Every state in the US has had the chance to legalize online casinos since 2011. That’s when the Department of Justice, under the request of New York and Illinois, revealed that the Wire Act of 1961 didn’t prevent states from permitting online casinos.
Before 2011, online gambling was illegal in the US. The George Bush government had even banned foreign casinos from accepting players based in the US in 2006. But after the DOJ’s clarification, Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada authorized online gambling by 2015.
Pennsylvania joined these states in 2017 while more states authorized iGaming in the last couple of years. In all fairness, the US government has been increasingly supportive of online gambling. It authorized online sports betting in 2018. With that in mind, below are seven powerful reasons casinos are growing so popular in the US.
Increased Legislation
As mentioned, the US is rapidly changing its stance on online gambling. Firstly, it permits states to legalize and regulate online casinos. The result is that nearly a dozen jurisdictions allow slots and table gable games while 20+ states also support online sports betting.
With increased legalization comes a series of gambling companies ready to tap on the new market. Indeed, new casinos keep cropping up in all corners of the US, from New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Nevada and West Virginia.
If interested, a list of the USA best casino sites can be found here. All the listed operators are licensed, safe and secure. What’s more, they are top-rated brands trusted by thousands of casino players around the country.
That said, licensed casinos in the USA only accept players from states that allow online casinos. For example, you can gamble online in New Jersey because the Garden State permits it. However, you can’t access these casinos in California because the industry isn’t legal there yet.
Support from US Citizens
Online casinos might not be legal in every state. But that doesn’t mean all American citizens hate online gambling. Last year’s general elections proved this. In South Dakota, Louisiana and Maryland, voters passed their states’ online gambling bills overwhelmingly.
According to experts, online gambling would be legal in the US if every state put a legalization bill in the hands of voters. In states where online casinos are legal, new iGaming websites have been attracting customers left, right and center.
New Jersey is a perfect example. Garden state permits all forms of online gambling, from sports betting to online casinos. As a result, gamblers in the state can find all their favorite gambling games online.
To expound more, 80% of gamblers in New Jersey now gamble online, at least where sports betting is concerned. In 2019, mobile gamblers 80% of the $5 billion wagered in the state. In turn, NJ collected $400 million in revenues.
Growing Safety and Trustworthiness
In many countries, the online gambling industry is run by companies that don’t necessarily own land-based casinos. As such, some of these operators are new. Trusting these companies can be difficult, especially if they are less than a year old.
In the US, players have the benefit of gambling at websites operated by their favorite brick and mortar casinos. If you love Caesars Casino, for example, you don’t need to visit Las Vegas or Atlantic City for gambling. You can play at Caesars online.
If you prefer to gamble at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City but you can’t travel to the city, you can gamble online. Of course, not every online casino in the US owns a land-based casino. But many of them do.
That said, there are more reasons to trust American casinos these days besides their affiliations to large Las Vegas establishments. Firstly, there’s the issue of regulation. Then they encrypt your data and treat it privately.
Additionally, online casinos in the US now have social proof. They have reviews from real Americans that show these casinos are genuine and safe. For many people, it’s these positive reviews that motivate them to gamble online.
Fair, Quality Games
Another strong reason the iGaming industry in the US is mushrooming is because players now have access to quality games. In the past, gamblers in the US gambled through offshore casinos that had low-quality, often rigged games.
In this age of legal gambling, Americans can play all the quality video slots, jackpots and table games their European counterparts play. For clarity, they can play games from world-famous software providers like NetEnt, Betsoft, Microgaming, BTG, Play’n GO and Evolution.
Of course, they can also play games from US-based developers: NYX Interactive, SG Digital, IGT and Blueprint, to name a few. The bottom line is that the quality of games at online casinos in the US is improving.
This means Americans have a wider variety of exciting, technologically enhanced games to play. What’s more, these games payout at high rates, sometimes at better rates than the casino games found in Las Vegas.
Examples include Gonzo’s Quest, Mega Joker, Jackpot 6000 and Ugga Bugga—all slots with payouts of above 95%. If you love table games like poker and blackjack, you can now play these games with your friends or against human dealers thanks to live dealer technology.
Sweet, Interactive Bonuses
There’s no doubt one of the reasons casinos are booming in the US has something to do with bonuses. These rewards allow you to play games for real money without spending your cash balance.
Picture this. You receive $20 from the house to play your favorite video slot, say Book of Dead. If you win $50, you’re allowed to keep it. Sometimes you can win a lot more than that. But keep in mind many bonuses have rules.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a welcome bonus, a loyalty reward or a cashback offer. While bonuses are sweet and enticing, it’s their terms and conditions that show you whether you should claim an offer or not.
Against that backdrop, always take time to learn a bonus before you claim it. Ensure you agree with the terms and that you can fulfill them.