Another resounding success story is American casinos. More precisely, the transformation of the casino industry in America over just a few decades! It all began with casinos being allowed only in two states—roulette, totalizers, slot machines, and poker in land-based casinos. Now, the situation has reversed: online casinos in the USA are banned in only two states—resort-rich Hawaii and religious Utah. In fact, it is at the state level that gambling is either permitted or prohibited—there is simply no single federal law on this matter in the United States. Local legislation views online casinos for players as a source of budget formation and replenishment. Moreover, players from the USA can also gamble in casinos on cruise ships—just like always: make a deposit, receive a welcome bonus, or even a high roller casino bonus, and try out the best slot machines—not online with dollars, but in licensed casinos.
Brief Information
Let's briefly discuss how to play in online casinos with dollars. More precisely, how gambling activities are regulated in the USA. The best online casinos in the USA obtain licenses at the local level; however, their activities are regulated not only by state regulations but also by federal ones—such as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and the Interstate Wire Act. For illegal casino games in the United States, one may either pay a fine of $10,000, or organizers could end up behind bars for several years. Players in online casinos in the USA must be at least 18 years old, and punishments—for example, if they play in illegal online casinos in America—are usually regulated by state laws. Regarding payment systems—American casinos with no deposit bonuses accept Visa and Maestro bank cards, PayPal and ACH Payment, Play+, Cash at Cage, and alternative online banking.
Federal Legislation Features
U.S. legislation regulates electronic casinos through the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), effective from October 13, 2006. Although this law does not prohibit the use of the Internet for real-money gambling on casino websites, it does impose restrictions on financial transactions related to online gambling. The UIGEA prohibits gambling businesses from knowingly accepting payments in connection with unlawful Internet gambling, including payments made through credit cards, electronic funds transfers, and checks.
Obtaining an Online Casino License in the USA
The best American practices for licensing gambling service providers are as follows, taking into account the legislation of each state:
| U.S. State | Gambling Regulator | Types of Permitted Casino Games |
|---|---|---|
| California | California Gambling Control Commission | Licensed social casinos with slot machines and table games—players can play and win virtual prize points and coins |
| Delaware | The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) | Online casinos, poker, and lotteries are legal |
| Illinois | Illinois Gaming Board | Residents can place online sports bets and play online slots |
| Iowa | The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission | License issued for online betting on virtual sports events |
| Nevada | The Nevada Gaming Commission and The Nevada Gaming Control Board | Licenses issued for opening online poker clubs |
| New Hampshire | The Gaming Regulatory Oversight Authority and The New Hampshire Lottery | Licensed online casinos (slots, blackjack, dice, roulette, cards), lotteries, horse racing, and online poker |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Casino Control Commission | Licensed casinos offer online poker and traditional games |
| Pennsylvania | The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board | Issues licenses for interactive casinos with traditional games, poker, slot machines, and sports betting |
| Rhode Island | The Gaming and Athletics Section of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation | License for sports totalizator using mobile apps |
| West Virginia | The State Lottery Commission | First licensed online casino launched in West Virginia, offering traditional gambling games, poker, and online betting |
Registration Rules and Player Requirements
To register and make a deposit at a casino, a gambler must be at least 18 years old. Essentially, players are not required to meet many other conditions—these are the peculiarities of American legislation. Sometimes, this can seriously affect players, although their rights should be upheld and protected by the regulatory bodies of the respective state. However, the near-total defenselessness of gamblers on illegal gaming platforms has become one of the main issues in arbitration in the USA. Solving it at the local level is not so simple, even if clubs are regularly punished for illegal activities—dissuading players from illegal gambling is indeed very difficult. There's also the problem of gambling addiction, despite specialized clinics across the USA addressing it. This is because registering is easy for players, and there are almost no requirements for them. There's also no unified register of banned individuals—probably because it's unprofitable for the gaming business in the USA. Although in states where online casinos and betting are allowed, local authorities require providing players with the option of self-exclusion.
Top Online Casinos in the USA
The ranking of online casinos in the USA features both global gambling brands (Hard Rock Casino, Virgin Casino, 888 Casino USA, Unibet NJ, partially Tipico, BetMGM New Jersey, and Caesars Casino) and local American gaming success stories. Betsafe and Golden Nugget, Resorts and Mohegan Sun Casino, Ocean and Harrah's, Scores and Borgata—they all strive to capture their market share and find their place under the sun. There are also ambitions among establishments from the Pala group (casinos, bingo, and poker) and NJ Party (casinos and poker). With such a variety of choices, it's quite challenging to identify clear leaders.
Slot Machines in American Online Casinos
Slots in the USA appeared not recently, but a long time ago—America is rightfully considered their birthplace: at the end of the 19th century, Charles Fey from San Francisco invented the first slot machine with three reels, and in 1891, the Brooklyn duo Sittman-Pitt invented and implemented a machine with five reels!
Software Developers in the USA
Several American companies specializing in slot development have gained worldwide popularity as top software developers:
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International Game Technology (IGT) – began as a company specializing in computerizing land-based establishments, reaching official international company status in 2005. Offices are located in Las Vegas, Reno, and Nevada. The company develops various software—there are several hundred models of slot machines, card games, roulettes, lotteries, and scratch cards. Fun fact: more than half of the slots installed in no-deposit casinos in the USA are released by IGT.
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WMS Gaming – a software developer with many years of experience (more precisely, since 1943, but now the company creates modern slot machines and terminals for gambling clubs). The list of developments includes over a hundred items; the company also produces platforms for casinos and created the "gamer" social network.
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Genesis Gaming – an online slot developer with self-positioning. Genesis Gaming has built a reputation as one of the top developers for major web casinos, although the company often outsources software for other providers. However, some slots are placed only under the Genesis Gaming logo; the company's development list includes about a hundred slots.
In addition to the aforementioned, the USA is represented by lesser-known manufacturers: Chilko River Holdings, Custom Game Design, Slot Constructor, and others.