There are only four US states from which Online Casinos are legally permitted to accept players.
These are New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
If you are based outside of these states, you have the alternative option of a casino-style experience at Sweepstakes Casinos.
However, you should only opt to play at Sweepstakes sites that have a clear Sweeps Rules policy.
We exclusively recommend Real Money Online Casinos that operate legally in NJ, PA, WV, and/or MI and have the correct policies.
Below, we detail which unlicensed casino sites you should avoid, along with the platforms that offer a poor player experience.
What Are The Red Flags & How To Spot Them?
Here are some of the most obvious red flags to watch out for when considering joining a new brand:
- Missing clear licensing information (this information is usually found in the footer of the website).
- No links to any Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policies or Responsible Gambling Policies (usually also in the footer).
- Basic sign-up forms that that fail to establish your eligibility to join.
- The welcome bonus is given in cryptocurrency.
- The site has an unusual URL with weirdly placed numbers in it.
If you want to find out more details about the disadvantages of playing at offshore casinos, as well as the benefits of playing at regulated sites, we will go into further detail below.
Why Should You Avoid Playing At Blacklisted Online Casinos
You should totally avoid playing at blacklisted Online Casinos for the following reasons:
No licensing
Signing up to a sites that does not have any proper licensing is not recommended, ever.
There are only 4 US states that legally allow Real Money Online Casinos to accept players, and these are:
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Michigan
- West Virginia
Those states have local authorities that issue permits and oversee the operations of regulated brands.
Look for the seal of approval and licensing details issued by the following state authorities:
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE)
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)
- Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB)
- West Virginia Lottery Commission
You can typically find this information in the footer of the website, similar to how BetMGM display their licensing details.
Sweepstakes Casinos are slightly different, as they don’t require special licensing.
However, legitimate brands should have a Sweepstakes Rules policy available for you to read, like Spree Casino.
Offshore casinos targeting US players will have licenses from other jurisdictions, such as Curacao, Malta, and Anjouan.
The most common problems related to offshore brands are withheld winnings, sudden account closures, and rigged games.
Withdrawal issues
How easy it is to receive your winnings is a clear indicator of an site’s quality and trustworthiness.
We recommend that you avoid casinos that prolong the withdrawal process without reason, offer only a handful of payout options, or have no verification processes in place.
We mention verification as a necessity for the following reasons:
- Prevents money laundering
- Confirms player eligibility
- Prevents underage casino gameplay
- Protects against identity fraud
You will need to undergo a Know Your Customer (KYC) verification processes when you are playing at a regulated brand, like DraftKings.
Reputable Online Casinos will also give detailed information about their payment process, for both deposits and withdrawals.
You might find this on a dedicated payment methods page or several different sections covering similar topics in their Help Center.
For example, you can all the necessary information about withdrawal processing times in BetMGM’s Help Center.
Below, we have listed the approximate withdrawal processing times offered by some of our recommended Real Money Online Casinos.
| Casino | Online banking | Debit Card | PayPal |
| BetMGM | 2-4 business days | Visa (within 24 hours) Mastercard (1-3 business days) | Within 24 hours |
| Hard Rock Bet | Instant (may take 3-5 business days on occasion) | Instant (may take up to 1 hour on occasion) | Instant (may take up to 1 hour on occasion) |
| DraftKings | Up to 24 Hours (2-5 days for Standard Traditional ACH) | Up to 24 hours | Up to 2 days |
| Caesars Palace Online | Within an hour | Within an hour | Within an hour |
It’s best practice to check what other players have experienced at your chosen casino by reading their reviews on TrustPilot and Reddit.
Unverified games
Unlicensed casinos will often have an unfair games, lacking an RTP information or fairness certification from independent software auditors.
When you play at a licensed Online Casino, these will be easy to readily available and easy to find.
You’ll either find this presented to you before you play, like how it provided at Hard Rock Bet Casino.
If you don’t see those details before you play, you can click the ‘i’ or ‘?’ icon on your chosen slot once you’ve entered the game to find them.
Here’s an example of where you would find this on Majestic Wild Buffalo at Golden Nugget Casino.
Game fairness is guaranteed at Legit US Online Casinos will guarantee game fairness with a testing certification.
eCOGRA, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), and iTech Labs are among the industry’s best-known independent auditors.
DraftKings Casino is one of the sites that collaborates with GLI, for example.
No security
When you join a casino, you will be required to provide them with your personal details in order to create an account.
Doing this at an unlicensed platform with no clear data or privacy policy could lead to this information being misused.
In comparison, a reputable Online Casino, like BetRivers, will have clear policies about how your personal data is handled, as well as multiple security features to help protect it.
One of the first signals of a trustworthy site is the URL address. Untrustworthy sites will often have a URL that begins with ‘HTTP’.
Secure sites, such as PlayStar Casino, will have URLs that start with ‘HTTPS’.
Unrealistic bonus terms
Scam casinos attract players by offering huge bonuses, but they also add complex and unrealistic requirements that make cashing out nearly impossible.
Such requirements include:
- A very short bonus wagering timeframe
- High wagering requirements
To get a better understanding of what’s expected and what’s unusual, you can reference the table below.
| Bonus | 0x – 10x (ideal) | 10x – 40x (moderate) | 40x + (excessive) |
| Playthrough | 28 days (ideal) | 7 days (moderate) | 24 hours (excessive) |
Illegal casino sites sometimes hide the bonus terms or make them difficult to find.
You can expect the opposite when you join a legitimate brand. The terms and conditions will be clearly highlighted, similar to how they are shown at Stardust Casino.
The language used to explain the criteria will be understandable and the terms will be straightforward.
No responsible gaming resources
Unregulated casinos don’t place any importance on creating a safe gaming environment and you won’t find any responsible gambling resources.
Any casino that sends you push notifications without the option to turn them off should be avoided.
Alternatively, legit Online Casinos provide tools that aim to protect players, like cool-off periods, deposit limits and self-exclusion tools.
You will find these resources and tools linked in the site’s footer, similar to how it is done at Caesars Palace Online.
Deposit limits are one of the most frequently used resources, as they allow you to enforce a limit on the amount you wish to spend on gaming.
Although it may differ from platform to platform, the process of setting this up usually includes the following steps:
- Log in to your account.
- Navigate to the ‘Responsible Gaming’ section.
- Select ‘Deposit Limit’.
- Choose a daily, weekly, or monthly limit.
- Enter the maximum amount you wish to spend.
- Save and confirm.
List Of Offshore Online Casinos To Avoid
Below, we’ve created a list of offshore casinos that you may come across on your search for places to play.
This is not an exclusive list and there are many others like it which are completely unregulated.
| Casino | Licensing information |
| Bovada | Anjouan, Union of Comoros |
| Raging Bull | Anjouan, Union of Comoros |
| Balzac | Curacao |
| Royal Ace | Costa Rica |
| Wild Casino | Panama Gaming Commission |
| Planet 7 | Costa Rica |
| Captain Jack | Costa Rica |
| Slots Empire | Anjouan, Union of Comoros |
| Manhattan Slots | Anjouan, Union of Comoros |
| Blu Casino | Curacao |
If you know of an similar brands that should be added to this list, please feel free let us know.
List Of Online Casinos That Don’t Meet Our Standards
It’s important to remember that it’s not only offshore brand’s that should be avoided, but those that offer a low-quality experience too.
We’ve put together a list of platforms that simply don’t meet our standards according to how we rate casinos.
| Casino | Reason | Common Player Complaints |
| Riversweeps | * Multiple sites with Riversweeps branding and games * Lack of transparency with T&Cs * No game fairness certification | *Unfair denial of prize redemption requests. |
| Juwa | * No clear information on prize redemption * Accepted minimum age is 17 years old (US legal minimum is 18 years or older) | * Poor customer service * Site is bad quality and provides an unenjoyable experience |
| Bitplay | * Confusing platform to navigate * Promotes other suspicious brands like Juwa and Game Vault Casino. | * Complex verification process * Refusal to pay out winnings due |
| Fire Kirin | * Suspicious URL * Difficult to find any T&Cs, privacy policies etc. | * Unfair denial of prize redemption requests * Poor customer service |
| Decode | * Unlicensed site | *Disruptive and persistent communication from the brand * Difficultly in completing the verifications necessary to withdraw |
| Platinum Sweepstakes | * Misleading platform that promotes other Riversweeps-based brands * Lacks transparency regarding T&Cs, privacy policies etc. | * Unfair denial of prize redemption requests. * Random closure of accounts. |
| Game Vault | * Poor selection of games * Lacks information regarding T&Cs etc. * Sister site of Riversweeps Casino | * Unfair denial of prize redemption requests. * Random closure of accounts. |
Why Should You Trust Our Recommendations?
We have been playing at Real Money and Sweepstakes Casinos for over ten years.
This has allowed us to gather not only first-hand experience, but valuable insights as to what truly matters to players.
When rating the sites we play at, we consider several key criteria, including:
- Licensing
- Transparency
- Payout speed
- Security and fairness
- Customer support
- Game quality and diversity
In an effort to be as objective as possible, we also validate our judgements against other player’s reviews on forums like TrustPilot and Reddit.
Can Players Get Blacklisted At Online Casinos?
Yes, you can get blacklisted at legitimate Online Casinos.
Licensed brands are safe and fair, but they also have rules that you must respect if you want to continue playing there.
The following activities can get you included on a blacklist:
Playing with a VPN
You should only sign up to a casino that is legally available within your state.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to spoof your location isn’t permitted and most site’s have software that can detect these.
Even if you manage to bypass it initially, it’s a waste of time as you’ll need to verify your address to withdraw.
Once you are found to be using a VPN, your account will be closed and your winnings will be forfeited.
Here’s an example of Bet365 Casino’s policy on the use of VPNs and proxy servers.
You’ll find similar conditions in the Terms and Conditions of SC Casinos, like WOW Vegas.
Verification fraud
Verification fraud is among one the most serious offences that you can commit as a player.
Providing false documents in order to mislead the casino regarding your age or residency counts will lead to immediate account closure.
Online Casinos, like Caesars Palace, have a clear and strict stance on this matter.
Violating bonus terms
If you violate the bonus terms wagering money on restricted games and placing no-risk bets, you run the risk of having your account closed.
No-risk bets are those that always result in a positive or neutral outcome for the player. They’re used for clearing bonus funds without spending the money.
An example would be betting $2 on red and $2 on black on roulette.
You should also avoid trying cash out without meeting the wagering requirements or ignoring the maximum bet limit while playing using bonus funds.
If You Have Self-Excluded
If you are currently on a state-wide self-exclusion list, you will not be permitted to join a licensed Online Casino within that territory.
Trying to do so can result in you receiving a ban from these sites and never being accepted as player again.
Although Sweeps Cash sites have individual self-exclusion lists rather that states ones, the same consequences apply.
Who can you contact if you have an issue?
If you’ve had a negative experience or been scammed at an untrustworthy Online Casino, you can seek help from your local authorities.
Generally, they do not have the international reach to deal with offshore platforms, but they may be able to provide guidance on what to do next.
New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE)
- Website – https://www.njoag.gov/
- Contact number – (609) 984-0909
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)
- Website – https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/
- Contact number – (717) 346-8300
Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB)
- Website – https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/
- Phone number – 313-456-4100
West Virginia Lottery Commission
- Website – https://www.wv.gov/pages/agency.aspx?newid=272
- Phone number – (304) 558-0500