Legitimate online casinos have been around since the 1990s, but it wasn’t until the online gambling revolution of the early 2010s that they began to gain some mainstream recognition and widespread acceptance. Companies all over the world now offer online gambling on everything you can imagine. All popular casino games are now available online, and many sites have even begun offering live dealer games in an attempt to mimic brick-and-mortar casinos as closely as possible.
Not all online casinos are trustworthy, but the biggest brands—the ones that have been around for years and are trusted by millions of players—have invested heavily in security and customer service features to show their users how important they are. Online casinos are now at least as popular, if not more so than traditional retail casinos. This page will cover everything you need to know about legitimate online casinos, both in the U.S. and around the world, from their safety features to their betting options and more.
Legit Casinos Online wants to make sure all our players are as knowledgeable as possible before they start gambling for real money. Real money casino apps are not widely available in all parts of the world. This is often due to gambling laws. Where online gambling is not fully legalized and regulated, the app stores typically won’t allow mobile casino apps that pay money to be listed. However, you can still play casino games on mobile devices.
Once you’ve decided to play with real money, your first step is to fund your casino account. Head to the Cashier/Banking section of the online casino and choose one of the easy-to-use payment methods. The selection will range from credit cards to ewallets – all suitable for the South African player.
Safest Online Casinos In The US
Modern online casinos offer many important safety features to assure the satisfaction of their players. Gambling has been stigmatized in the U.S. for decades and companies understand that it is important to provide world-class safety to their players to assuage concerns. Nearly all major modern online casinos offer advanced encryption to protect player data, secure banking through cryptocurrency and wire transfers, and 24/7 customer service to deal with any and all problems.
Are Online Casinos In The US Legal?
Yes, online casinos are legal in the U.S. While only a handful of states license in-state online casino operators, international online casinos are available to players throughout the U.S. These international websites do not interfere with state or federal anti-gambling laws because they fall outside of both state and federal jurisdiction. American anti-gambling laws are designed to target providers rather than users, so individual gamblers have nothing to worry about. There are still age requirements to play with online casinos (generally 18+), and you must be able to prove your ID to collect winnings, but other than that, online casinos are fully legal.
How Do I Know If An Online Casino is Legitimate?
While legitimate online casinos almost always set themselves apart from their less legitimate counterparts in every aspect of their design, newer online gamblers might not know what to look for, which could lead them to sign up with an exploitative site. In order to avoid being scammed or abused by an illegitimate online casino, players should look for a few features that are hallmarks of safe and legitimate sites. Not only are they hallmarks of legitimacy, but these features are essential to creating an enjoyable online casino gaming experience at all.
The first thing to look at when you are evaluating the legitimacy of an online casino is its customer service support line. Legitimate online casinos offer advanced customer support through multiple lines of communication (phone, email, live chat, etc.) If a site doesn’t offer customer support, it isn’t holding itself accountable to its consumers. Legitimate major online casinos also must offer fast and easy banking through multiple transaction methods, including cryptocurrency, wire transfer, courier’s checks, etc. Legitimate sites have large player bases that can attest to the site’s quality. If an online casino doesn’t appear to have any fans on the internet, its legitimacy is in doubt. Finally, if all else fails, check to see where the company is registered and how it is being licensed and regulated.
Fair Online Table Games
While some consumers view online casinos with distrust, if they are assessed based on payout rates, online casinos are fairer and more player-friendly than their retail counterparts. Online table games utilize algorithms that are strictly monitored to ensure fair payout rates at all times. Payout rates are often regulated by an online casinos country of operation to ensure that they aren’t fleecing players. This usually isn’t a concern because online operating costs are lower than those of brick-and-mortar casinos, and online casinos also generally have larger player bases. This allows them to offer better payout rates and operate on thinner margins.
Legit Online Slots
Online casinos can offer hundreds of different slots, all hosted on the same page. Legit online slots offer even more accessibility and flexibility than physical slot machines in retail casinos. Online slots will never be unavailable because they are in use by other players. Additionally, online slots players can adjust their bet levels without switching machines. The best benefit of legit online slots, however, is their increased payout rates. The operating costs of online slots are minuscule compared to physical machines, so they can afford to pay out at considerably higher rates.
Poker Sites That Are Safe
Online poker is one of the most popular recreational activities in the world, and major online poker sites can have millions of players each. Safe, legit poker sites feature the same qualities as legit online casinos, so they should be easy to spot once you know what to look for. Safe online poker providers usually operate through downloadable poker software that grants players access to games both against a computer dealer and against other players around the world. Most software is compatible with many variants of poker, but the most popular are Omaha, Hi/Lo, and Texas Hold ‘Em.
Are Live Dealers At Casinos Real?
Yes, live dealer games with online casinos actually connect you to a live dealer. Dealers are specifically chosen for their prior experience in the casino industry. Players are not connected through a video feed, but they can use a chat function to communicate with the dealer, who will reply in real-time. Live dealers are beneficial for players in two separate ways: 1) Live dealers are closer to the traditional casino gaming experience than the virtual games normally offered with online casinos. 2) Players skeptical about the algorithms that control virtual casino games get peace of mind when they can see the dealer using a real deck.
How To Make Legitimate Real Money Deposits Into An Online Casino
Online casinos work hard to make account funding as easy and accessible as possible. Money is the biggest source of stress for American citizens, so there’s no reason to add to that with inadequate banking options. Depositing real money with legitimate online casinos can be done in a variety of ways. The most popular deposit options is probably cryptocurrency, which offers the fastest processing times, biggest deposit bonuses, and the most security for user data. Traditional credit and debit cards are also supported, although they can create additional hassle when withdrawing funds. Other less popular deposit methods include wire transfers and peer-to-peer funding transfers.
Legitimate Withdrawal Methods at Online Casinos
Withdrawal from online casinos is slightly more complicated than depositing money. U.S. federal banking laws prohibit banks from directly processing payments from international online casinos. This rules out withdrawal directly onto a credit or debit card. Instead, players have to either pay extra for a courier’s check or wire transfer. Alternatively, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin can be used at little or no extra cost. Crypto transactions are processed almost instantly and can then be immediately transferred into a normal bank account. While crypto might be off-putting to some players who have seen the word ‘cryptocurrency’ used as a scary buzz word, it is a widely used, safe, and trusted transaction method.
Are Mobile Online Casinos Secure?
Yes, legitimate online casinos invest heavily in their mobile gaming infrastructure to ensure world-class security for their players. If you are using unsecure public wi-fi, your data could be at risk, but there is nearly zero chance of having your information stolen from an actual online casino. These casinos employ advanced encryption technology and hire full teams of specialists to ensure that there are no flaws in their security. Mobile online casinos can securely access all the same features as desktop users. Mobile sites are even optimized for touch screen use, so they are a great option for casino gaming no matter where you are.
International online casinos are still legitimate even if they are not regulated in your state. Major online casinos are regulated by the government of the country they operate in, as well as by worldwide business standards for the online gambling industry. Still, be sure to check if they meet the standards of legitimacy outlined above up on this page.
Yes, you will be asked to provide proof of a valid, government-issued ID before withdrawing your winnings from a site. Players can create accounts without showing ID, but if ID can’t be established while cashing out, winnings will be voided. For information on how to establish a valid ID, check an online casino’s frequently asked questions.
All legit online casinos are regulated by their country of operation, and thus the legal gambling age is the same as it is in that country. For most legit online casinos, the legal gambling age is 18 years old. Users will need to be able to provide proof of age via a government-issued ID.
It depends on the casino, but many do offer full-service sports betting. Online sports betting absolutely dwarfs retail sports betting, and it is estimated that legitimate online casinos handle tens of billions of dollars in sports wagers every year. Legit casinos with sports betting often offer different odds on the same events, so you should consider signing up with multiple sites.
Legit online casinos are based out of many different countries. Some are even based out of the four American states with legal online casino gaming (Delaware, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania). Popular locations for hosting online casinos include Costa Rica, Madagascar, Singapore, and affiliated but unincorporated territories like the Isle of Man.