How to Find Safe, Legal Online Casinos

Gamblers who want access to casinos but are unable to visit one in person have a lot of online options, as long as they live in one of the six states where online casinos are legal: Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware.

For bettors in those states, the next question is which sites should be trusted. 

It’s important to choose wisely. Betting on a site that is unsecure or illegal – two things that often go hand in hand – can be extremely costly, not only financially, but also legally. The list of reasons to avoid illegal sites is extensive. 

Now that we’ve established why choosing a safe, secure online casino is important – and why illegal, offshore sites are not worth the risk for those in states without legal online casinos – let’s identify some safe options.

Top safe, legal online casinos, and where they’re available

  • Golden Nugget Casino: Michigan, New Jersey
  • Caesars Sportsbook & Casino: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
  • BetMGM: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
  • DraftKings: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
  • FanDuel: Connecticut (as Mohegan Sun), Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

In Delaware, the only legal online casino is currently Delaware Park Online Casino. 

In addition to the sites listed above that are available in Michigan, bettors there can also play casino games on Pointsbet, which is now also available in New Jersey, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

It’s possible we could see other states legalize online casinos. We anticipate that NY online casinos could be the next on the market, after the state launched legal sports betting last year.

How to identify a safe, legal online casino

If you’re unsure whether an online casino is legitimate, there are a few quick ways to find out. One thing to do is research the company. Google searching “(casino name) legal” or “(casino name) illegal” the online casino in question is always a good start. 

If the search for articles or other insight on whether an online casino is legal proves fruitless, several other ways to identify an illegal site include:

  • Look for a gambling commission logo. Most legal casino sites have one at the bottom of the homepage. Look for words like “Approved For Real Money Gaming By The State of New Jersey” or “Licensed and regulated by Michigan Gaming Control Board.” If the site you’re interested in doesn’t mention being licensed by the state where you’re located, either leave it immediately or hold off on using it until you see an indication that it is licensed.
  • Give the URL a close look. While sites like DraftKings, PointsBet and Caesars, among others, have .com addresses, many illegal offshore sites end in something other than .com, like Bovada (bovada.lv). However, this is NOT to say that just because an online casino has a .com address, it is legal.

Another way to check on an online casino’s legality is to visit your state gaming control board’s website. Below are the six states where online casinos are legal. Even if they do not list which online casinos are licensed, they should offer answers to any specific questions you may have.

  • Michigan
  •  Pennsylvania
  • West Virginia
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • New Jersey

Additional red flags

Other aspects of an online casino that should make you reconsider using it include negative reviews, bonuses or conditions that seem too good to be true and a lack of contact info.

Other known brands you can trust

While learning to identify safe sites yourself is always worth it, if your strategy is to check lists of reputable online casinos and avoid any that aren’t mentioned, that can work as well. If that’s your approach, below are a number of other proven, safe online casinos:

  • WynnBET Casino
  • Stars Casino
  • PartyCasino
  • Betway Casino
  • BetRivers Casino
  • Unibet Casino
  • SugarHouse Casino

Thanks For Reading and Good Luck This NFL Season!

 

You Might Also Like