Safe online casinos – trusted online gambling sites 2023
Anna Marie Galea Last updated on September 22, 2023
Checked by Geraldine S.Paul P.Why are safe online gambling sites important? Because big bonuses and flashy games are meaningless if you can’t trust your casino.
In this safe US online casinos page, we only list 100% clean casinos and explain how to ensure you’re playing at a secure online casino site.
We break down how they are regulated, where to play safe online slots, and how to spot unregulated US casinos.
Note: we don’t accept money to rank any casinos higher. Our reviews are data-driven, and numbers don’t lie.
In brief: The top 8 US safe casinos for Sep 2023
- 🥇 WOW Vegas — Key Feature: Fast and safe verification process
- 🥈 Tropicana — Key Feature: Scientifically-driven RG policies and procedures
- 🥉 Caesars — Key Feature: Caesars Entertainment responsible gaming program
- Bet365 — Key Feature: Information Security Management System (ISMS)
- Pala — Key Feature: 2048-bit encryption
- Pulsz — Key Feature: Elliptic-curve cryptography
- Stake.us — Key Feature: Self-exclusion policy
- DraftKings — Key Feature: 2048-bit encryption
1
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94/100 Safety 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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93/100 Safety 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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3
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91/100 Safety 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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4
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90/100 Safety 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). |
5
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90/100 Safety 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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6
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90/100 Safety 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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7
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90/100 Safety 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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8
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90/100 Safety 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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1
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94/100 Safety 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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90/100 Safety 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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3
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90/100 Safety 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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4
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84/100 Safety 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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5
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79/100 Safety 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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6
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75/100 Safety 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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7
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70/100 Safety 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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8
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70/100 Safety 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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The casinos listed here are selected first and foremost for the safety features they offer. When we talk safety we don’t just mean how safe your money is with these operators, but we also take into consideration the safety of the player by evaluating their protection tools, and the processes in place to keep players from losing too much.
We believe in gambling as a form of entertainment, so any gambling site that takes extra steps in their responsible gambling features will always score highly with us.
The top three safest online casinos – our expert picks
Not everyone has the time to go through all the safe US online casinos’ different safety policies, tools, and responsible gambling efforts. That’s what our experts are here for, and they’ve looked through all the criteria and curated a top three list of secure casinos.
This criteria includes the casinos’s safety tools, encryption technology, responsible gambling efforts, and their overall offering as a casino.
🥇#1 Best overall: WOW Vegas
A consistently high-ranking sweepstakes casino with great daily bonuses and 300+ games. WOW Vegas also employs 256-bit encryption, and has a strong verification process in place.
What makes WOW Vegas stand out is its wide availability, with it being available in a whooping 47 different states. Not only has it had to prove itself to all of these states, but also to the reputable payment providers it has, including Mastercard and VISA.
🥈#2 Best real money casino: Tropicana
Tropicana is not the biggest casino around, with around 180+ games. What it lacks in quantity, it makes up in quality, especially with regard to its safety features.
Tropicana uses data-driven technology, in order to create scientifically-driven policies and procedures. This has put it past its other casino competitors when it comes to safe real money online casinos.
🥉#3 Best for mobile: Caesars
One of the original operators to launch in New Jersey, way back in 2013. Caesars has continued to grow and improve since then, becoming a staple in the iGaming market.
What helps set it apart is its own Caesars Entertainment responsible gaming program, bringing a whole new level of safety to online casino players. It does this through the use of its safety tools, such as self exclusion, spend limits and session time limits.
How to find safe online gambling sites in the US
So what if you come across a casino and you want to know if it is safe? Here are some tips and tricks, together with the things to look out for when assessing whether a casino is legit.
Licenses and auditing
No permit, no party. Licenses and auditing are high priority, which means if you don’t see certain seals, immediately go find another casino. A safe casino is one that understands the value of transparency and isn’t afraid to show off the auditing stripes that mark it among the legit online casinos. Look for these seals on the footer of a casino’s website – this is normally found at the very bottom of the page of licensed casinos.
Payment methods
An honest online casino always has two things in its payment options: quality and variety. What they won’t offer is cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Crypto is a decentralised system and US real money online casinos have decided to stay away from this payment method for both anti-money laundry and responsible gaming concerns. Sweepstakes casinos are a different story, with casinos like Stake.us accepting Crypto whilst still being safe.
Responsible gambling tools
The best safe online casinos take responsible gaming seriously. Look for casinos that offer deposit, loss, and wagering limits. Of course, you’re not obliged to make use of them, but the fact they are there speaks volumes about whether or not a casino cares about its players. Look for the RG or 800Gambler trust seals in the footer of an online casino to make sure they have these in place.
Security and encryption
This may be a safe online casino page, but the truth is that security and encryption are always of significant importance in the online casino world. Online casinos that are SSL encrypted and have seals proving they’re regularly audited by unbiased third parties are the ones that should get your vote and money. These seals too will be found in the footer.
Reputation on forums and in reviews
Online casinos are only as good as their reputations, and if you’ve been doing the dirty on your clients, sooner or later, you’re going to get blacklisted. Google prospective casinos and see what kind of service players have been getting. Of course, the internet is the home of the good, the bad, and the ugly, so you might even discover that the casino that’s been on your mind has a huge trophy case of awards.
Support
The safest online gambling sites know how important support is and don’t skimp on making sure their players get the best. Top safe US online casinos have readily available contact details that are easy to find and available 24/7. A legit online casino with nothing to hide won’t be afraid to have easy contact info. Look for other methods too; preferably a full suite with live chat and phone service over a ticketing system or some FAQ pages.
Transparency of terms
For a casino to be considered a secure online casino site, players must have access to the full terms, bonus policy, and cashier information. Secure online casinos make this info easily accessible and offer dedicated pages. New safe online casinos USA that feel like they have something to hide should not go down well with you.
Reliability of products
When you choose between secure online casinos, it’s pretty much like choosing a home. That means that you want to ensure that you have the right amenities. In an online casino, you’re going to want the best gambling games and software out there. If a casino is working with top providers such as NetEnt, IGT, and Evolution, then that’s another safety signal.
Mobile casino safety
Over 60% of players use their phones to play at real money online casinos, so it would make little sense if mobile casinos weren’t safe and easily accessible in this day and age. Trusted online casinos go the extra mile and build native apps, as well as give access to over 95% of what you would find on the desktop version, safely and securely.
Regulation for safe online casinos
Each state where real money online casinos are legal has its own gambling licensing board. Many of them, such as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE), are also auditors who test online casino games in the Technical Services Bureau – this means that they have complete control over who to let in and leave out.
Of course, each state is a legal entity unto itself, which means that each state has different legal requirements – NJ requires slots to pay out a minimum of 83%, while PA requires a slots payout of 85%.
However, regardless of legal requirements, they are all licencors who need responsible gambling and player safety tools to be in place before they green light a spot as a secure online casino site.
Most states will publish lists of their legal online casinos on their state page, so if you want to play at a reputable casino, those lists are a good place to start.
Where are casinos legal?
If you’ve ever wondered who issues licenses to safe online gambling sites – we have the answer! We have compiled a table detailing which states have legalized gambling, which boards regulate them, when they legalized online gambling, and how many internet casinos are currently available in each state to make it easier for you.
| State | Licensed by | Online gambling legalized | No. of casinos (last count) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement (1) | 2013 | 23 |
| Michigan | Michigan Gaming Control Board (2) | December, 2019 | 14 |
| Delaware | Delaware Gaming Enforcement (3) | 2012 | 3 |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (4) | October 12, 2021 | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (5) | October 30, 2017 | 17 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Lottery Commission (6) | March 27, 2019 | 4 |
Secure online casinos payment methods
A safe online casino is nothing without secure casino payment methods to go with it. Having a reputable payment method that you can use to deposit and withdraw money is not only necessary for a casino to function smoothly, but it also gives the player peace of mind to see a name that they recognise and can trust.
The truth is while we can’t make any guarantees about the payment methods available at offshore casinos, we can specify that all payment types available at legit casinos are both safe and secure – they wouldn’t be there otherwise.
Our personal pick would be for online casinos that accept PayPal, they tend to have a high safety rating.
| Payment type | Why is it safe? |
|---|---|
| Paypal | PayPal uses an internal approval process for anything to do with gambling, meaning extra security |
| Visa/Mastercard | Two renowned, globally recognised brands that are trusted and used by millions. |
| Play+ | A payment method built especially for casinos, has the fastest withdrawals |
| PayNearMe | Adds several security layers while allowing in-person payments at land-based casinos and shops. |
| Bank transfer | The oldest and most established way to move money, even though it may be slower than other options. |
Are casino bonuses safe? What to watch out for
While most bonuses can look pretty enticing on the surface, it’s essential to always look at their terms and conditions. Even if you’re playing at the safest online gambling sites, you always need to be aware of conditions like wagering requirements, or you’ll be in for a nasty surprise.
The bottom line is if something seems to be too good to be true, then it probably is. Here are a few things to watch out for when looking through the terms and conditions of potential safe online casino bonuses.
Type of bonus
Many people base their casino experience on what prizes are offered. The important thing to remember here is to not get carried away. Read the terms and conditions of each bonus properly – something may look good on the surface but turn out not to be so great. Familiarize yourself with the vocab, so you know what things mean, and learn what best suits you. For most players, a no deposit bonus is always a better idea than a cashback bonus.
Wagering requirements
Regardless of the flashy lights surrounding it, each bonus is subject to wagering requirements which means that you have to play things a set amount of time before getting your bonus. It’s a commitment that you need to be ready to take on. No follow-through = no bonus. A very-good wagering requirement in our books is anything less than 15x the bonus amount, and some casinos go as low as 1x.
Expiry date
Even at the safest online casino sites, every bonus comes with an expiry date or a limited amount of time in which you can wager to earn your reward. You should know when the expiry date is from the outset because if you don’t wager in the time given, you’ll lose your bonus. It sounds pretty simple, but it’s tripped up plenty of players. Don’t be one of them.
Game eligibility
Don’t just assume that your game of choice will be covered by the online casino bonus – make sure that it is. You’re usually fine with slots, but some casinos limit the jackpot options — they don’t want to lose a million bucks to someone who’s only risking bonus money. Table games are often limited in some way; usually only a percentage of each wager will contribute towards the requirements, compensating for the lower expected house edge. This is normal even at the most trusted online casino sites.
Cashout limits
The safest online gambling sites will clearly state how much you can cashout , if they have limits at all. Cashout limits change from place to place, and a good spot is one which lets you withdraw at least $5,000 a week, with a withdrawal time of preferably under 24 hours. Always read the fine print; it might help stop you from being frustrated later.
Order of funds
If you’ve gone for a deposit match, the most common kind of US casino bonus, you’ll have real money and bonus money in your casino account at the same time. Many casinos will take credit from your bonus cash for wagering first, and those are the ones we like. Always read the terms and conditions to make sure you know what you’re betting — you don’t wanna be spending your real money while your bonus cash just ticks its merry way along towards its expiration date.
Safe casino slots
Some casinos are indeed more reputable than others; however, if your casino is vetted and audited, you can rest assured that the online casino games that they provide are safe too. You can confirm regulation through clickable seals on the website or by checking your state’s list of licensed internet casino operators.
When choosing the right safe casino slots for you there are other factors to consider, such as volatility and RTP. Volatility refers to a slot’s risk level and the size of its wins and its win rates.
RTP or return-to-player is the percentage of wagered money that a player can theoretically expect back when playing over an infinitely long time – the higher the better. Both these things vary from slot game to slot game.
For more information about how to pick the right slot for you, visit our online slots page.
Safe legal sweepstakes casinos in your state
Not every state has regulated online casinos, even if some do have online sports betting available. In that case you might want to try social and sweepstakes casinos. These two type of casinos will let you play things like slots, roulette, blackjack, poker and more without the need of risking your own money.
Social casinos work exactly like online casinos but you can play for free through daily bonuses, referring friends, etc. You can also buy virtual money to extend your gaming experience but this is all up to you. Social casinos won’t let you withdraw any money.
Then there are sweepstake casinos that work similarly to social casinos. Sweeps casinos give you daily amounts of virtual coins you can use on all their games, and you can also redeem your winnings for cash prizes.
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1
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94/100 Safety 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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90/100 Safety 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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3
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90/100 Safety 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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1
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94/100 Safety 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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90/100 Safety 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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3
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90/100 Safety 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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4
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84/100 Safety 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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5
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79/100 Safety 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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6
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75/100 Safety 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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7
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70/100 Safety 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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8
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70/100 Safety 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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Tips on how to play safely at online casinos
Right, so you’ve found your safe online casinos, but you want to go the extra mile to cover your back. No worries. We’ve put down a few tips and tricks you can follow to have the safest online experience.
Use available responsible gambling tools
A secure online casino will always offer responsible gambling tools that you can take full advantage of as you play. Set yourself a deposit limit, loss limit, and wagering limit, and play knowing that all your financial logistics are being taken care of.
Try casino games for free
The safest online gambling sites will allow you to play for free before you commit to enable you to practice and gain confidence before putting down your hard-earned cash. Playing for free also helps you learn the ins and outs of the game without the stress.
Make sure casinos are listed on auditor’s sites
A surefire way of making sure that you are playing at safe online casinos in the USA is by looking at auditor’s sites and seeing if your casino of choice is listed. Many auditor sites carry lists of all the reputable casinos they’re linked to – especially if the casino is displaying the auditor’s seal on its site or app.
Avoid offshore casinos
It should pretty much go without saying, but the truth is that if you want to play at reputable online casinos, then an offshore casino is not the answer to your prayers. Offshore casinos are shady throwbacks to when online casinos were illegal in the US – there’s no need for you to revisit that time or them.
How to avoid gambling at illegal US casinos
With the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, online casinos were effectively outlawed in the US, which meant that casinos that wanted to stay in business had to operate offshore.
The same bills that are legalizing online casinos in the US today are often taking care to close this loophole, outlawing offshores in the process. However, these untrustworthy offshore casinos have remained fully functional.
If you want to play at secure online casinos, check that your real money online casino of choice hasn’t been blacklisted. A casino can be blacklisted for various reasons, but one of the main reasons is if it doesn’t pay its players when they win.
A rule of thumb is that if your US real money casino accepts cryptocurrency, it’s probably offshore. Even though crypto is sometimes used at sweeps cash casinos, it is seen as a big no-no at regulated online gambling sites in the US. When in doubt, get on Google or Trustpilot, and read the reviews.
Top three signs of an illegal US casino:
- No state regulator seals in the footer
- Accepts cryptocurrency (real money casinos only)
- Has bonuses well over the 100% match
Note: Crypto can be legal in some rare cases (sweepstakes spots like Stake.us, for example. Bonuses over 100% aren’t illegal, it’s just rare for legal, safe casinos to offer them. Illegal ones will often flash big numbers like 400% — to try get you to make a deposit.
| Casino | Offshore (not regulated in the US) | Ever blacklisted? |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Las Atlantis | Yes | No |
| Planet 7 | Yes | No |
| Wild Casino | Yes | No |
| JackpotCity Casino | Yes | Yes |
Why trust us – how we rank safe online casinos
First up, you won’t find any mention of offshore casinos here. A trusted online casino is regulated within the US. US courts do not have any jurisdiction outside the United States, so for a casino to be truly safe, it needs to be overseen by a state regulator.
Sweepstakes are an exception to the rule. They’re not legislated in US states, as they don’t qualify as real money gambling. Don’t be alarmed though, they’re still perfectly legal, and we make sure that every sweeps casino is safe when we rate it.
Then there’s the question of bias. Our experts will list the good and bad of a casino and we will not give a top score to a bad casino in our casino reviews, including affiliates. We have a strict way of rating our casinos and each casino goes through the same course of action.
The safety of the player is paramount in our research. So that means we put a lot of effort into looking at what types of programs and tools there are to help players not get addicted to gambling. Taking all these points into consideration we have ranked the top safest online casinos in the US.
| Legit casino | Top safety feature |
|---|---|
| Tropicana online casino | Award-winning casino |
| Caesars online casino | Part of reputable land-based casino |
| Bet365 online casino | All vital safety measures available |
| Pala online casino | Responsible gaming information is easily accessible |
Safe online casino FAQs
What are the most trusted online casinos?
The most trusted online casinos are licensed and usually come with seals of trust so that you know exactly how safe and secure they are before you start depositing your money. Time2play never advises playing at a casino that isn’t reputable.
What is the safest casino online?
The safest casino online will not be found offshore, as these illegal offshore casinos are throwbacks to when online casinos were banned in the US. Always check your casino’s status before choosing because while offshore casinos will let you deposit, withdrawing is an entirely different thing altogether.
How do you know if an online casino is safe?
One of the ways of knowing that an online casino is safe is by checking what payment options it offers. The safest online casinos will have renowned payment methods such as PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard because big names like these can’t afford to be seen anywhere except the best.
How can I gamble online safely?
If you want to deposit and gamble at a secure online casino, it’s essential to make sure to read all the terms and conditions that your game of choice comes with. No reputable casino will ever ask you to disclose your full bank details in an email either, so that’s something else to look out for. Ultimately, if you stick to the tips we outlined above, you should be more than fine.
What is the safest casino game?
If you go with a reputable provider you can rest assured you’ll be playing safe online slots. Do keep in mind that most casino games are games of chance so any casino game that requires skill – such as poker – is always going to be safer than slots or roulette (games that are only up to chance).
