the best for payouts or real money games.
| No. | Casino | Best for | Casino bonus | Number of games | Payout speed | Maximum withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Nugget | Real money online slots | 100% up to $1000 + 200 free spins | 850+ | 48 – 72 hours | 250000 (VIP Preferred) |
| 2 | SugarHouse | Real money apps | 100% up to $250 | 800+ | 5 – 24 hours | 25000 (per transaction) |
| 3 | Borgata | Real money payouts | $20 free bonus + 100% up to $1000 | 700+ | 72+ hours (average) | 100000 |
| 4 | BetMGM | Real money poker | 100 % up to $1000 + $25 FREEPLAY | 700+ | 72+ hours (average) | 100000 |
| 5 | Unibet | Real money blackjack | 100% up to $500 + $10 free cash | 600+ | 72+ hours (average) | Depends on payment method |
| 6 | Mohegan Sun | Real money table games | 100 % up to $1000 | 790+ | 72+ hours (average) | Depends on payment method |
| 7 | Resorts | Real money scratch cards | 100% up to $1000 | 830+ | 72+ hours (average) | Depends on payment method |
| 8 | Caesars | Real money no-deposit bonuses | 100% up to $2000 | 800+ | 72+ hours (average) | Depends on payment method |
| 9 | bet365 | Real money withdrawals | 100% deposit match up to $100 | 100+ | 24 – 48 hours | None |
| 10 | 888casino | Exclusive real money games | $20 free bonus + 120% up to $500 | 600+ | 72+ hours | None |
How to choose the best real money online casinos
Looking for the best USA real money online casino? A generous deposit match bonus and games with big payouts are (most likely) on your list.
Those things are important for all players – even when you’re looking for online sweepstakes casinos (such as Wyoming online casinos, for example). But you should consider other factors, like payment methods and withdrawal limits.
Take a look at each section for more info on how to choose the best real-money online casino:
Payments
At all the online casinos we rate you’ll find Visa, Mastercard, and Discover credit card options. There’s an advantage if they’re PayPal real money online casinos – because you’ll be able to deposit and withdraw using the same method. Payouts shouldn’t take longer than 3 days — that’s an average score for USA real money online casinos.Sites without cashout limits like 888casino are rare, but even if there are ‘transaction limits’, you can usually make multiple at once. When it comes to payment options, you should be able to find an online real money casino that accepts Paysafecard, Play+, and PayPal, as well as the major credit card options.
Bonuses
Bonuses come in different forms – if they’re deposit matches you should go for matches of at least 100% that exceed $750 (Caesars knocks it out of the park with 100% up to $2,000). No-deposit cash casino bonuses or free spins are great for players who just want to dip their toe into the real money casino world. They usually don’t go beyond $30 (at BetMGM you get $25 FREEPLAY), so it’s a low-risk-low-reward option. Out of all the sites we rate, FanDuel is the only casino that offers cashback or risk-free betting bonuses. You’ll usually have 24 hours to try your luck with different casino games. Then you’ll get a refund on any net losses, often up to $1,000.
Games
When it comes to games variety is important – but if you want to win big you’ll want to go for real money casino games with the biggest payouts. Online slots and jackpots, along with card and table games (e.g., online baccarat) are the standard at most casinos. Extras like online keno for real money, sic bo real money, bingo, and scratch cards sweeten the deal.
There should also be live dealer options, and the best online real money casinos will offer live casino online real money games from multiple providers. Looking for live dealer and table games with the chance to win big payouts? Go for a casino like BetMGM NJ which offers live dealer games, round-the-clock, and daily poker tournaments where you can bag 10k in winnings.
Software
You should expect the most reputable, trustworthy software names when you land in the games lobby of a legit US casino. Look for iGaming studios like NetEnt, IGT, SG Digital, Playtech, and Evolution. You’ll also probably want to find an instant play real money casino like SugarHouse that allows you to play for real money immediately after you’ve signed up.
Evolution are the masters of live dealer games, and you’ll find that their stakes can go high enough to satisfy most hardcore online casino real money players. NetEnt and IGT both cover real money online slots, RNG table games, and progressive jackpots. These two giants offer games for players of all levels – with everything from low volatility slots to high-bet live roulette. Running their real money games is a checkmark in the operator’s favor.
Mobile
A real money casino app should have at least 90% of the casino games the desktop versions have and should be optimized for things such as live mobile roulette. The best online casinos for real money in the US offer full real money games offering and mobile-exclusive editions.
For a good experience, we expect mobile casinos for real money to have an intuitive navigation system and excellent load times. Native Android / iOS apps are a must, and while glitches and crashes do happen on mobile, they shouldn’t happen while you’re betting in-game, especially when it’s for real money casino play.
Safety
You should expect (at minimum) a US online real money casino to be licensed, regulated, and listed by the government licensing boards in whichever state(s) it’s operating. Some real money casino sites do safety better than others. You should consider the following, especially if you’re about to deposit funds:
How transparent are their signup, bonus, and payment terms? Sites like Golden Nugget NJ and Unibet are explicit about these things. How clear are they with info about their auditing and game fairness? They should also offer wide range of responsible real money online gambling tools and an RG page that links to helpful organizations. But a good casino site should go further by having their own RG platforms or by donating to RG programs.
Awards, a partnership (or even a shared brand name) with a reputable land-based casino, and a wide range of positive reviews are a few more indicators that you’ve found one of the safest online casino real money sites to play at.
Customer support
Reliable customer support is essential when you’re playing for real money. You need to know that you have a helpful and trustworthy customer support team you can turn to should any problems come up.
Real money online casinos should have multi-channel support – SugarHouse is a good example. You should be able to reach your casino by email, live chat, and phone. FAQ and Help pages should be available to help resolve minor and common issues, but they shouldn’t take the place of the main channels. Live chat should be available 24/7, but failing that, from morning till very late, seven days a week.It shouldn’t take more than 1-3 minutes to get a response, and at most of the best online real money casinos, it’ll take less than 1 minute. Ideally, you should expect clear responses with minimal clarification required.
Online casino payments for real money
There are a few things you should consider with online casino payments for real money. You should expect them to be fast, secure, and for a decent range of payment options. A good example of a site hitting all these would be SugarHouse NJ – which offers instant deposit times, fast withdrawal (can be as fast as 30 mins), major credit cards like Visa, and e-wallets like PayPal.
Let’s take a look at some points you should look out for:
Instant withdrawal casino
At fast payout casinos we’d expect withdrawal times of 24 hours at the very least. It’s not just the casino, though, it depends on the method you use to withdraw. At Golden Nugget NJ you can get your real money winnings in an instant if you use their branded Play+ card. At the same casino, with bank transfers things aren’t instant at all – it can 5-7 days for you to see your winnings as real cash.
Casino payments
Looking for the best real money payment methods? You’ll want a good range of deposit and withdrawal limits. An online casino should also not charge transaction fees, and be fast, easy to use, and safe. Safety-wise most casinos offer a high standard of protection for your private payment info. Want a payment method and a site that covers all these? PayPal at a site like Borgata NJ or Golden Nugget is probably your best bet.
Visa
Visa is accepted at all the real money casinos we rate. Along with Mastercard, it’s the one real money payment option we’d expect to see at an online casino in the US. Depositing with a Visa credit card is usually fast (or, in some cases, instant). It’s possible to withdraw your funds to a Visa debit or prepaid account at BetMGM in certain states – but you won’t be able to withdraw to your Visa credit card.
PayPal
PayPal hits it out of the park when it comes to fast deposits and withdrawals as well as high withdrawal limits (up to $60,000 at Golden Nugget NJ). It’s also an easy-to-setup process if you’re already using it. But if you don’t, signing up to this popular e-wallet is also a pretty easy process. PayPal also offers an extra layer of security for your transactions.Online casino bonuses for real money
The best online casino bonuses for real money aren’t just about finding sites that offer the highest no-deposit and deposit match bonuses. You’ll want to know that you can get your hands on your money fast – that means finding the lowest wagering requirements possible.
A fan of live games and table games? Read the T&Cs – there might be further restrictions around wagering requirements. At Borgata NJ for example, whatever you bet with slots contributes 100% towards fulfilling those requirements. Want to bet on live baccarat or practice your blackjack strategies? Each bet will only contribute 20% towards them. That means you’ll have to bet more before you see those winnings as real money.
Casino bonuses
Online casino bonuses for real money usually in a few types – no deposit, deposit-match, and free spins bonuses. The average no-deposit bonus is between $10-20, but can go up to $25 – BetMGM offers $25 “Free Play” with a 1x wagering requirement. A good deposit-match bonus should be 100% up to $750-1000 – but wagering requirements will be higher. Free spins bonuses are usually attached to a specific game (like Starburst at Party Casino).
No deposit bonuses
Finding the best no-deposit bonus can seem pretty simple – all you have to do is look for a casino that offers the largest bonus with the best terms and conditions. But you should watch out for wagering requirements and time limitations. BetMGM offers $25 but you have 7 days to use the wagering requirements. Unibet offers a $10 no deposit bonus but gives you a more leisurely 30 days to satisfy those requirements.
Free spins bonuses
Free spins bonuses at real money casinos are pretty rare – only two sites we rate offer them: Golden Nugget and Party Casino. They usually come as part of a welcome bonus after you sign up and make your initial deposit. Before you can see your bonus winnings as real money, you’ll have to meet wagering requirements (they can be as low as 1x). Free spins bonuses are tied to a specific online slot (as with Starburst at Party Casino).Online casino games for real money
What are the best online casino games for real money? It depends on what type of games you prefer, and how quickly you want to see your bonus funds as real cash. Some RNG games, particularly progressive jackpot slots like Divine Fortune, offer the chance of big payouts. Table games have better odds than slots, but with bonuses, they have more restrictions on how much your bets contribute to meeting your wagering requirements.
Casino games
At every online casino we rate, all online casino games are for real money. At some operators, like Caesars casino NJ you can demo play RNG slots and table games. These games are designed for players who want to risk their money for the chance of a reward. That means when it comes to real money casino games it’s all about preference. Want the lowest possible wagering requirements? Choose slots. Prefer strategizing? Choose table games like poker.
Online slots
Slots are accessible and easy to play, plus there’s a huge variety of slot types out there (and every casino offers them). RTP% and volatility are important when choosing the right real money slot for you – but so are bet limits, and max payouts. If you’re looking to win back money over time go for a higher RTP% slot. For big payouts, you should go for slots with the highest volatility, good betting range, betting limits, and the largest possible
Live casino games
Live casino games are ideal if you want a sociable style online casino gaming experience. They tend to have higher RTP%, but with that comes lower max payouts compared to slots. A good example is Live Dealer Unlimited Blackjack at Golden Nugget NJ – the RTP% is 99.56%, but the max payout is just $12,500.
Table games
The house edge tends to be lower (and the RTP% higher) for table games like roulette, poker, blackjack, and baccarat. The same terms and conditions usually apply for table games as they do for live casino games. That means tougher wagering requirements and more restrictions in the terms and conditions. Online roulette aside, there’s more strategy involved in table games. That means you could develop your strategy to help you win real money.Playing at real money casinos vs playing for free
Why play at real money casinos? To win cash, of course. Sure it’s possible to enjoy playing for fun, especially with table and card games that have some strategy behind them, like blackjack and poker. But there is less of a kick, particularly with slots. All you’re really doing with free ones is watching some pictures spin. Woo.
Playing for free does have its advantages: you can learn casino games and practice. This could help maximize your chances of winning real money at US online casinos. This is especially in states with great payouts like the top NJ casinos. Are you in a state that hasn’t legalized regular sites? You can still win rewards without having to lay a real money wager at social casinos.
Some real cash casinos offer free demo play. But at an operator like Golden Nugget online casino, you can’t demo play live games. That means if you play for real money you’ll have access to more games.
Casino games are meant to be played for real money, and there’s little profit in creating free games, so developers rightly put most of their effort and creativity into creating real money products.
You also get to use online casino bonuses and participate in tournaments, competitive gambling, and get VIP / loyalty points when you play for real money. Some loyalty point programs at real casinos include offline perks like comped stays at international casino resorts.
Free casinos
- No risk
- No need to verify documents
- Learn how games work
- Even your biggest wins are worthless
- Access to less games
Real money casinos
- You can win real money
- More games, especially live dealer
- Compete in tournaments
- Claim online casino bonuses!
- Element of risk
- Account setup takes longer
Blacklisted casinos — avoid at all costs
The best online casinos for real money are completely safe to play at, but there are definitely places you should avoid out there. Fortunately, it’s not likely you’ll ever see one of those with a state-approved license, so it’s not too difficult to keep safe once you know what you’re doing.
When we’re talking about real money casinos, it pays to be extra safe, whether you want to spin slots or opt for a real money blackjack app.
Transparency is our mission, and we call out bad practice where we see it. We write negative reviews where they’re merited, and we spread the word far and wide when there’s a real money online casino that’s showing shady practices. Remember, we only recommend casinos that have been tested and licensed by government-approved boards.
As for the others… keep your wallet away from them.
Pro tips for getting started at real money casinos
We’re not going to walk you through the sign-up process, we assume you can figure that out on your own. But here’s a few useful things to keep in mind when picking your real money casino.
Pick. Licensed. Sites.
There’s a lot of legal gray area around offshore casinos, and our take is that it’s not worth the risk, especially when there are so many licensed USA real money online casinos. Go to a state where online casino betting is legal or where you can at least place a sports bet (if you’re from the Centennial state you can’t take part in online gambling real money Colorado, but you can place a sports bet or play DFS), check what real money casino sites are licensed, and just stick to those. It doesn’t matter how flashy offshore welcome bonuses are if they’re going to refuse to honor them. You can find legal online gambling sites either through the state’s local authority or by heading to our online casino reviews.
Research — a lot
Seriously, if you’re looking to bet the big bucks, prep time is super-valuable. There’s a lot of stuff worth checking out, but for the Real Money squad, our top tips are; Look up the real money bonuses and their terms, especially wagering requirements & expiration. Same for payment methods and their terms, especially deposit/withdrawal time, and what’s available. If you’re going to be playing a lot, make sure there’s a loyalty program with perks, and that the casino has frequent promotions, like weekly rotating ones. You can get started by checking out our best online casino welcome bonus list.
Optimize your payment method choices
This is genuinely possible — not only are there casino payment methods that have different limits or inherent strengths, but some casinos online also give players specific perks or promotions. Cashbacks on card deposits or a cash bonus for signing up to a casino’s Play+ card are things we’ve seen before.
Take advantage of free online casino games
You can consider this part of your research and prep. There’s never a guarantee that you will win real money playing at casinos, but using free play to practice and learn how online casino games work can’t hurt your chances.
Strategize
Building on our previous point, we live in an age where history’s largest well of information is just a few keystrokes away. Any sort of skill-based game has strategies you can learn to try and maximize your chances, and even where the skill component is minimal, there’s still potential to gain useful knowledge before entering a real casino. For example, when a certain slot has multiple bonus round options, watching online gambling streamers can give you insight on what other people pick, and why.
FAQs
What is the best online casino for real money?
The best online casino for real money is a much-coveted title, but it’s hard to pick just 1. Why? Quite simply, because there are different areas a casino can be good in. Our best casinos by category list helps highlight their strengths, while our best real money casinos gives you an overall view.
Are real money online casinos safe?
Yes, as long as they’re legal and licensed by a state-approved board. We never recommend sites that don’t meet this benchmark, and we give each casino an individual safety score in our reviews. These scores are based on criteria which we make publicly available for transparency.
Are there real money US casinos with a no-deposit bonus?
Yes, there are plenty of US real money online casinos with no-deposit bonuses. You can see the bonuses available on our best real money casinos list.
What online casino games pay real money?
Every game at an online real money casino has a chance to pay out, but it’s not all equal. Some real money casino games have strategy options which can improve your chances, like poker and real money live blackjack, while others, like craps and sic bo, are largely luck based. Online slots can vary heavily in their monetary return, depending on the individual mechanics of each game.
Do USA online casinos take PayPal?
Yes, there are plenty of USA real money online casinos that take PayPal. In fact, it’s one of the more common options. Read more about it on our PayPal casinos page.
Are real money online casinos worth it?
In the end, it’s up to you. The good ones are perfectly safe, and you won’t get scammed. But as with all forms of online gambling, there’s a risk of losing. Just stay away from our blacklisted casinos.
