Best Gambling Sites

Welcome to Top 10 Poker Sites, as the name of our website suggests we are going to present to you the world's top ten online poker sites. However, as you may or may not be aware, many` poker sites have different rules regarding whether players can sign up and play dependent on the country they are based in. With this in mind we have categorized the top ten poker sites for each part of the world!

• Extensive Review Process. We put betting sites through an extensive vetting process to ensure they meet our strict criteria for a top 5 rating. Our list of best sites is carefully selected to balance bonus amount, cash-out speed, safety plus a host of other factors so you have the best online gambling experience.
• The best online gambling sites will have a customer service team working 24/7, 365 days a year, and sports fans will be able to choose from multiple means of communicating with it, including phone.

Welcome to GamblingSites.org! If you're looking for the best real money gambling sites, you've come to the right place. We've developed our website to help individuals find the ideal online gambling sites for their unique needs. That said, we've got much more to offer than just recommendations for real money gambling sites. SPORTS BETTING AT BETONLINE.AG SPORTSBOOK BetOnline.ag is more than just an online betting platform. We boast a 'focus on the player' approach and have built our reputation on. Best US Gambling Sites. With real money gambling sites becoming more widely accepted in the United States, online casinos and sportsbooks have become the preferred methods of gambling online for US residents. USA Gambling sites are now offering more ways to place bets and play casino games than ever before.

All poker sites are reviewed and rated by Pro Poker Players

• Safe & secure deposit and withdrawal
• Fully licensed & regulated
• Rated & Reviewed by PRO players

My list of the best UK poker sites which I consider to be the best rooms to play in 2021:

100% Legal & Licensed Verified Bonus Mobile FriendlyAdvertiser Disclosure. Must be +18 to participate.

Most Popular - Top List

• Top 10 No Deposit Poker Sites

  The no deposit poker bonuses are simple to claim. Just sign up and log in to find your bonus.

• Top PayPal Poker Sites

  We've put every casino site through its paces to rank the best ones that use the PayPal web wallet.

• Bitcoin Poker Sites

  Bet safe with your hard earned cash with cyber currency to protect your investments.

• Legal New York Poker Sites

  As a New York resident there really is no better time than right now to sign up!

• Legal New Jersey Poker Sites

  See the best casinos that we've rounded up from one of the nation's favourite states.

• Legal Californian Poker Sites

  See the best online poker rooms from the Sunshine state.

• Top 10 Real Money Mobile Poker Apps

  Play real money and free poker instantly with these casinos' very own mobile poker apps.

• Top 10 Poker Players

  Meet the globetrotters below whom have walked away with some truly magnificent cash prizes.

Online Poker News

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  The heads-up battle between Doug Polk and Daniel Negreanu is finally over. The final session of the grudge match took place on February 3, and Polk finished it in style, amassing over $1.2 million in total winnings. The results did not come as a surprise, as Polk had been a strong favorite to win the…

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Poker Sites that are legal to play in 2021 which we recommended are:

BetOnline Poker is licensed and regulated to accept players from all 50 states in the U.S. it is one of the best US Poker sites and provide an array of tournaments offering prizes that can be quite generous.

888 Poker is the third largest online poker sites famed for its quality services, software that offers hundreds of unique features, the largest selection of tournaments and is best for new and experienced players.

No matter where you live you will find a range of the very best online poker sites who will allow you to play in your home currency and will more importantly, be able to process your deposits and pay you quickly whenever you request a cash out.

To ensure you are being introduced to only the highest calibre of sites, we have our very own check-list which guarantees the sites we showcase to you hold a current value gaming licence, and all poker listed have been independently verified as offering completely random poker games.

All of the rooms are about to be presented with also offer you a very diverse range of different poker variants, and as such no matter whether you are looking to play the more popular poker variants such as Texas Hold'em or Omaha Poker, or some of the more exotic variants such as Seven Card Hi/Low Poker, then you will find exactly the poker site at which to play.

Poker Bonuses and Deposit Options

You will probably be looking for some value for money poker bonuses and special exclusive promotional offers, and if this is the case then we invite you to have a good look around our site, as all of the poker sites will offer you a whole host of bonuses when you sign up and become a new player of that respective site.

Another box to be ticked in regards to where you are looking to play poker online will be the way in which you wish to make a deposit into that particular poker site through such as Paypal , bitcoin or other payment methods.

Best Gambling Sites For Ufc

With there being so many different ways to fund an online poker account, everyone will have their own preferred methods, this could be via a credit or debit card, a prepaid voucher or even one of the many web wallets which are available online.

All of the reviews and articles we offer will allow you to find a site at which to play using a deposit method of your own choosing, which means you will be online and playing poker for real money in no time at all, at a poker site you can trust.

Just as important as being able to deposit in a hassle free fashion is being able to cash out your winnings and get them sent back to your rapidly. All of the top 10 poker sites listed throughout our website will let you cash out your winnings quickly and by a method chosen by you, and each and every one of them will pay you in a timely fashion.

Top 10 Poker Sites Players Checklist

Quick, Safe & Secure Payouts

Putting your safety and enjoyment first is the whole reason why we review these sites!

Unbiased Expert Reviews

Our experts have sampled every major online casino worth your time and present the best right here.

Licensed Poker Rooms

All our listed poker sites are fully licensed verified with their respective countries' official governing bodies.

Below we have compiled a checklist to help you make sure that every single poker site at which you are thinking of playing at ticks all of the right boxes in regards to the qualities listed below, as this will guarantee you will have the ultimate online poker playing experience.

Licensed Sites – You must check carefully each online poker site you play at holds a valid online gambling license, make sure that the poker site is licensed by a leading gambling jurisdiction as this adds another level of safety and peace of mind to all of your online poker play.

Poker Software – There are many ways in which you can play poker online, and as such stick to sites that give you the biggest range of ways to play, whether that be via a download poker platform, a no download software platform or even lets you play on your mobile phone or mobile device. This will ensure you can always access your favourite poker games whenever you get the urge to play.

Poker Variants – There are many different poker variants and as such you can often find plenty of different ones available to play at the better run poker sites. Make sure whichever poker site you are considering playing at offers the type of poker variant you are looking to play and will also let you play for stake levels of your own choose.

No Limit, Pot Limit and Poker Tournaments using your preferred base poker game should also be offered by the site at which you are thinking of playing.

Banking Options – It can drive even the most placid of poker players completely mad in regards to being able to deposit and cash out from online poker sites swiftly and in a hassle free fashion. This means you will often need to have several different deposit and withdrawal options available and set up before you choose a poker site at which to play.

We would suggest you have a credit or debit card at hand or have a web wallet available, this will ensure that you will not only be able to fund your poker account at your chosen poker sites instantly, but should you then go onto make a withdrawal you will have all bases covered in regards to how you choose to get paid those winnings.

Free Games and Free rolls – One thing to look out for when playing at any of our sites is whether the site in question offers you the ability to play poker for free or take part in free roll tournaments.

Make sure it does indeed offer you these free games and free roll tournaments as this is a great way to get a good feel for a poker software platform which you have never tried before, and by playing for free you can master the way the software operates without risking any of your own funds doing just that!

Blog

Best Gambling Sites

• Guide to Online Poker Tournament Strategy

  Being stuck at home has its advantages. World-famous poker tournaments might be out of the question, but a back-up online poker tournament is ..

• 7 Key Differences Between Online and Live Poker

  Many people think that live poker and online poker are the same thing, which is probably why many opt for the convenience of online poker. But ..

• All-Time Money List: Who Are The Richest Live Poker Players at the Moment?

  I've always been amazed by the fact that some players earned millions of dollars playing poker and making a comfortable living. While I've never ..

• Guide to Setting up the Perfect Poker Night at Home

  If you're interested in throwing the ultimate poker night or tournament party at your house, you will need much more than a deck of cards and a ..

Skip the Headaches and Play at a Legitimate Site

You're looking for a legitimate U.S. gambling site, but can't decide which site to trust with your hard-earned money?

Good news! We've been in the online gambling industry for over a decade (several decades, really, if you add all of our experience together), and we've spent countless hours to bring you a list of the most legitimate sites.

Here's what all of these sites have in common:

• 10+ years in the business with strong reputations.
• Attractive promotions for first-time customers.
• Quick money withdrawals (relative to the U.S. market).

Why Bovada Is #1 in the U.S.

#1: Fastest Check Cashouts

Bovada gets 10 times as much traffic as its second best US competitor and still delivers check payouts faster than any of them. Bovada processes check withdrawals in 7 days; many of its competitors take weeks, some more than a month to do the same. (There are other fast options, like the #3-ranked BetOnline, which delivers checks in 14 days.)

#2: Service

An equally important aspect of Bovada's operations is its customer service. If there ever was an indication of how much a company respects its customers, it's the level of customer service the company provides. I haven't found any US-friendly site doing this aspect of the business better (although 5Dimes is a worthy runner-up).

#3: All-In-One

Finally, all parts of Bovada's business (sportsbook, casino, poker, racebook) are popular. Bovada is best-known for sports betting and casino games, however, even its online poker room has around four times as many players online as the second biggest US poker site. You can access all of their games with one player account.

… But You Should Know This

Bovada is recreational-friendly, perhaps more-so than any other US site. You'll find few golden opportunities in their sportsbook (read more about their use of dual lines), they have a relatively high overall house edge (especially after recently increasing house edge in video poker games) and their online poker room only has 'anonymous' tables.

Although not everyone agrees with me, the recreational-friendly part is an advantage for skilled poker players. Since Bovada appeals to recreational gamblers, you'll be like a shark among regular fish.

Bovada charges a 4.9% fee for credit card deposits (a lot considering how most sites charge nothing). The impact of the deposit fee is slightly compensated by their welcome bonuses, which are better than average.

All online gamblers look for entertaining games, attractive promotions and aesthetically pleasing software. To have a safe experience, however, you want a site to:

1. Serve its customers with safety and respect,
2. Operate with a reasonable house edge, and
3. Handle money transactions promptly.

Yes, the third point is included in the first point but it's also such an essential part of the customer experience that it must be mentioned separately. Football teaser odds. Many online gambling websites operate without an adequate level of service so these points are worth considering. It's rare to find a combination of all three points.

Bovada fulfills all of the above criteria better than other sites but 5Dimes does well, too. In fact, I'm confident in ranking those two as the best USA gambling websites specifically because they deliver so well in the areas related to safety and trustworthiness. A site without proper customer service and safety measures is not one you should deposit money to, regardless of its promotions and whatnot.

What Are Some Alternative Options?

For Sports Bettors

5Dimes.eu is the best betting site in the US for the following reasons: they're professional-friendly and offer reduced juice betting lines (in other words, less house edge). Before betting on any game, I recommend taking a look at the odds 5Dimes is offering. They've been a reliable sportsbook for over 10+ years — you'll find few complaints about 5Dimes online, and the ones you find have been resolved quickly.

For poker and casino games, I would go with Bovada. But for sports bettors, it makes the most sense to have an account at 5Dimes.

Another Solid Option

BetOnline.ag is my third suggestion. It's not significantly better than the others in any area but they're simply a solid option. Prompt cashout processing, decent poker traffic, good sports betting options and entertaining casino games. Additionally, I've had good experiences with their customer service.

For sports bettors, BetOnline is worth signing-up at simply to be able to compare betting lines among a few sites. For poker players, BetOnline may offer some good games every now and then (keep in mind: you can bet on sports and play casino and poker games with the same account, so plenty of gamblers will stumble on the poker games eventually). For casino gamblers, BetOnline has a basic but reliable offering.

Free online casino games win real money no deposit. Among all the bonuses, a free cash bonus in a no deposit casino would stand out the most. This promo allows claiming bonus cash that can be used for accessing slot machines and table games. GambLizard is here to help you with any questions you might have about this type of bonus. A no deposit bonus is a free bonus which you can use to play and win in real money games. The only requirement is that you make a casino account to claim the offer. This is not like free instant. Casinos with free money no deposit needed are a great opportunity for new players to take for a spin new online casinos, that give free money to start gambling. Such bonuses offers an opportunity to start playing free online casino games and win real money with no deposit. Free Slot Money provides online casino slot players with free welcome bonus money upon deposit, free no deposit bonus money, and free play slot games courtesy of the top online casinos. Win real money playing online casino slots with your free slot money today! We know that real slots.

BetOnline charges a 6% fee for credit card deposits.

Is It Legal to Play?

The definition of 'gambling' and the laws surrounding vary depending on which state you live in.

In Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey, some forms of online gambling have been legalized and regulated (only state-licensed sites are allowed to operate legally). In other states, it's likely (although not widely agreed upon) that playing – and certainly operating – online gambling games for real money is illegal.

On a federal level, sports betting is the only form of prohibited gambling via the Wire Act of 1961. For several years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintained that the Wire Act applies to all forms of online gambling, but in December 2011, they corrected that stance by stating that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting – a result of a 13-page memorandum from the Office of Legal Counsel to the Criminal Division of the DOJ (source).

State laws, however, often indirectly prohibit gambling. Or to put it another way: it would be difficult to claim any forms of online gambling legal with absolute certainty in most states (lotteries and such aside). Most state laws indirectly prohibit gambling simply by making all forms of gambling unlawful that have not been made lawful.

Best Gambling Sites 2020

Purely based on history, it's unlikely you'll get into legal trouble; then again, if something is illegal, you can get into trouble, and someone probably will. Gambling online may be illegal where you live. Contact a local gaming lawyer to get a better idea of your local laws.

Legal Troubles

Industry-changing events have taken place in the online gambling world – mainly concerning online poker – such as the UIGEA and Party Poker's exit from the US market, or PokerStars' exit from the US market in 2011.

Those crimes were committed by online poker operators, though, not players. Still, the mere fact that online poker companies were targeted was enough to cast a shadow over the legality of US online poker, and furthermore, players grew more and more worried about one of these sites getting shut down along with the money on their player accounts.

In fact, there is a legitimate reason to worry about dishonest US gambling sites taking your money. Some sites have indeed taken off with the money – a recent example is Lock Poker, which currently may owe its customers over $15 million. I created LegitGamblingSites.com mainly to give more exposure to the sites with strong track records of honest business practices.

The lawmakers, in that regard, have a point about not allowing unlicensed sites to provide online gambling games to US citizens. While that may not be the reason, it's likely one of them. (If I had to guess, I'd say they're more concerned about losing out on tax dollars and protecting the interests of brick & mortar casino owners such as Sheldon Adelson, although through the RAWA – Restore America's Wire Act legislation – he tries to do that by himself.)

How to Move Money Around

Ever since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) became a law, US citizens have had a more difficult time finding a suitable deposit method.

There are only a few left, actually.

The most common deposit method for US citizens is still credit card deposits, out of which VISA is the most widely accepted brand, followed by Mastercard, with American Express being a distant third. Cards must be eligible for both international and online transfers.

The alternative method is to use a money transfer service such as Western Union. Western Union is mostly a deposit-only method. (Bovada is an exception since they only allow you to withdraw money via a check.)

Why to use a money transfer service instead of a credit card?

• A card deposit fails to go through. This happens every now and then, and the only way to know if your card will be accepted is to try. According to various forum reports, Vanilla VISA is declined at most sites while Netspend VISA has been successful.

  Surprisingly, players have had problems with card deposits even at state-licensed sites due to banks like Bank of America outright declining all gambling transactions. Things will likely get better with the new MCC codes for VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Distant which will help casinos to identify gambling transactions more accurately. It's unclear how much of a help this will be since banks still have the right to decline transfers marked with the new MCC codes, and due to not wanting to violate the UIGEA (according to which they're prohibited from knowingly processing unlawful gambling transactions), banks may decide it isn't worth it and keep cancelling transactions even if they were for state-licensed sites.

  This is expected to change once bigger states – perhaps even the biggest of them all, California – join internet gambling, since declining the transactions will then affect such a large percentage of any bank's customer base.

• You want a faster cashout. While money transfer services cost more (many sites, like Bovada, allow one free check cashout a month), the money is usually delivered to be picked up at a local Western Union location in five days or less.
• You don't want a check cashout. You need to go to a cashier to cash a check. Most people would rather avoid doing this, especially since banks aren't allowed to knowingly process online gambling related transactions (unless in Delaware, Nevada or New Jersey, but people have had problems in those states as well).

In general, you'll have higher transaction costs with money transfer services than with a combination of credit cards and checks. BetOnline and Bovada are the only major USA sites charging for credit card deposits and most allow one free check cashout per month – some, like True Poker, allow a free check withdrawal every seven days.

How to use a credit card/check combination?

1. Enter your credit card details online after which you have the money on your player account instantly.
2. When done playing, order a check cashout, which will take from a week to over a month depending on which site you're dealing with.
3. Go to your local bank to cash the check.

How to use a money transfer service (like Western Union)?

1. Go to their website or a live Western Union location and send money to the gambling site. (You'll need to contact the gambling site first to get their transfer details.)
2. When done playing, initiate the withdrawal from your player account.
3. Go to a live location to collect the money.

State-Licensed Sites

As mentioned, Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey have legalized and regulated some forms of real-money online gambling. Delaware started with online poker but has since expanded into casino games as well; Nevada offers online poker games only; New Jersey offers online poker and casino games.

As you can see, not a single one of these states offer online sports betting. In New Jersey – clearly the biggest market of the three – there's a clause according to which sports betting may be considered to be added in the future.

Requirements

You must be physically located within a state's boundaries to play at the licensed sites. If you're currently located in California but live in Nevada, you're unable to play until you return to Nevada; if you're currently located in Nevada but live in California, you can play as long as you stay within Nevada's state boundaries.

Licensed sites have to make sure nobody outside of the state can participate in the games. Geolocation – identifying exactly where a person is located – has been difficult, and there are still people who are unable to play even though they're located within those states. This is one of the reasons licensed online gambling sites have done financially worse than expected.

Only existing brick & mortar casino owners within those states can apply for licenses, although they can apply together with an existing online gambling site in a software-licensing agreement, like Caesar's Interactive and 888.com have done. If a poker site kept operating in the US after the UIGEA of 2006, it will be subjected to a 'bad actor' clause in Nevada and be prohibited from operating in the state for now.

Performance

Each state has had a rocky start, although New Jersey is doing OK. In March 2014, they did $11.87 million in revenue, which grew into $13.16 million in March 2015. A growth rate of 14.57% year-over-year is better than nothing, but still a far cry from the $1 billion within the first 7 months of operating Governor Christie expected (New Jersey gambling sites were launched in November 2013). In other words, his expectations were a little over $140 million a month on average, or about ten times the current revenue.

According to PokerScout.com, Nevada's online poker revenue is going downhill. Year-over-year decrease in revenue of around 44% (from February 2014 to February 2015) is, no matter how you look at it, a disappointing result. Problems with card deposits and geolocation – both of which exist in other states as well – and player liquidity have undoubtedly contributed to the significant decrease. Players have to deal with fewer problems when playing at offshore sites, and as long as that continues, it will be difficult for state-licensed sites to gain major traction.

In Delaware, the state keeps all yearly revenue up to $3.75 million. Since total revenue for 2014 was around $2.1 million, gambling operators have made nothing. The main reason for such a low amount of revenue is Delaware's population of 0.94 million (in comparison, New Jersey has a population of 8.9 million). Liquidity is important for online poker since you need lots of players to run games at various stakes, in several forms and throughout the day. Delaware is trying to improve its poker liquidity by combining player pools with Nevada but so far there hasn't been a significant improvement to its online gaming revenue.

If all of the three states were to combine their player pools, it would create a poker economy of around 12 million people, which could add significant liquidity to the games and thus bring in more revenue to each of the states.

Offshore Sites

Gambling sites accepting US customers from outside of the three states are all 'offshore' sites, meaning they operate from outside of the US and have no license to operate within the US. They have obtained a license in some other jurisdictions – such as Antiqua & Barbuda or Panama – but many of those jurisdictions have less-than-stellar reputations.

Best Gambling Sites To Make Money

No matter where you live you will find a range of the very best online poker sites who will allow you to play in your home currency and will more importantly, be able to process your deposits and pay you quickly whenever you request a cash out.

To ensure you are being introduced to only the highest calibre of sites, we have our very own check-list which guarantees the sites we showcase to you hold a current value gaming licence, and all poker listed have been independently verified as offering completely random poker games.

All of the rooms are about to be presented with also offer you a very diverse range of different poker variants, and as such no matter whether you are looking to play the more popular poker variants such as Texas Hold'em or Omaha Poker, or some of the more exotic variants such as Seven Card Hi/Low Poker, then you will find exactly the poker site at which to play.

Poker Bonuses and Deposit Options

You will probably be looking for some value for money poker bonuses and special exclusive promotional offers, and if this is the case then we invite you to have a good look around our site, as all of the poker sites will offer you a whole host of bonuses when you sign up and become a new player of that respective site.

Another box to be ticked in regards to where you are looking to play poker online will be the way in which you wish to make a deposit into that particular poker site through such as Paypal , bitcoin or other payment methods.

Best Gambling Sites For Ufc

With there being so many different ways to fund an online poker account, everyone will have their own preferred methods, this could be via a credit or debit card, a prepaid voucher or even one of the many web wallets which are available online.

All of the reviews and articles we offer will allow you to find a site at which to play using a deposit method of your own choosing, which means you will be online and playing poker for real money in no time at all, at a poker site you can trust.

Just as important as being able to deposit in a hassle free fashion is being able to cash out your winnings and get them sent back to your rapidly. All of the top 10 poker sites listed throughout our website will let you cash out your winnings quickly and by a method chosen by you, and each and every one of them will pay you in a timely fashion.

Top 10 Poker Sites Players Checklist

Quick, Safe & Secure Payouts

Putting your safety and enjoyment first is the whole reason why we review these sites!

Unbiased Expert Reviews

Our experts have sampled every major online casino worth your time and present the best right here.

Licensed Poker Rooms

All our listed poker sites are fully licensed verified with their respective countries' official governing bodies.

Below we have compiled a checklist to help you make sure that every single poker site at which you are thinking of playing at ticks all of the right boxes in regards to the qualities listed below, as this will guarantee you will have the ultimate online poker playing experience.

Licensed Sites – You must check carefully each online poker site you play at holds a valid online gambling license, make sure that the poker site is licensed by a leading gambling jurisdiction as this adds another level of safety and peace of mind to all of your online poker play.

Poker Software – There are many ways in which you can play poker online, and as such stick to sites that give you the biggest range of ways to play, whether that be via a download poker platform, a no download software platform or even lets you play on your mobile phone or mobile device. This will ensure you can always access your favourite poker games whenever you get the urge to play.

Poker Variants – There are many different poker variants and as such you can often find plenty of different ones available to play at the better run poker sites. Make sure whichever poker site you are considering playing at offers the type of poker variant you are looking to play and will also let you play for stake levels of your own choose.

No Limit, Pot Limit and Poker Tournaments using your preferred base poker game should also be offered by the site at which you are thinking of playing.

Banking Options – It can drive even the most placid of poker players completely mad in regards to being able to deposit and cash out from online poker sites swiftly and in a hassle free fashion. This means you will often need to have several different deposit and withdrawal options available and set up before you choose a poker site at which to play.

We would suggest you have a credit or debit card at hand or have a web wallet available, this will ensure that you will not only be able to fund your poker account at your chosen poker sites instantly, but should you then go onto make a withdrawal you will have all bases covered in regards to how you choose to get paid those winnings.

Free Games and Free rolls – One thing to look out for when playing at any of our sites is whether the site in question offers you the ability to play poker for free or take part in free roll tournaments.

Make sure it does indeed offer you these free games and free roll tournaments as this is a great way to get a good feel for a poker software platform which you have never tried before, and by playing for free you can master the way the software operates without risking any of your own funds doing just that!

Blog

Best Gambling Sites

• Guide to Online Poker Tournament Strategy

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• 7 Key Differences Between Online and Live Poker

  Many people think that live poker and online poker are the same thing, which is probably why many opt for the convenience of online poker. But ..

• All-Time Money List: Who Are The Richest Live Poker Players at the Moment?

  I've always been amazed by the fact that some players earned millions of dollars playing poker and making a comfortable living. While I've never ..

• Guide to Setting up the Perfect Poker Night at Home

  If you're interested in throwing the ultimate poker night or tournament party at your house, you will need much more than a deck of cards and a ..

Skip the Headaches and Play at a Legitimate Site

You're looking for a legitimate U.S. gambling site, but can't decide which site to trust with your hard-earned money?

Good news! We've been in the online gambling industry for over a decade (several decades, really, if you add all of our experience together), and we've spent countless hours to bring you a list of the most legitimate sites.

Here's what all of these sites have in common:

• 10+ years in the business with strong reputations.
• Attractive promotions for first-time customers.
• Quick money withdrawals (relative to the U.S. market).

Why Bovada Is #1 in the U.S.

#1: Fastest Check Cashouts

Bovada gets 10 times as much traffic as its second best US competitor and still delivers check payouts faster than any of them. Bovada processes check withdrawals in 7 days; many of its competitors take weeks, some more than a month to do the same. (There are other fast options, like the #3-ranked BetOnline, which delivers checks in 14 days.)

#2: Service

An equally important aspect of Bovada's operations is its customer service. If there ever was an indication of how much a company respects its customers, it's the level of customer service the company provides. I haven't found any US-friendly site doing this aspect of the business better (although 5Dimes is a worthy runner-up).

#3: All-In-One

Finally, all parts of Bovada's business (sportsbook, casino, poker, racebook) are popular. Bovada is best-known for sports betting and casino games, however, even its online poker room has around four times as many players online as the second biggest US poker site. You can access all of their games with one player account.

… But You Should Know This

Bovada is recreational-friendly, perhaps more-so than any other US site. You'll find few golden opportunities in their sportsbook (read more about their use of dual lines), they have a relatively high overall house edge (especially after recently increasing house edge in video poker games) and their online poker room only has 'anonymous' tables.

Although not everyone agrees with me, the recreational-friendly part is an advantage for skilled poker players. Since Bovada appeals to recreational gamblers, you'll be like a shark among regular fish.

Bovada charges a 4.9% fee for credit card deposits (a lot considering how most sites charge nothing). The impact of the deposit fee is slightly compensated by their welcome bonuses, which are better than average.

All online gamblers look for entertaining games, attractive promotions and aesthetically pleasing software. To have a safe experience, however, you want a site to:

1. Serve its customers with safety and respect,
2. Operate with a reasonable house edge, and
3. Handle money transactions promptly.

Yes, the third point is included in the first point but it's also such an essential part of the customer experience that it must be mentioned separately. Football teaser odds. Many online gambling websites operate without an adequate level of service so these points are worth considering. It's rare to find a combination of all three points.

Bovada fulfills all of the above criteria better than other sites but 5Dimes does well, too. In fact, I'm confident in ranking those two as the best USA gambling websites specifically because they deliver so well in the areas related to safety and trustworthiness. A site without proper customer service and safety measures is not one you should deposit money to, regardless of its promotions and whatnot.

What Are Some Alternative Options?

For Sports Bettors

5Dimes.eu is the best betting site in the US for the following reasons: they're professional-friendly and offer reduced juice betting lines (in other words, less house edge). Before betting on any game, I recommend taking a look at the odds 5Dimes is offering. They've been a reliable sportsbook for over 10+ years — you'll find few complaints about 5Dimes online, and the ones you find have been resolved quickly.

For poker and casino games, I would go with Bovada. But for sports bettors, it makes the most sense to have an account at 5Dimes.

Another Solid Option

BetOnline.ag is my third suggestion. It's not significantly better than the others in any area but they're simply a solid option. Prompt cashout processing, decent poker traffic, good sports betting options and entertaining casino games. Additionally, I've had good experiences with their customer service.

For sports bettors, BetOnline is worth signing-up at simply to be able to compare betting lines among a few sites. For poker players, BetOnline may offer some good games every now and then (keep in mind: you can bet on sports and play casino and poker games with the same account, so plenty of gamblers will stumble on the poker games eventually). For casino gamblers, BetOnline has a basic but reliable offering.

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BetOnline charges a 6% fee for credit card deposits.

Is It Legal to Play?

The definition of 'gambling' and the laws surrounding vary depending on which state you live in.

In Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey, some forms of online gambling have been legalized and regulated (only state-licensed sites are allowed to operate legally). In other states, it's likely (although not widely agreed upon) that playing – and certainly operating – online gambling games for real money is illegal.

On a federal level, sports betting is the only form of prohibited gambling via the Wire Act of 1961. For several years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) maintained that the Wire Act applies to all forms of online gambling, but in December 2011, they corrected that stance by stating that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting – a result of a 13-page memorandum from the Office of Legal Counsel to the Criminal Division of the DOJ (source).

State laws, however, often indirectly prohibit gambling. Or to put it another way: it would be difficult to claim any forms of online gambling legal with absolute certainty in most states (lotteries and such aside). Most state laws indirectly prohibit gambling simply by making all forms of gambling unlawful that have not been made lawful.

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Purely based on history, it's unlikely you'll get into legal trouble; then again, if something is illegal, you can get into trouble, and someone probably will. Gambling online may be illegal where you live. Contact a local gaming lawyer to get a better idea of your local laws.

Legal Troubles

Industry-changing events have taken place in the online gambling world – mainly concerning online poker – such as the UIGEA and Party Poker's exit from the US market, or PokerStars' exit from the US market in 2011.

Those crimes were committed by online poker operators, though, not players. Still, the mere fact that online poker companies were targeted was enough to cast a shadow over the legality of US online poker, and furthermore, players grew more and more worried about one of these sites getting shut down along with the money on their player accounts.

In fact, there is a legitimate reason to worry about dishonest US gambling sites taking your money. Some sites have indeed taken off with the money – a recent example is Lock Poker, which currently may owe its customers over $15 million. I created LegitGamblingSites.com mainly to give more exposure to the sites with strong track records of honest business practices.

The lawmakers, in that regard, have a point about not allowing unlicensed sites to provide online gambling games to US citizens. While that may not be the reason, it's likely one of them. (If I had to guess, I'd say they're more concerned about losing out on tax dollars and protecting the interests of brick & mortar casino owners such as Sheldon Adelson, although through the RAWA – Restore America's Wire Act legislation – he tries to do that by himself.)

How to Move Money Around

Ever since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) became a law, US citizens have had a more difficult time finding a suitable deposit method.

There are only a few left, actually.

The most common deposit method for US citizens is still credit card deposits, out of which VISA is the most widely accepted brand, followed by Mastercard, with American Express being a distant third. Cards must be eligible for both international and online transfers.

The alternative method is to use a money transfer service such as Western Union. Western Union is mostly a deposit-only method. (Bovada is an exception since they only allow you to withdraw money via a check.)

Why to use a money transfer service instead of a credit card?

• A card deposit fails to go through. This happens every now and then, and the only way to know if your card will be accepted is to try. According to various forum reports, Vanilla VISA is declined at most sites while Netspend VISA has been successful.

  Surprisingly, players have had problems with card deposits even at state-licensed sites due to banks like Bank of America outright declining all gambling transactions. Things will likely get better with the new MCC codes for VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Distant which will help casinos to identify gambling transactions more accurately. It's unclear how much of a help this will be since banks still have the right to decline transfers marked with the new MCC codes, and due to not wanting to violate the UIGEA (according to which they're prohibited from knowingly processing unlawful gambling transactions), banks may decide it isn't worth it and keep cancelling transactions even if they were for state-licensed sites.

  This is expected to change once bigger states – perhaps even the biggest of them all, California – join internet gambling, since declining the transactions will then affect such a large percentage of any bank's customer base.

• You want a faster cashout. While money transfer services cost more (many sites, like Bovada, allow one free check cashout a month), the money is usually delivered to be picked up at a local Western Union location in five days or less.
• You don't want a check cashout. You need to go to a cashier to cash a check. Most people would rather avoid doing this, especially since banks aren't allowed to knowingly process online gambling related transactions (unless in Delaware, Nevada or New Jersey, but people have had problems in those states as well).

In general, you'll have higher transaction costs with money transfer services than with a combination of credit cards and checks. BetOnline and Bovada are the only major USA sites charging for credit card deposits and most allow one free check cashout per month – some, like True Poker, allow a free check withdrawal every seven days.

How to use a credit card/check combination?

1. Enter your credit card details online after which you have the money on your player account instantly.
2. When done playing, order a check cashout, which will take from a week to over a month depending on which site you're dealing with.
3. Go to your local bank to cash the check.

How to use a money transfer service (like Western Union)?

1. Go to their website or a live Western Union location and send money to the gambling site. (You'll need to contact the gambling site first to get their transfer details.)
2. When done playing, initiate the withdrawal from your player account.
3. Go to a live location to collect the money.

State-Licensed Sites

As mentioned, Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey have legalized and regulated some forms of real-money online gambling. Delaware started with online poker but has since expanded into casino games as well; Nevada offers online poker games only; New Jersey offers online poker and casino games.

As you can see, not a single one of these states offer online sports betting. In New Jersey – clearly the biggest market of the three – there's a clause according to which sports betting may be considered to be added in the future.

Requirements

You must be physically located within a state's boundaries to play at the licensed sites. If you're currently located in California but live in Nevada, you're unable to play until you return to Nevada; if you're currently located in Nevada but live in California, you can play as long as you stay within Nevada's state boundaries.

Licensed sites have to make sure nobody outside of the state can participate in the games. Geolocation – identifying exactly where a person is located – has been difficult, and there are still people who are unable to play even though they're located within those states. This is one of the reasons licensed online gambling sites have done financially worse than expected.

Only existing brick & mortar casino owners within those states can apply for licenses, although they can apply together with an existing online gambling site in a software-licensing agreement, like Caesar's Interactive and 888.com have done. If a poker site kept operating in the US after the UIGEA of 2006, it will be subjected to a 'bad actor' clause in Nevada and be prohibited from operating in the state for now.

Performance

Each state has had a rocky start, although New Jersey is doing OK. In March 2014, they did $11.87 million in revenue, which grew into $13.16 million in March 2015. A growth rate of 14.57% year-over-year is better than nothing, but still a far cry from the $1 billion within the first 7 months of operating Governor Christie expected (New Jersey gambling sites were launched in November 2013). In other words, his expectations were a little over $140 million a month on average, or about ten times the current revenue.

According to PokerScout.com, Nevada's online poker revenue is going downhill. Year-over-year decrease in revenue of around 44% (from February 2014 to February 2015) is, no matter how you look at it, a disappointing result. Problems with card deposits and geolocation – both of which exist in other states as well – and player liquidity have undoubtedly contributed to the significant decrease. Players have to deal with fewer problems when playing at offshore sites, and as long as that continues, it will be difficult for state-licensed sites to gain major traction.

In Delaware, the state keeps all yearly revenue up to $3.75 million. Since total revenue for 2014 was around $2.1 million, gambling operators have made nothing. The main reason for such a low amount of revenue is Delaware's population of 0.94 million (in comparison, New Jersey has a population of 8.9 million). Liquidity is important for online poker since you need lots of players to run games at various stakes, in several forms and throughout the day. Delaware is trying to improve its poker liquidity by combining player pools with Nevada but so far there hasn't been a significant improvement to its online gaming revenue.

If all of the three states were to combine their player pools, it would create a poker economy of around 12 million people, which could add significant liquidity to the games and thus bring in more revenue to each of the states.

Offshore Sites

Gambling sites accepting US customers from outside of the three states are all 'offshore' sites, meaning they operate from outside of the US and have no license to operate within the US. They have obtained a license in some other jurisdictions – such as Antiqua & Barbuda or Panama – but many of those jurisdictions have less-than-stellar reputations.

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The disadvantage of gambling at offshore sites is the lack of safety. For an outsider, it's impossible to know how strict testing measures these sites go through to prove their legitimacy, and hypothetically, if one of them were to disappear from the internet tomorrow along with your money, what could you do about it?

Lock Poker, as already mentioned, is an ongoing example. They've now lost their license in Curacao (weirdly, they were able to keep the license easily over a year after refusing to process customer cashouts) and there's nothing anyone can do to make sure Lock Poker's customers have their money returned. All we can do is spread the word to the people who are considering signing-up and depositing money to their site.

The best thing you can do is consider the reputation of the site rather than the jurisdiction since all jurisdictions have had dishonest sites. The longer a site has been fully operational, and the fewer complaints it has generated, the better. Essentially, Bovada has been in the online gambling business since 2000 when Bodog.com was founded (the US-friendly operations of Bodog were re-branded as Bovada in 2011), and as mentioned, they've achieved an excellent reputation with a high level of customer service.

But there are advantages to playing at an offshore site, too, and you can legitimately argue that the advantages override the disadvantages. Offshore sites place fewer restrictions on customers, need less personal information and have to compete with lots of other sites (within US states, competition is limited) which forces them to be at their best in order to succeed. There are no geolocation issues either.

Safety and legality aside – although obviously, both are big considerations – offshore sites are the better option in almost every area. Since only three states have legalized some forms of real-money online gambling in the US, they're the only places for internet gambling for around 96.4% of US population.

What's Next?

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US online gambling is in a transitional phase: after a long wait of legalization, three states have done it, mostly with lackluster success. Suggesting geolocation and deposit issues are resolved, revenue streams may grow. With online poker, though, most likely at least one of the bigger states has to legalize it and combine player pools with the others to create a meaningful poker economy.

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A federal legalization would create much-needed competition and player pools, which in turn creates a bigger incentive for operators to participate and, in many ways, a better environment for gamblers. If internet gambling was to be legalized nationwide, every operator and their grandmother would want a license. As of now, it's more beneficial for most operators to stay outside of the US.